[Lenovo IdeaPad U300s] webcam stopped working, somewhere around mid-March 2013

[Stuart Langridge]

Running raring, my webcam on this Lenovo U300s has worked fine, until about a week or two before today (today is April 2nd 2013; it stopped working at some point in the last couple of weeks). The webcam is now unavailable to any tested webcam-using application (Google Hangouts, cheese, guvcview, conversat.io).

Cheese says: ** (cheese:15867): WARNING **: cheese-main.vala:251: Error: No device found

Guvcview says:
unable to detect video devices on your system (0)
ERROR opening V4L interface: No such file or directory
Init video returned -1
VIDIOC_REQBUFS - Failed to delete buffers: Inappropriate ioctl for device (errno 25)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: linux-image-3.8.0-15-generic 3.8.0-15.25
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-15.25-generic 3.8.4
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-15-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu5
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: aquarius 2676 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'iw'
CheckboxSubmission: 4d186c1dd89d3ba4cb89f5ee55713686
CheckboxSystem: bb422ca46d02494cdbc459927a98bc2f
Date: Tue Apr 2 12:53:57 2013
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=2a997b66-19bc-46c5-b10c-2d09ecf514eb
InstallationDate: Installed on 2011-12-11 (477 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Alpha amd64 (20111211)
MachineType: LENOVO 1080
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-15-generic root=UUID=1897a7e0-a3e7-4d65-811e-c8ffeacf0435 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-15-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-15-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.104
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to raring on 2013-02-03 (57 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 11/21/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 56CN38WW
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: U300s
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Lenovo IdeaPad U300s
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr56CN38WW:bd11/21/2011:svnLENOVO:pn1080:pvrLenovoIdeaPadU300s:rvnLENOVO:rnU300s:rvr1.0:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrLenovoIdeaPadU300s:
dmi.product.name: 1080
dmi.product.version: Lenovo IdeaPad U300s
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

I'd like to perform a bisect to figure out what commit caused this regression. It would be very helpful to know the earliest kernel where the issue started happening as well as the latest kernel that did not have this issue.

Can you test the following kernels and report back? We are looking for the first kernel version that exhibits this bug:

v3.8 final: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8-raring/
v3.8.1: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8.1-raring/
v3.8.2: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8.2-raring/
v3.8.3: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8.3-raring/
v3.8.4: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8.4-raring/
v3.8.5: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8.5-raring/

You don't have to test every kernel, just up until the kernel that first has this bug.

One thing to note, you will need to install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

Thanks in advance!

[Stuart Langridge (sil)]

Concerningly, I have now installed v3.8 final from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8-raring/ and...the camera still doesn't work: same errors.

I *know* the camera worked on Friday March 15th, because I was in a recorded Hangout On Air. And yet the 3.8 final kernel from above seems to be from before that. Confused. Perhaps the problem is in some sort of webcam thing that is not specifically the kernel?

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Hmm, that's strange. Can you run the following, so we can see if the webcam shows up at all:

sudo lsusb -v > lsusb.out

Then attache the lsusb.out file.

Also, it might be worth a shot to try a Quantal[0] and Precise[1] kernel to see if they see the camera.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.5.7.9-quantal/
[1] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.2.42-precise/

[Rick Spencer (rick-rickspencer3)]

fwiw, I am having the same issue. I attached my lsub.out file and note that "Monitor Webcam" is clearly listed there. Also note that after I booted from the 12.10 CD, I rebooted into 13.04 and was able to set the Monitor Webcam in gstreamer-properties.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

bug 1168430 may be a duplicate.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Hi Stuart,

Just wondering if you were able to test the Quantal or Precise kernels mentioned in comment #5? I can perform a bisect if we can identify the last good and first bad kernel versions.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Also, I don't see the webcam at all in the lsusb output in comment #6, so the system is unable to see it.

[Stuart Langridge (sil)]

Quantal and Precise kernels tested. Neither worked.

Maybe it's a hardware fault? :(

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Hmm, that is possible if the webcam worked with those Releases in the past. Do you even see the camera show up with lsusb? You should be able to see it with:

sudo lsusb -v | grep Cam

Will you be in Oakland for the sprint/rally? If so, we can take a deeper look at your system if you bring it.

[Stuart Langridge (sil)]

I will be in Oakland, indeed. The camera doesn't show in lsusb at all :(

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

One other option to see if this is a hardware issue would be to boot from a LiveCD of a release that you know it was working on before. That would not only test that kernel, but other packages in the release that may have caused an issue.

[Ariel Schiera (arisolucion)]

hi, i'm affected by this bug too. Now running Kubuntu 13.04 but also tested Ubuntu 13.04. My Lenovo Ideapad U300s doesnt detect the webcam. I'm attaching my lsusb -v to see if it can help. Hope we find a solution soon. Let me know if i can be of any help.

[Ariel Schiera (arisolucion)]

okay, i'm not sure why but now my webcam it's working again. After some updates and try different things, now "Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0ac8:3580 Z-Star Microelectronics Corp. " appears on lsusb. After that, using the FN+F9 key combination returned my webcam from the dead now it's working on Cheese and Skype. Running Kubuntu 13.04 32 bit with kernel (uname -a) "Linux arisolucion 3.8.0-19-generic #30-Ubuntu SMP Wed May 1 16:36:13 UTC 2013 i686 i686 i686 GNU/Linux". Hope this helps other U300s owners.

