Logitech QuickCam USB webcams using pwc module (Pro, 3000, 4000) do not work if connected after booting

[Jonathon Conte]

I am running Ubuntu 9.10 beta and am having problems with a Logitech QuickCam Pro 3000 USB camera. If the camera is connected when the computer boots, it works perfectly in the following applications: cheese, ekiga, gstreamer-properties, camorama. If the camera is connected AFTER I have booted the computer (either while within GNOME or while gdm is running), then it does not work with cheese, ekiga, gstreamer-properties, or camorama. I have verified both of these statements on both my desktop PC (from which this bug report is submitted) and on my laptop (which is also running Ubuntu 9.10 beta. Also, I have tested the camera from a third computer running Windows Vista so I do not believe the problem is related to the camera hardware or the hardware on either of my two computers running Ubuntu. This problem did not exist in earlier versions of Ubuntu so it is a regression.

Due to the nature of the problem, I don't suspect that this is a bug with any of the desktop applications that I named or with gstreamer itself (since I have tried both gstreamer and non-gstreamer applications). I am happy to troubleshoot further but at this point I don't know how to determine if it is a problem with the kernel, kernel camera module (which is pwc), V4L or one of the hotplug frameworks. Thanks in advance to anyone who is able to assist with this!

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: jconte 2534 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: jconte 2534 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: jconte 2534 F...m pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Live'/'SB Live! 5.1 (rev.7, serial:0x80641102) at 0x9000, irq 23'
   Mixer name : 'eMicro EM28028'
   Components : 'AC97a:454d4328'
   Controls : 216
   Simple ctrls : 38
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'U0x46d0x8b0'/'USB Device 0x46d:0x8b0 at usb-0000:00:1d.1-1, full speed'
   Mixer name : 'USB Mixer'
   Components : 'USB046d:08b0'
   Controls : 2
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card1.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
   Capabilities: cvolume cvolume-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
   Capture channels: Mono
   Limits: Capture 0 - 3
   Mono: Capture 3 [100%] [60.00dB] [on]
Date: Mon Oct 5 12:43:02 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=56e17345-402e-481a-b849-53c844ecebcc
MachineType: System Manufacturer System Name
Package: linux-image-2.6.31-11-generic 2.6.31-11.38
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-11-generic root=UUID=d9defd99-23fc-4b9a-b330-ad7c31af5c10 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-11.38-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-11-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.20
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-11-generic i686
WpaSupplicantLog:

dmi.bios.date: 11/10/2003
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: ASUS P4PE ACPI BIOS Revision 1007
dmi.board.name: P4PE
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: REV 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 7
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftware,Inc.:bvrASUSP4PEACPIBIOSRevision1007:bd11/10/2003:svnSystemManufacturer:pnSystemName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP4PE:rvrREV1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct7:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System Manufacturer

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

Hi Jonathon, can you do the following for me:

1. Boot the machine with the USB camera connected and then run the following commands:

dmesg > dmesg.booted
lsusb -v > lsusb.booted

..and attach the dmesg.booted and lsusb.booted messages to this bug.

2. Disconnect the camera and then boot the machine. When you are logged in then plug in the camera and again run the following commands:

dmesg > dmesg.postbooted
lsusb -v > lsusb.postbooted

I just want to check to see anything obvious to begin with. Thanks!

[Jonathon Conte (thesicktwist)]

Colin,

I've completed your requests. Also, I want to mention that if I run cheese after the camera is connected after login, cheese will just display the multicolor test image. If I run cheese without the camera connected, it still displays the multicolor test image but it also says "No camera found!" near the top of the window. This leads me to believe that cheese can detect the camera if it is plugged in after login but it seems like something it not being initialized correctly.

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

Jonathon, I've put kernel with webcam debug enabled at:

http://people.canonical.com/~cking/443278/linux-image-2.6.31-13-generic_2.6.31-13.45_amd64.deb

It's probably worth downloading and installing this, and then loading the module with all the debug options enabled:

Boot with the webcam not plugged in, then:

sudo modprobe -r pwc

re-load the module with debug turned on:

sudo modprobe pwc trace=255

and then plug on the webcam and start cheese. Then send the dmesg output, e.g.

dmesg > dmesg.txt

and attach dmesg.txt to the log. It may show some reasons why this driver fails in this mode.

