Webcam set up?

[countrykid]

I have bought a cheap webcam from Asda for use with my Dell Laptop running Vista. The instruction are simple enough. Plug in the USB and Windows will install it - which it appeared to do when the usual message came up that the item is now ready to use. How do I "find" the webcam on the PC in order to use it. The instructions say go to "my computer" and select "use webcam" for a preview. I know this sounds silly, but I cannot locate anything called "my computer". Normally I would expect to access any item like say a USB memoy stick by clicking "computer", but this shows nothing but the usual C drive etc. Along the bottom of the screen I can normally select something to "safely remove hardware" but there is nothing showing uo there, suggesting nothing is connected - even though it is. Can anyone help. I was hoping o use it tonight to skype a friend in Sweden. Many thanks

[rojash]

"My Computer" and "Computer" are the same thing. It's called "My Computer" under Windows XP, and "Computer" under Vista and Windows 7.

The "Safely remove hardware" option only appears for storage devices (to allow Windows to ensure that they are not unplugged when data is being (or waiting to be) written), so you wouldn't expect to see it for a webcam, any more than you would for a USB keyboard or mouse.

Have you tried using it with Skype or MSN?

[countrykid]

Thanks for your answer Rojash, really helpful. I have now tried it using Skype, clicked "turn video on" and hey presto! Can't quite understand why the webcam instructions suggested looking in "my Computer" (or Computer in my case), but the main thing is that it works as intended.Thanks again.