How I've installed Kodak DVC325 webcam on my XP Pro

Installing an old kodak DVC325 on a recent PC (as of Sept 2008) with Windows XP Professional is not simple or even impossible, as I have noticed from the messages on many forums on the web, including Tom's HW. Furthermore Kodak doesn't longer provide support for this product so many people is pissed off with them.

Many many people complains that the camera is not recognized from XP's plug n'play system and when they try to install the drivers the system freeze and needs to be restarted. This was my case on a AMD Athlon X2 5600+ with AM2 socket/2 Gb RAM/Asrock Alive NF6G-GLAN motherboard and XP Professional.

I went through this issue following these steps that worked fine (for me at least).

FIRST: If you tried some attempts before make sure to uninstall old drivers and software related to DVC325. Then go ahead.

1) Unplug your camera from USB port

2) Download the installation package at
http://wwwit.kodak.com/global/it/s [...] =4490/5764 , unpack it and run the install process.
Make sure it is listed in your control panel->add/remove programs list at the end of installation routine. Kodak says this will suffice to make the cam working, but it isn't correct as you may have experienced.

3) Go to http://www.mediafire.com/?72ohjewjgqq and download the zip package containing the drivers.
I've uploaded there the file I've found on Driverguide.com (but it's worthy to get an account) to be easier to find.

Uncompress it in a folder at your choice.

4) Execute Start->Run and type devmgmt.msc. Locate Kodak DVC325 on the Device Management panel, right-click on it and click on "update drivers". On the following panel click the choice at the bottom to install it manually and go ahead.

5) Click on "driver disk" button and then locate the "dvc325.inf" file you have uncompressed before. Click OK and then go ahead. When the "Windows Logo" warning message appears click on "continue".

6) Wait the installation finish and press "End" button at the end :-).

This hopefully will make your Kodak DVC325 camera working on your XP PC.

OK, try this. After you see that the Kodak software is installed and it appears in the Add/Remove Programs list, then plug in the DVC325 webcam. The Add New Hardware (or Install New Hardware) Wizard appears. It says it's an "Unknown USB Device" or similar. That's OK, keep going! Choose the manual install option (do NOT select the "Install new hardware automatically" option). On the next screen, select the bottom option "I will choose ....". On the next screen click on the "Have Disk" button. Now locate the folder you downloaded and unzipped called "dvc325wk" and open the folder. In the list of files click on "dvc325.inf" and click Open at bottom of selection box. Now you're back to the other screen and you click Next or OK to tell it to proceed and install that chosen driver. The usual warning message will appear to tell you the driver is not digitally signed, etc. Select "Continue anyway" option. The driver will be installed. Click OK or Finish.

Now, the webcam should work. I opened MSN Live Messenger and clicked on "Tools" at top of Messenger window and clicked on "Webcam settings" and up popped the viewing window and I could see myself OK. Then I closed the viewing window and clicked on "Tools" again, this time selecting "Audio and video setup". Step through the audio/video setup wizard. Talk into the microphone and get that working, and click Next. On the webcam screen click on the little drop-down menu thing and select Kodak DVC325. Click Next/OK/Finish (whichever) to finish the wizard. The DVC325 is now working fine.

I should mention that when I completed the Install/Add New Hardware Wizard then another Install/Add new Hardware Wizard box appeared. I think it's because there's more than one "part" of the webcam to install in order to get other features, maybe? Like, say, capturing still images by clicking on the button on top of the webcam or maybe to help the webcam work with the Presto software that comes with the DVC325. Who knows?

Anyway, the webcam should work now.