Colin

[Jonathon Conte (thesicktwist)]

Colin, my machine is x86 but does not have 64 bit support. Am I still able to use that kernel package to which you linked?

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

My mistake. I will build you a 32 bit version. Oops.

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

Try image: http://people.canonical.com/~cking/443278/linux-image-2.6.31-13-generic_2.6.31-13.45_i386.deb

[Jonathon Conte (thesicktwist)]

Colin,

I used the 32 bit kernel that you compiled and I attached the output of dmesg after following your instructions.

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

@Jonathon, Thanks for that info, one more thing to do to get some mode debug so I can compare and contrast debug logs:

using sudo create and edit the file /etc/modprobe.d/pwc.conf containing the following:

options pwc trace=255

Now reboot the machine with the webcam already plugging in, login and start the webcam application and again attach the dmesg output to this bug report. Thanks!

[Jonathon Conte (thesicktwist)]

Colin,

I have attached the dmesg output of the pwc debug info with the camera plugged in during boot. The dmesg output includes my logging in and testing the camera with Cheese. The camera worked.

[Colin Ian King (colin-king)]

Hi there, Unfortunately it produced way more debug than I expected. Can you attach /var/log/kern.log - that should have captured it all. Thanks!

[Jonathon Conte (thesicktwist)]

Colin,

I have attached kern.log after booting using your debug kernel with the camera plugged in during boot. Again, it worked in cheese.

For what it's worth, I am still using the same hardware that I was in the previous comments, however I did do a clean OS installation prior to posting this comment due to another issue. I am still running Ubuntu 9.10 beta with all the latest updates and I am still seeing the same problem with the camera.

[rictec (rictec)]

runiing karmic
i have some problem or almost the some
kernel 2.6.31-14-generic
when conected at boot after a few seconds i get usb_set__interface failed and even the mouse stops working

rictec

[Michael Gratton (mjog)]

Jonathon, does the workaround in Bug #424594 (unplug, "sudo modprobe -r pwc", plug it back in) get the camera working if not plugged in / re-plugged in after boot?

[Jonathon Conte (thesicktwist)]

Mike,

Yes, that does work. I've retested the camera several ways after reading your idea and the current state of affairs is below:

-camera plugged in while booting: works
-camera plugged in after logging into GNOME: works
-camera plugged in while booting, unplugging camera, and re-connecting camera: does NOT work
-camera plugged in while booting, unplugging camera, removing pwc module and re-connecting camera: works

To sum up:

-pwc is not automatically loaded at boot if the camera is not connected.
-pwc is automatically loaded when the camera is connected and the camera works.
-pwc is not automatically removed when the camera is disconnected.
-The camera does NOT work if pwc is loaded before the camera has been connected.

[Max Waterman (davidmaxwaterman)]

Just a quick note that I am seeing this with my Logitech QuickCam Notebook Pro USB webcam, which (according to syslog) is using the 'pwc: Philips webcam module version 10.0.13'.

I encountered the problem while using Skype, though it seems that's not particularly relevant.

[Leonardo (rnalrd)]

Same problem here with Quickcam Pro 4000. "sudo modprobe -r pwc" workaround does not work for me. I just can't make it works.

[4259259.912998] pwc: Philips webcam module version 10.0.13 loaded.
[4259259.913001] pwc: Supports Philips PCA645/646, PCVC675/680/690, PCVC720[40]/730/740/750 & PCVC830/840.
[4259259.913002] pwc: Also supports the Askey VC010, various Logitech Quickcams, Samsung MPC-C10 and MPC-C30,
[4259259.913004] pwc: the Creative WebCam 5 & Pro Ex, SOTEC Afina Eye and Visionite VCS-UC300 and VCS-UM100.
[4259259.913030] pwc: Logitech QuickCam 4000 Pro USB webcam detected.
[4259259.913076] pwc: Registered as /dev/video0.
[4259260.412038] input: PWC snapshot button as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.2/usb8/8-1/input/input20
[4259260.412094] usbcore: registered new interface driver Philips webcam

[DavidJB (davidjb)]

Same trouble with a Quickcam Pro 4000 as well. Having my camera connected from the boot up of my computer means that I can now see my camera in VLC under V4L2 (but not V4L), and Camorama works fine. Cheese is still showing a green screen for the camera but my other video app that I need my camera for is okay under V4L (not V4L2, despite VLC's positive results).

