[Solved] Linux: Fix for USB Webcam not being recognized and no /dev/video* for newer kernels or after kernel upgrade

 So my USB webcam was working fine until newer kernel versions. Then all of a sudden it wouldn't show up in guvcview or cheese. Tried a bunch of stuff but it was pointless. Then after much googling, I found two fixes, a temporary one and a permanent one. 
Because this only worked because I tried the temporary fix first, your results may vary. Therefore, try the temp fix to see if your unrecognizable webcam will actually work.

1. [Temporary, necessary after reboot. **Must have a second working webcam**] If you have another USB webcam that actually works, reboot with the working webcam plugged in. This will load uvcvideo during boot. Then plug in the one that doesn't get recognized and it should get recognized.

2. [Permanent] in /etc/modules-load.d create uvcvideo.conf and add the following line

    uvcvideo

*If Fix #1 works, then this will load uvcvideo during boot without needing to actually do Fix #1. Also make sure uvcvideo isn't added to a blacklist.

Debian Squeeze 3.2 kernel update

I've been meaning to upgrade my kernel to the new 3.X but don't want to spend half my day going thru the options...so I installed the squeeze-backports version. Change the image and header file to fit your cpu and version. I added the headers, you don't have to.

1. Update your /etc/apt/sources.list to include the backports

deb http://backports.debian.org/debian-backports squeeze-backports main non-free contrib

2. sudo apt-get update

3. sudo apt-get -t squeeze-backports install linux-image-3.2.0-0.bpo.1-686-pae linux-headers-3.2.0-0.bpo.1-686-pae
...or linux-image-3.2.0-0.bpo.1-amd64 if you have that :)

4. say yes if you're sure you want to add the additional packages.

5. don't walk away...you need to press the OK button for something and quit a section on non-free stuff.

6. reboot and hopefully you'll have a new list in grub and then boot'er up! wheeeeeeeeze!