When you connect your digital camera to your computer running Windows XP, the Microsoft Scanner and Camera Wizard does not automatically run.

The Veiled Chameleon: Microsoft Camera and Scanner Wizard not Working

If I attempted to launch the Microsoft Scanner and Camera utility from the programs menu, it would find my webcam and operate it, exclusively. There was no option for change. Thus, I had a problem.

It turns out that my problem was caused by a "registry cleaner" which I used last week in an attempt to optimize my computer. Over time, a computer's registry can grow and grow and grow with many keys remaining long after their usefulness. This slows a computer down significantly. Registry cleaners attempt to remove superfluous registry keys. Unfortunately, sometimes they remove registry keys that should stay.

The Veiled Chameleon: Microsoft Camera and Scanner Wizard not Working

The keys which were inappropriately removed were the following.

The Veiled Chameleon: Microsoft Camera and Scanner Wizard not Working

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
WIA.AutoplayDropHandler.1\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
WIA.AutoplayDropHandler.1\shell\open]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
WIA.AutoplayDropHandler.1\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{F1ABE2B5-C073-4dba-B6EB-FD7A5111DD8F}"

So if you're having similar problems, perhaps you may want to check for the existence of these keys. If they're not there, perhaps you may want to introduce them.

Windows Scanner and Camera Wizard does not run

Cause

There are a number of Windows settings that determine whether the Windows Scanner and Camera Wizard will run. Digital cameras are generically treated as removable disk media. The same conditions are required as for CD and DVD discs to autorun. In addition, the default settings of the Windows Firewall in Windows XP SP2 may prevent the Camera and Scanner Wizard from working when a network scanner is used.
Solution

Check that autoplay / autorun is properly configured:

* Start the Registry Editor (click Start, Run, type regedit and click OK).
* Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\ Services\CDRom.
* Select the folder CDRom.
* In the right-hand pane, check that the value AutoRun is set to 1. If not, double-click AutoRun and set it to 1.
* Expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.
* Select the folder Explorer.
* In the right-hand pane, check that the value NoDriveTypeAutoRun is set to 0x00000091 (145). If not, double-click NoDriveTypeAutoRun and set its value to 91 (Base Hexadecimal.)
* Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
* Select the folder WinLogon.
* If a value named allocatecdroms is present, select it and then delete it.
* Download and run the file fixautorun-xp.reg to make these Registry changes without using the Registry Editor.
* Restart the computer after making these changes.
* Connect the camera to the computer.
* Open My Computer.
* Right-click the drive corresponding to the digital camera.
* Select the AutoPlay tab.
* Select Pictures from the drop-down list.
* Click Select an action to perform, then select the action Copy pictures to a folder on my computer using Microsoft Scanner and Camera Wizard.
* Click OK.

If the Camera and Scanner Wizard still does not start:

* Download and run the Microsoft Autoplay Repair Wizard.

If the Camera and Scanner Wizard does not start every time the digital camera is connected:

* This is probably a driver problem that prevents the camera from being detected as such each time.
* You can usually work around this issue by disconnecting the camera, waiting a few seconds and then trying again.

If the Scanner and Camera Wizard does not run when a network scanner is used, and your computer operating system is Windows XP SP2:

* Open Control Panel, Windows Firewall.
* Select the Exceptions tab.
* Click Add Port.
* In the Add a Port dialog box, for Name type Scanner and Camera Wizard.
* For Port number, type 21.
* Ensure that the TCP radio button is selected.