I guess just remembering not to disconnect the camera is acceptable, but what broke recently is the question.

[Dominique Derrier (derrierdo)]

I've got the same trouble ... back to kernel 2.6.29, is the temporary solution for me.

[malone (vmaxhenry)]

The problem I faced with the webcam in question is the following.
USB connection is recognized Bus 005 Device 002: ID 046d: 08b3 Logitech, Inc. QuickCam Zoom but to work with amsn camorama or should I restart Ubuntu cam connected.
On restart works great with no problems.
If cam disconnected launch from a terminal sudo modprobe-r pwc, then connect the webcam and I'm starting camorama works again perfectly.
I installed the package setpwc.
I installed cheese.
The result does not change
Before connecting I still use the terminal
sudo modprobe-r pwc
Now how do I automate this without using the terminal?

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

@Jonathon (or anyone else who wants to debug):

The issue now seems to be that the webcam won't work when plugged in a second time unless the module is reloaded. Can you run the same test Colin asked for in comment #13, but this time I want you to plug in the camera twice to trigger the bug. The second time hopefully will output some information to kern.log that will help us determine what is going wrong when we see the failure. Attach the new kern.log file here when you've got it.

Thanks

[Dominique Derrier (derrierdo)]

Here the log file from boot.
I think there is a trouble with usb loading process.

The workaround work well:
  Unplug the webcam,
  Rmmod pwc

Re-Plug webcam.

Dominique

[Dominique Derrier (derrierdo)]

I found a solution... kernel with built-in:
           USB_EHCI_HCD=y
           USB_UHCI_HCD=y

It's seems to work and avoid the :
- Warning! ehci_hcd should always be loaded before uhci_hcd and ohci_hcd, not after

But, i cannot see any other difference/explanation between built-in and module

Dominique

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

@Dominique:

I really need a dmesg log showing the output when the device is plugged in twice, so we can see what is output on the second plugging.

As for statically compiling the modules in, we'll need to figure out why that fixes things. We won't be able to statically compile them into Lucid at this point even if we wanted to, but seeing that compiling USB in fixes things does help us debug.

Thanks

[Dominique Derrier (derrierdo)]

Arf ...

Indeed, when I plug the webcam twice, there is a trouble :(
- First time it's working with camorama...
  module pwc isn't unloaded when I remove webcam
- Second time no image and waiting on VIDIOCSYNC

Here the log file

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

@Dominique:

Thanks for the log. I've done a diff of the two sections where you plugged in the device to see what the difference is, please see the attachment. I replaced memory locations with '<blah>' so the diff would be clean. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything useful in the diff.

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

One other useful test would be to try the mainline kernel. We have built kernels at http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/. Please install the latest current kernel and test whether it functions correctly. If it does, then we can narrow down what's wrong. If it does not (which I'm guessing is more likely), then this bug should be reported upstream at bugzilla.kernel.org and/or the linux-media mailing list.

[Bert Van de Poel (bhack)]

In the duplicate bug https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/424594 it is described that this happens due to the pwc module is not loaded the right way.

If you unload the module and then plug it in it works just fine.

[Patrick Welche (prlw1)]

It seems I see a regression: on lucid lynx 10.04.1 2.6.32-24-generic i686, the camera doesn't work if it wasn't connected at boot. I don't get a successful first attempt as you seem to mention above. (Still pwc: Philips webcam module version 10.0.13 loaded.)

Surprised at "incomplete" status - and happy to fill in details on request...

[DavidJB (davidjb)]

Same situation here on the same system / kernel / module as Patrick Welche above.

Also happy to test or provide details as required.

[nigelT (nigel-tuck)]

Hi - I have a Philips PVC680 which uses the PWC module. I use 10.04 which I keep up to date. I cannot get the video stream from my camera with any of the usual apps. In gstreamer-properties I do not get the video window when trying to use the webcam input (I have tried all options in gstreamer-properties for the video output without success), I only get a video window when using the 'test' option (then I get colour bars). I do get the audio stream.

