Webcam with virtual machine

[Little Marine]

I have a Dell desktop with W10. I have a webcam installed. My wife needs to use some software with the webcam which will not work with W10. I will work with W7. I tried to download W7 as a dual boot system. I get an error message that W7 isn't compatible with my desktop. I can install W7 in a virtual machine. I didn't see the webcam in the virtual machine. Is there anyway to access the webcam with a virtual machine?
Thanks

[Salmon Trout]

In the VM settings you should be able to assign USB and other devices to be directly connected to the VM. I did this with an XP VMWare virtual machine when I had a webcam that had no Windows 7 drivers.

[Little Marine]

Thank you, that will save me from buying another computer.

[soybean]

I tried to download W7 as a dual boot system. I get an error message that W7 isn't compatible with my desktop. I can install W7 in a virtual machine.

I haven't had any VM's installed for a long time; otherwise, perhaps this would raise no question in my mind.   The fact that you can't install W7 in a dual-boot configuration but can install it as a VM on the same computer seems odd.   Would like to hear some comments on this.

[patio]

Likewise...never seen that message...VM or not.

[Little Marine]

Yes I would like some comments on why I couldn't install as a dual boot system

[Salmon Trout]

I thought that if you want to install dual Windows OSs you generally have to install the older version first, could that be a reason why the W7 installer gives up?

https://www.howtogeek.com/214477/how-to-dual-boot-two-or-more-versions-of-windows/

[Little Marine]

Thanks, I will install the older version first