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I have a Dell Latitude 3440 (i5 4200U from 2013) and it has an integrated webcam, lsusb lists it as: Bus 001 Device 102: ID 0c45:64af Microdia. I never used it before but if I install cheese it says No device found.

In the last couple of months (I believe since I applied the last bios update - A15) Xorg randomly uses high amounts of cpu (90 - 100 %) from a couple of minutes to tens of minutes, impacting battery life and blocking the use of xfce keyboard shortcuts. When this happens, the Xorg log populates with an unending stream of:

[  3240.262] (II) config/udev: removing device Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate
[  3240.262] (II) event10 - Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: device removed
[  3240.297] (II) UnloadModule: "libinput"
[  3240.854] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate (/dev/input/event10)
[  3240.854] (**) Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[  3240.854] (**) Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: Applying InputClass "libinput keyboard catchall"
[  3240.854] (II) Using input driver 'libinput' for 'Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate'
[  3240.854] (**) Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: always reports core events
[  3240.854] (**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/event10"
[  3240.854] (**) Option "_source" "server/udev"
[  3240.856] (II) event10 - Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: is tagged by udev as: Keyboard
[  3240.856] (II) event10 - Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: device is a keyboard
[  3240.856] (II) event10 - Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: device removed
[  3240.908] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.5/1-1.5:1.0/input/input1307/event10"
[  3240.908] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate" (type: KEYBOARD, id 14)
[  3240.908] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
[  3240.908] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "si"
[  3240.908] (WW) Option "xkb_variant" requires a string value
[  3240.908] (WW) Option "xkb_options" requires a string value
[  3240.912] (II) event10 - Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: is tagged by udev as: Keyboard
[  3240.913] (II) event10 - Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate: device is a keyboard

It ends spontaneously with device is a keyboard, only to randomly begin again with removing device Integrated_Webcam_HD: Integrate

The same thing happens on Xubuntu 16.04, 18.04, 18.10. I have no means to try an older version of my laptop's bios, since downgrade is forbidden.

I have no need to use the webcam, so I'd like to block xubuntu from even trying to recognize it (hoping it will end this behaviour). How can I achieve this?

Thanks in advance

Results of lsmod:

Module                  Size  Used by
hid_generic            16384  0
usbhid                 49152  0
hid                   126976  2 usbhid,hid_generic
pci_stub               16384  1
vboxpci                24576  0
vboxnetadp             28672  0
vboxnetflt             28672  0
vboxdrv               475136  3 vboxpci,vboxnetadp,vboxnetflt
uvcvideo               98304  0
videobuf2_vmalloc      16384  1 uvcvideo
videobuf2_memops       16384  1 videobuf2_vmalloc
videobuf2_v4l2         24576  1 uvcvideo
videobuf2_common       45056  2 videobuf2_v4l2,uvcvideo
videodev              188416  3 videobuf2_v4l2,uvcvideo,videobuf2_common
media                  40960  2 videodev,uvcvideo
cmac                   16384  0
rfcomm                 77824  16
bnep                   20480  2
ccm                    20480  3
wmi_bmof               16384  0
dell_wmi               16384  0
sparse_keymap          16384  1 dell_wmi
snd_hda_codec_realtek   106496  1
snd_hda_codec_generic    73728  1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_intel          40960  3
snd_hda_codec         126976  3 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_realtek
intel_rapl             20480  0
x86_pkg_temp_thermal    16384  0
dell_laptop            20480  0
intel_powerclamp       16384  0
snd_hda_core           81920  4 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_realtek
coretemp               16384  0
snd_hwdep              20480  1 snd_hda_codec
dell_smbios            24576  2 dell_wmi,dell_laptop
kvm_intel             208896  0
snd_pcm                98304  3 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core
dell_wmi_descriptor    16384  2 dell_wmi,dell_smbios
dcdbas                 16384  1 dell_smbios
kvm                   622592  1 kvm_intel
irqbypass              16384  1 kvm
dell_smm_hwmon         16384  0
crct10dif_pclmul       16384  0
crc32_pclmul           16384  0
ghash_clmulni_intel    16384  0
pcbc                   16384  0
arc4                   16384  2
snd_seq_midi           16384  0
snd_seq_midi_event     16384  1 snd_seq_midi
ath9k                 151552  0
aesni_intel           200704  2
ath3k                  20480  0
btusb                  45056  0
aes_x86_64             20480  1 aesni_intel
btrtl                  16384  1 btusb
crypto_simd            16384  1 aesni_intel
btbcm                  16384  1 btusb
cryptd                 24576  3 crypto_simd,ghash_clmulni_intel,aesni_intel
ath9k_common           36864  1 ath9k
glue_helper            16384  1 aesni_intel
intel_cstate           20480  0
btintel                20480  1 btusb
bluetooth             548864  42 btrtl,btintel,btbcm,bnep,ath3k,btusb,rfcomm
intel_rapl_perf        16384  0
nouveau              1875968  1
i915                 1740800  30
ath9k_hw              475136  2 ath9k_common,ath9k
snd_rawmidi            32768  1 snd_seq_midi
ecdh_generic           24576  1 bluetooth
mxm_wmi                16384  1 nouveau
ath                    36864  3 ath9k_common,ath9k,ath9k_hw
joydev                 20480  0
mac80211              794624  1 ath9k
ttm                   106496  1 nouveau
input_leds             16384  0
serio_raw              16384  0
snd_seq                65536  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
drm_kms_helper        172032  2 i915,nouveau
snd_seq_device         16384  3 snd_seq,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi
snd_timer              32768  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
drm                   458752  13 drm_kms_helper,i915,ttm,nouveau
cfg80211              663552  4 ath9k_common,ath9k,ath,mac80211
i2c_algo_bit           16384  2 i915,nouveau
fb_sys_fops            16384  1 drm_kms_helper
syscopyarea            16384  1 drm_kms_helper
mei_me                 40960  0
snd                    81920  16 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi
video                  45056  4 dell_wmi,dell_laptop,i915,nouveau
sysfillrect            16384  1 drm_kms_helper
mei                    98304  1 mei_me
sysimgblt              16384  1 drm_kms_helper
soundcore              16384  1 snd
wmi                    24576  6 dell_wmi,wmi_bmof,dell_smbios,dell_wmi_descriptor,mxm_wmi,nouveau
mac_hid                16384  0
dell_rbtn              16384  1
sch_fq_codel           20480  2
parport_pc             36864  0
ppdev                  20480  0
lp                     20480  0
parport                49152  3 parport_pc,lp,ppdev
ip_tables              24576  0
x_tables               40960  1 ip_tables
autofs4                40960  2
ahci                   40960  3
psmouse               151552  0
r8169                  86016  0
libahci                32768  1 ahci
lpc_ich                24576  0
mii                    16384  1 r8169
slava
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dino
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  • what do you get for : lsmod (edit your question to add it)? you'll have to add the unwanted camera to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf with sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf – tatsu Mar 27 '19 at 16:58
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    How did you attempt to install cheese? did you use sudo apt-get install cheese command? – Marmayogi Mar 27 '19 at 17:10
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    I had an occasion to disable to touchscreen - you may be able to adapt my answer for that to your webcam. Please see https://askubuntu.com/a/986453/283721 – Charles Green Mar 27 '19 at 17:11
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    @tatsu I added the results of lsmod, but I have no idea which would indicate the webcam. – dino Mar 27 '19 at 17:15
  • @Marmayogi yes, I installed it that way – dino Mar 27 '19 at 17:18
  • @CharlesGreen thanks, that's probably what I'm looking for – dino Mar 27 '19 at 17:18
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    Open up conf file with sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf. Append blacklist uvcvideo. Now reboot your system. You will find your the webcam device disabled. How to re-enable it later? Just remove what you appended `blacklist uvcvideo' and reboot. Your webcam is back to life again. – Marmayogi Mar 27 '19 at 17:19
  • @Marmayogi as I understand, this way the webcam will be unusable to me, but libinput will still try to recognize it - and that's what I think I'm trying to avoid – dino Mar 27 '19 at 17:21
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    Have you tried it @dino already? Are you sure that lib input will recognize it? – Marmayogi Mar 27 '19 at 17:24
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    To verify, whether Webcam is really disabled or not, open any instant messenger applications or web cam software such as Guvcview. If you see a blank screen then webcam is disabled! – Marmayogi Mar 27 '19 at 17:32
  • @Marmayogi thanks, I tried to append 'blacklist uvcvideo', but I have no idea what's going on now. After restarting, lsusb didn't return the webcam. Cheese or guvcview neither. So I felt like, good, I killed the beast. But then I commented that line, and restarted. The camera was still gone from lsusb. – dino Mar 27 '19 at 21:34
  • As the problem I have presents itself randomly, sometimes right after startup and then quasi continuously, sometimes it's gone for whole days, I am starting to believe that the camera itself (or the physical connection to it) is faulty, and that libinput is only trying to cope with the bad signals it gets, when it kinda works. For now, today, the problem did not present itself again, but this with the line commented.