I have tried removing pwc before plugging in the webcam, but this does not help.

cheese gives this error immediately
** Message: Error: Stream contains no data.

vlc - statistics report 0bytes under every heading

I have found in syslog this error - pwc: Failed to allocate decompress table.

I am also happy to help in solving this issue.

[p4trykx (p4trykx)]

I still have problems with pwc driver and QuickCam Pro 4000. I'm using the latest 10.10 with all updates with 2.6.35-24-generic #42-Ubuntu SMP Thu Dec 2 01:41:57 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux.
Removing the module and inserting the camera again works but it's not very convenient.

[Axel G. Rossberg (axel-rossberg)]

Simple unplugging camera - unloading module - plugging camera did not work for me, at least not reproducibly.

But the following did seem to always work:

(1) unplug

(2) sudo modprobe -fr pwc videodev v4l2_compat_ioctl32;

(3) plug (camera light stays on, and cheese would report "no device found" if we would start it, but we don't)

(3) do modprobe -fr pwc videodev v4l2_compat_ioctl32;sleep 2;sudo modprobe pwc (now camera light turns off after 2 sec)

(4) cheese!

(ok, that's not exactly a bug fix)

-- dmesg starting from step (3) follows --

[ 4541.073181] usb 2-1.3: new full speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 37
[ 4543.216032] Linux video capture interface: v2.00
[ 4543.218184] pwc: Philips webcam module version 10.0.13 loaded.
[ 4543.218186] pwc: Supports Philips PCA645/646, PCVC675/680/690, PCVC720[40]/730/740/750 & PCVC830/840.
[ 4543.218188] pwc: Also supports the Askey VC010, various Logitech Quickcams, Samsung MPC-C10 and MPC-C30,
[ 4543.218190] pwc: the Creative WebCam 5 & Pro Ex, SOTEC Afina Eye and Visionite VCS-UC300 and VCS-UM100.
[ 4543.460587] 37:2:1: endpoint lacks sample rate attribute bit, cannot set.
[ 4543.462150] 37:2:2: endpoint lacks sample rate attribute bit, cannot set.
[ 4543.463206] 37:2:3: endpoint lacks sample rate attribute bit, cannot set.
[ 4543.464428] 37:2:4: endpoint lacks sample rate attribute bit, cannot set.
[ 4543.681308] pwc: Logitech QuickCam Pro 3000 USB webcam detected.
[ 4543.681416] pwc: Registered as video0.
[ 4543.693180] input: PWC snapshot button as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.3/input/input92
[ 4543.693323] usbcore: registered new interface driver Philips webcam
[ 4544.694261] pwc: Failed to set video mode QSIF@10 fps; return code = -110
[ 4545.695272] pwc: Failed to set video mode QSIF@10 fps; return code = -110
[ 4545.696149] 37:2:1: endpoint lacks sample rate attribute bit, cannot set.
[ 4545.703386] 37:2:1: endpoint lacks sample rate attribute bit, cannot set.
[ 4552.264175] usbcore: deregistering interface driver Philips webcam
[ 4552.324204] pwc: Philips webcam module removed.
[ 4554.475224] Linux video capture interface: v2.00
[ 4554.477166] pwc: Philips webcam module version 10.0.13 loaded.
[ 4554.477168] pwc: Supports Philips PCA645/646, PCVC675/680/690, PCVC720[40]/730/740/750 & PCVC830/840.
[ 4554.477169] pwc: Also supports the Askey VC010, various Logitech Quickcams, Samsung MPC-C10 and MPC-C30,
[ 4554.477171] pwc: the Creative WebCam 5 & Pro Ex, SOTEC Afina Eye and Visionite VCS-UC300 and VCS-UM100.
[ 4554.477196] pwc: Logitech QuickCam Pro 3000 USB webcam detected.
[ 4554.477260] pwc: Registered as video0.
[ 4554.973264] input: PWC snapshot button as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.3/input/input93
[ 4554.973377] usbcore: registered new interface driver Philips webcam

[p4trykx (p4trykx)]

I've checked the latest kernel 2.6.38-rc5 without any patches. And pwc seems to work even if I unplug and plug the camera again. However it doesn't unload after disconnecting the camera.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug was filed against a series that is no longer supported and so is being marked as Won't Fix. If this issue still exists in a supported series, please file a new bug.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.