[Stuart Langridge (sil)]

Ariel Schiera: aha! F9 (actually, the "camera key": F9 is actually Fn-F9) has now made my camera work again! It is not at all a hardware problem! I must have pressed that by accident -- I didn't even realise that there *was* a key to enable and disable the camera. It would be nice if Ubuntu could detect this, although from what Joseph Salisbury is saying the camera key removes the camera to such an extent that Ubuntu cannot tell that there even was one at all!

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

That's great news, Stuart. Yeah, it does seem like the Fn-F9 key combo removes the camera.

It would be good to capture some logs of what is happening when Fn-F9 is pressed. Can you capture the syslog output when pressing that key combo?

[Stuart Langridge (sil)]

I can.

Camera working fine; tail -f /var/log/syslog
...
press F9

May 10 18:48:24 faith kernel: [120905.804404] usb 1-1.1: USB disconnect, device number 3
May 10 18:48:25 faith colord: device removed: sysfs-Vimicro_Corp.-Lenovo_EasyCamera

so the kernel notices that the camera drops off the USB bus. Nothing else is printed.

xev did, at this point, detect the keypress as well:

KeyPress event, serial 42, synthetic NO, window 0x3600001,
    root 0xa6, subw 0x3600002, time 121022566, (41,52), root:(1028,747),
    state 0x10, keycode 220 (keysym 0x1008ff8f, XF86WebCam), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes:
    XmbLookupString gives 0 bytes:
    XFilterEvent returns: False

KeyRelease event, serial 42, synthetic NO, window 0x3600001,
    root 0xa6, subw 0x3600002, time 121022566, (41,52), root:(1028,747),
    state 0x10, keycode 220 (keysym 0x1008ff8f, XF86WebCam), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes:
    XFilterEvent returns: False

I then press F9 again. (Note: it's not really F9. It is the camera key. If I press Fn + CameraKey, I get F9.) Syslog shows:

May 10 18:48:27 faith kernel: [120908.712364] usb 1-1.1: new high-speed USB device number 4 using ehci-pci
May 10 18:48:27 faith kernel: [120908.818498] usb 1-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=0ac8, idProduct=3580
May 10 18:48:27 faith kernel: [120908.818512] usb 1-1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
May 10 18:48:27 faith kernel: [120908.818518] usb 1-1.1: Product: Lenovo EasyCamera
May 10 18:48:27 faith kernel: [120908.818524] usb 1-1.1: Manufacturer: Vimicro Corp.
May 10 18:48:27 faith kernel: [120908.818530] usb 1-1.1: SerialNumber: MI1320_SOC
May 10 18:48:27 faith kernel: [120908.819533] uvcvideo: Found UVC 1.00 device Lenovo EasyCamera (0ac8:3580)
May 10 18:48:27 faith kernel: [120908.820923] input: Lenovo EasyCamera as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.1/1-1.1:1.0/input/input19
May 10 18:48:28 faith mtp-probe: checking bus 1, device 4: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.1"
May 10 18:48:28 faith mtp-probe: bus: 1, device: 4 was not an MTP device
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.974063] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on unit 1: -32 (exp. 8).
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.974402] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on unit 1: -32 (exp. 8).
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.974777] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on unit 1: -32 (exp. 8).
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.975223] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on unit 1: -32 (exp. 8).
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.975557] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on unit 1: -32 (exp. 8).
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.975909] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on unit 1: -32 (exp. 8).
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.976301] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on unit 1: -32 (exp. 8).
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.976669] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on unit 1: -32 (exp. 8).
May 10 18:48:28 faith kernel: [120908.977042] uvcvideo: Failed to query (GET_DEF) UVC control 13 on uni...

[Stuart Langridge (sil)]

Alan Pope pointed out that probably the reason that the camera key removes the camera so effectively (that is: it doesn't just disable it, it totally removes it as though it were never there at all; the thing drops off the bus, which is presumably happening at some sort of hardware level, rather than the kernel doing it? Joseph can you confirm that it's a hardware thing?) is that then malicious applications can't surreptitiously turn on the camera. I appreciate that this is the case. It would be really nice if, for example, we could detect the difference between "the camera on this machine is disabled in this way" and "this machine really doesn't have a camera"... and then alert the user somehow, so they don't go through the baffling mystery that I did. (Imagine, for example, if we provided a video source which was a JPG saying "your camera is disabled: press the camera button to re-enable it". No-one would ever be baffled again.)

[Ariel Schiera (arisolucion)]

Stuart, thank you very much for the information. I think Fn+F9 is not a hardware switch but it causes somewhat the same effect. If you go inside the BIOS screen of the U300s you can invert the function keys to turn on and off the camera with Fn+F9 or just F9 (something they call legacy mode if i remember well) . It also affect all the other function keys, so for example to rename a file you can use F2 or Fn+F2 and so on. I really don't know why it works like this but at least it works! :)

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Stuart Langridge, as per http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/default.page?selector=expand an update is available for your BIOS (56cn38ww). If you update to this, does it change anything?

If not, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Thank you for your understanding.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]