    I'll uncomment the blacklist line again when it'll represent and report.

     – dino Mar 27 '19 at 21:35
  • Aaaand the webcam got back on lsusb. And into the Xorg log (although only for a single cycle). So I uncommented the modprobe line and restarted the system. Now the lsusb sees the camera normally, but there's no trace of it in the Xorg log.

    I'll let it run for a couple of days to see if the solution is final.

     – dino Mar 27 '19 at 21:44
  • @Marmayogi The suggestion you gave (Open up conf file with 'sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf' . Append 'blacklist uvcvideo'.) was the correct one, my computer is finally usable again after months of random fan at max speed. Thank you a lot. Do you now add an "answer" to my question so I can confirm it or do I do it myself? Sorry, I'm new and not used to stack exchange. – dino Apr 04 '19 at 10:20
  • I am glad @dino that your problem is solved. I have converted my comments into answer and already posted it and you may close it now! – Marmayogi Apr 04 '19 at 11:51

1 Answers1

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How to disable webcam from ubuntu?

  1. Open up conf file with sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
  2. Append the file with blacklist uvcvideo.
  3. Now reboot your system.
  4. You will find your the webcam device is disabled.

How to re-enable it later?

Just prefix blacklist uvcvideo with a comment as shown below:

  1. # blacklist uvcvideo
  2. Now reboot your system.
  3. Your webcam is back to life again.

How to verify whether Webcam is really disabled?

There are two ways to verify.

  1. To open up any instant messenger applications or web cam software such as Guvcview. If you see a blank screen then webcam is disabled!
  2. Issue the command sudo systemctl restart systemd-modules-load.service which is successful only if there is no output.
Marmayogi
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    #3 -> sudo systemctl restart systemd-modules-load.service – Rinzwind Apr 04 '19 at 12:28
  • I got your hint @Rinzwind. There is another way of verifying the effectiveness of the changes done in /etc/modules-load.d/blacklist.conf through the command sudo systemctl restart systemd-modules-load.service which is successful only if there is no output. If it is prompts something, then there is an error. If everything goes well, then then command systemctl status systemd-modules-load.service which should not only verify the service started successfully but also display status=0/SUCCESS among other things in the output of the command. Thank you Rinzwind for this suggestion. – Marmayogi Apr 04 '19 at 16:27