HP Spectrex360 - Camera not detected (both in Windows andUbuntu)

[Nishanth_Deiva]

Since I bought the laptop (HP Spectre x360 13-aw2002tu) in 2021, till now, I never had any trouble with it.
Randomly, I saw an error saying the Camera is not detected in Windows (0xA00F4244 No Camera Are Attached). I tried every solves I could find online,

1.  Checked for updates in Windows and HP Support Assitant -- None

2. Tried finding drivers in HP wesbite  - no camera drivers in the list

3. Manually found Sunplus camera drivers (found it after reading somewhere- not sure if it is the right one though) from Microsoft Update Catalog - no luck again

4. Tried restting OS multiple times, windows 10 and 11 both -- No luck

5. HP Cloud Recovery Tool failed midway throwing and error simply saying 'Recovery has failed'. and that was stuck in a loop, as OS hasn't installed been yet.

6. Installed Windows again only to find the camera work again. Finishing all new updates and restarting my laptop to find it not being detected anymore.

7. Tried the whole process again to find the camera work properly. Setup my laptop completely, next day I turn it on to find the camera not detected again. I am so tired of installing OS again and again. Not like every time I reset it works, it is very random.

8. To check if it was an hardware issue, I tried Ubuntu from USB to see my camera work every single time. Can take pictures and videos - no problem.

9. Installed Ubuntu only to see a 'Camera not found'. Even there

10. Took it to an authorised HP service centre, only for them to try resetting and give up as they came across the same errors. They tried a BIOS rest too. No luck

I paid over 1.4 Lakhs for a premium laptop and (exactly) just 4 years, and I see such issue is so disappointing. I took care of my laptop so well, always properly updated, no unknown software installations. Kept it clean in and out, Still got gifted with a camera failure like this. I hope someone has a solution to this. 

Funny add on - Just when I started getting this problem, I got a notification from HP Support Assitant that hardware support for this laptop will be stopped from now.

TL;DR - Camera not being detected in both Windows and Ubuntu but the hardware is functioning perfectly well. Tried all surface level tips and OS reset too. Nothing helped

[Max3Aj]

@Nishanth_Deiva, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
Based on your detailed description, it seems you're dealing with a hardware connection issue with your camera, rather than a software or driver problem. Here’s a concise summary of the situation and potential solutions:

Summary of Findings:

• Intermittent Camera Functionality: The camera works sometimes after a fresh OS install and consistently on live boot Ubuntu, indicating a hardware issue rather than a software one.
• Error Code: The 0xA00F4244 error suggests that the camera is not being recognized at the hardware level.
• HP Service Center Attempts: Their resets and reinstallations did not resolve the issue, further indicating a hardware fault.

Likely Causes:

1. Loose or Damaged Flex Cable: The internal cable connecting the camera to the motherboard may be loose or damaged.
2. Failing Camera Module: The camera hardware itself might be failing intermittently.
3. Motherboard Connection Issue: Although rare, there could be a problem with the camera port on the motherboard.

Suggested Solutions:

Option 1: Reseating or Replacing the Camera Module Flex Cable

• Hardware Repair: Open the laptop and reseat the camera cable at both the camera and motherboard ends. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, the cable or camera module may need replacement.

Option 2: Temporary Workaround

• Use an external USB webcam until you can address the internal camera issue.

Additional Check:

When the camera is not detected:

• Go to Device Manager → View → Show Hidden Devices. If the camera is not listed even under hidden devices, it confirms a physical disconnection.
• In Linux, run lsusb to check for the camera's presence. If it’s not listed, it indicates a physical connection issue.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support