Yahoo Messenger Problem

[Sarajade]

Hi everybody;

I'm trying to help my dad use his webcam with Yahoo Messenger.  We both have them, and we're trying to view each other.  My webcam has always worked fine; but he's never able to connect to it.  I also can't view his.

We've been through the Yahoo help center trying to figure this out, but I'm not sure what's going wrong.  We're both using the same version number, we both have broadband, and mine has worked with other people.  He is running Windows XP on a Sony Vaio laptop, with Norton SystemWorks 2005 installed, and his webcam is a Creative Live! cam.  

When he tries to connect, he gets the "Unable to connect-network error" message.  When he tries to test the webcam, it tells him "Another instance of YWcUpl is already running".  I can't find this error message listed under any of the help topics.  Is anyone familiar with these problems, and is there anything someone can tell us to perhaps fix this?  I just moved 800 miles and my parents would really like to be able to use the webcams.

Thanks!

[Flame]

What firewall is your father using? The firewall might be what's blocking the messenger from connecting... Also, has he installed the drivers for the webcam?

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[Sarajade]

He is using whatever came installed with Norton Systemworks 2005 as his firewall.  As far as I know, his drivers are installed-he used the installation CD that came with the webcam.  The webcam program on its own works, the problems arise when he tries to use it over any instant messaging program-AIM and Yahoo.  I can't even get my webcam to work on AIM, so Yahoo is our best bet.  

[Flame]

Norton SystemWorks 2005 does not come with a firewall... Is he using Windows XP? Service Pack 2? Has he tried playing around with the webcam settings in the Yahoo! Preferences menu?

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[Sarajade]

Yes, he's using XP with Service Pack two, and we've messed with the settings in the Yahoo messenger.  I mean, I've done this before with mine, and I know what settings should work....it's just that it's not working for him.  I tried to talk to Yahoo's customer support and they were absolutely no help at all, they copied and pasted something from the help section I've been over a hundred times.  

[Flame]

Well, I'm not sure what the problem is... All I have left to ask you is if the webcam is plugged in, and installed right... Oh, just thought of something else... Does the camera have a light or something that tells you that it is connected and working? (Mine has a little green light that turns on when it is connected)  If none of this works, I would have to suggest switching to MSN/Widows Messenger... Personally, I like MSN/Widnows Messenger more, becuase it offers much better features, etc. It's a free service as well... Give it a shot. Let me know how things work out...  

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[Sarajade]

Yeah, the camera has a light that says when it's working, and before I left home I made sure it was functioning.  I know it works...it works for the stuff the software does, but not over Yahoo.

I'll try to get him to give MSN/Windows a shot, but he's so frustrated with it now that I don't know if he'll go for it.  Poor guy!

[Flame]

Well, try to get him to use it. Yahoo! seems to have a number of bugs in it as far as I can see... Maybe this is one of them... MSN Messenger works much better.  

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