can the laptop webcam be activated without the light on?

i have a Toshiba laptop and when i joined msn messenger to video call the
family it told me that the webcam was "in use in another video call or
program" but the light was not on and had nothing else going except the msn
messenger!

the problem has since resolved itself but makes me wonder !

could someone have been spying? ( hackers? programs?)

can built in laptop webcam even work without the activity light?


thanks in advance.
KEN.

kendrz;515385 Wrote:
> i have a Toshiba laptop and when i joined msn messenger to video call
> the
> family it told me that the webcam was "in use in another video call or
> program" but the light was not on and had nothing else going except the
> msn
> messenger!
>
> the problem has since resolved itself but makes me wonder !
>
> could someone have been spying? ( hackers? programs?)
>
> can built in laptop webcam even work without the activity light?
>
>
> thanks in advance.
> KEN.

Hi Ken,

This may be a possiblity:
If you have another user account on your computer, then this can happen
if you left Messenger running in another user account that was still
logged on with the same Live ID while working in another user account.

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
OM\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

Could be malware, could be just a software glitch. The only recommendation
is to run a scan of the system with your Antivirus utility and Anti-Spyware
program.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"kendrz" <> wrote in message
newsA17A612-50A0-4A8B-815F-...
>i have a Toshiba laptop and when i joined msn messenger to video call the
> family it told me that the webcam was "in use in another video call or
> program" but the light was not on and had nothing else going except the
> msn
> messenger!
>
> the problem has since resolved itself but makes me wonder !
>
> could someone have been spying? ( hackers? programs?)
>
> can built in laptop webcam even work without the activity light?
>
>
> thanks in advance.
> KEN.

Ran norton as a precaution any way
prob just a malfuncion.

and BRINK the mrs user account was logged off at the time.



"Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]" wrote:

> Could be malware, could be just a software glitch. The only recommendation
> is to run a scan of the system with your Antivirus utility and Anti-Spyware
> program.
> --
> Andre
> Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
> My Vista Quickstart Guide:
> http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
> "kendrz" <> wrote in message
> newsA17A612-50A0-4A8B-815F-...
> >i have a Toshiba laptop and when i joined msn messenger to video call the
> > family it told me that the webcam was "in use in another video call or
> > program" but the light was not on and had nothing else going except the
> > msn
> > messenger!
> >
> > the problem has since resolved itself but makes me wonder !
> >
> > could someone have been spying? ( hackers? programs?)
> >
> > can built in laptop webcam even work without the activity light?
> >
> >
> > thanks in advance.
> > KEN.
>
>
>

Ken;
"can built in laptop webcam even work without the activity light?"
That would depend on how the camera is wired.
If the light gets a different signal then it is possible.
My guess is the light is wired with the camera and if one is on, both
will be on with no software possibility.
But that is just a guess and of course camera manufacturers may do it
differently from each other.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"kendrz" <> wrote in message
newsA17A612-50A0-4A8B-815F-...
>i have a Toshiba laptop and when i joined msn messenger to video call
>the
> family it told me that the webcam was "in use in another video call
> or
> program" but the light was not on and had nothing else going except
> the msn
> messenger!
>
> the problem has since resolved itself but makes me wonder !
>
> could someone have been spying? ( hackers? programs?)
>
> can built in laptop webcam even work without the activity light?
>
>
> thanks in advance.
> KEN.

"kendrz" <> wrote in message
newsA17A612-50A0-4A8B-815F-...
> i have a Toshiba laptop and when i joined msn messenger to video call the
> family it told me that the webcam was "in use in another video call or
> program" but the light was not on and had nothing else going except the
> msn
> messenger!
>
> the problem has since resolved itself but makes me wonder !
>
> could someone have been spying? ( hackers? programs?)
>
> can built in laptop webcam even work without the activity light?

It depends on how its wired.
There isn't even a light on mine.
Take a hint from web cam manufacturers who fit lids/flaps.. fit a bit of
cardboard or similar over the lens to be 100% certain.

I have an Acer Aspire 8930g. No webcam light works. Is this ligh
supposed to work? The webcam works fine

Thank

--
shadowsjoe