The first user, to log in to Windows, cannot recive Skype calls.

[Brendajc]

I have a bizarre Skype Preview issue. I’ll try to keep this as brief as possible.

The first user, to log in to Windows, cannot receive Skype calls. This can be corrected, by that user logging out and back in. The second user can always receive them. It doesn’t matter if user A or user B logs in first; both suffer the same issue. Both can be corrected, by logging out (of Windows, not Skype) and logging in again. I cannot believe it’s a service, not starting for the first user. If the second user signs in – and skype works fine – the first user still has the issue, if you return to them. It can ONLY be resolved by them signing out and back in.

Further pertinent information: I don’t need to try a call, to know the issue exists for a given user. It is apparent when you go to settings (in Skype), because, for the affected user, the option to test the video camera takes around 30 seconds to initialise. I believe this is at the root of the failure to receive, because it simply takes too long to get the camera up, for the first user. An affected user can make a successful call – time is on the caller’s side – but Skype crashes, after that call; so, there’s still an issue for this first user. Again, this is corrected, after a sign out/sign procedure.

Also, this does not reoccur (once corrected by the sign in/out) when using fast shutdown/ fast-start. I presume there is something retained during that procedure. It only happens on a full restart.

The PC is a brand-new HP Pavilion (i5-7200 processor with 8GB of RAM and Windows 10 Home – Built-in HP Wide Vision HD webcam) and this is all after the initial setup. Skype Preview has been uninstalled/reinstalled for both users. Skype Preview was updated to a new version, today (30-03-17) – but this issue first arose yesterday, on the previous build.

Is this a HP problem, Windows, Skype or machine specific? I doubt it’s the latter, since it works perfectly, after the sign out/in; and there’s not a single error in the Event Viewer. Could it be some HP bloatware, which does something on initial full reboot? I cannot imagine it’s some service that is not starting, either; why would sign out/in help; and why is the first user not fine, once the second user has signed in? As I said, the problem persists for the first user, when you return to them.

[devilmaycare]

Hello, 

Hopefully this helps.

Camera will work only if there are no camera applications open. As in if there are two applications for camera that's open, only one might work, else both will not. So its important that the camera driver are refreshed. As skype depends on camera, this is one cause. 

I will suggest to check for a windows update. 

Steps : 

1).   Settings ----date and time -----enable both the date and time zone to automatic ( time zone might be disabled)

2). Settings-----accounts---check for any pending verification for the microsoft account, if yes it should say verify : Click on it and verify. 

3).  Settings---windows updates----check for updates. 

You will receive the updates. 

Download, install and restart the system. 

Thank you. Hopefully this helps. 

[Brendajc]

Many thanks for the speedy response.

All the updates have been applied, so that doesn't appear to be the issue.

What "camera application" could be open, which is not opened for the second logon; and is still open when you return to the first? It doesn't seem like any camera application is installed, other than Skype (including cyber-this or media-that, which HP talks about, in the video - and neither is even available as a download, for this laptop). Also, this 'camera app', which might be a cause of the issue, is absent, after a sign-out and sign in has been completed, for the first user, which is also confusing.

[devilmaycare]

I will suggest you to please try the above steps for windows account from the administrator account.
I am sure there will be some.
If not try a powershell command from the command prompt admin account and then restart the system...

[Brendajc]

Thanks for the input.

I have refreshed the camera driver, though it only uses the Microsoft USB driver; and that included uninstalling and reinstalling the camera. Being the basic USB driver, there’s no option to delete it.

I have verified both accounts; but it is not an account-specific issue. It only affects whoever logs on first. Moreover, the fact that the issue is resolved, completely, by the first user logging off and back in to Windows, does not (to me) imply the issue lies there. That said, I’ve done all that was instructed; it would be silly not to take such advice and assume it’s incorrect.

As for the updates, it updated to 14393.969, yesterday. I believe this is the latest one, for Windows 10 general release; and Skype Preview updated, too; though the issue was present before and after that update.

I agree the powershell might provide a solution; but have you any idea what command I might try to run? Both users are administrators; or do you mean the built-in admin account? Even then, you don’t mention what command one might run. I’m assuming the ignorance is mine, and I’m misunderstanding something.

[devilmaycare]

I am sorry for the ignorance. These will be the steps for the powershell commands.

the admin means the first account that was created and is used. 

For example if John was the user name when purchased, is the main admin account. The second administrator "X" is created with the rights from John. 

So these steps should be from the John account, that's the first administrator account.

Windows + X key

Command prompt admin :

Type :  powershell

hit enter

Now, lets remove the camera application first and reinstall all the applications : 

Below is the command, copy and paste

Get-AppxPackage *windowscamera* | Remove-AppxPackage

hit enter.

Now to reinstall the applications : 

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

Hit enter

Once completed it should stop on the command 

c:\windows\system32>

type exit 

exit

Now, please restart the system.

For reference : 

https://www.howtogeek.com/224798/how-to-uninstall-windows-10s-built-in-apps-and-how-to-reinstall-the...

Let me know if this helps.

Thank you.

[Brendajc]

Many thanks, again, for your kind efforts.

I must admit, I'd forgotten all about Windows Camera. Unfortunately, this did not resolve the issue. The first user still cannot get Skype working properly, and, as I mentioned previously, it seems entirely due to the time it takes for the first user to have the camera activated; which is resolved, as soon as they log out of windows and back in. Every time I go to Skype settings, for that first logged on account, it takes about 30 seconds for the 'Test Video' options to become available, until the user logs out and in again. After that, it comes up instantly; which, is always the case, for the second user logged on.

The second user to log on - irrespective of whether it's user A or B - is fine from the get-go. It's most perplexing.

[Brendajc]

I'll now throw something else, into the mix. In the first post, I wrote:

"Also, this does not reoccur (once corrected by the sign in/out) when using fast shutdown/ fast-start. I presume there is something retained during that procedure. It only happens on a full restart."

To add to that observation, I've now discovered that, after a restart, if I simply push the power button, to do a fast shutdown, then start it again, I do not have to do the sign in/sign out/sign in again, to get Skype working. It works immediately, for both users.

So, to recap - in the event this is getting confusing - if I restart then sign in, then for the first person to log-on (irrespective of which user account that is), Skype doesn't work; second user is fine. If the first user logs out of windows, signs back in, Skype is fine for both users. Alternatively, full restart, no sign-in, just shutdown with the power button and press it again, to reboot, then log-in and all is fine with Skype, for both users.

Thinking this through, is there anything that HP might be starting (or Microsoft for that matter), on a full restart, which runs in the first user's account (and continues to run only in that first log-on account) that might cause this issue? Moreover, is there such a process that is stopped, by either logging out of windows or turning off the machine, using the fast start button (rather than the full reboot), and not restarted again again, until a subsequent full reboot is performed?

[Brendajc · Accepted solution]

RESOLVED:

I went into the 'Settings - Devices - Connected Devices' section, and there I discovered an 'HP Wide Vision HD' POS Barcode Scanner was installed. I removed it and the problem has disappeared.

I've no idea how it was installed - I don't even know what that device is -  I've installed nothing other than a printer, and never been into the 'connected devices' menu, on this machine. Nevertheless, I'm not going to fret about that, since my Skype is available to all users, no matter who's first!

I'd just like to thank everyone who spent time trying to assist me, with this issue. I hope this might be useful to some poor soul, in future, so it wasn't a complete waste of everyone's time.

Kind regards,

Brenda

[devilmaycare]

I truly thank you for letting us know the resolution.