Windows 7: Disable webcam permanently

hi, I have a problem with my webcam on a acer 3935 with Windows 7 x64.

The webcam is broken and i really dont care, but it keeps switching in and out all the time, and it makes me crazy! A massage in the systemtray pops up saying "unknown device" and if I go to device manager I can see it swiching on and off all along.



I tryed disable and uninstall in devicemanager, but it is reinstalls automaticly at restart.

Is there any way to uninstall it permanently or do I have to physicaly remove it (because thats a problem)?

Hrmm..
You have "tried" to disable it in device manager and what happens?
Because that's your best bet in disabling it..
Dont uninstall it, or yet it will try to reinstall the drivers everytime you do that.

disableing it does nothing really.. It still keeps switching on and off, only difference is that I am not able to use the webcam. (it`s not possible anyway) but still...

If you are Uninstalling the device and the problem persists then you may need to disconnect it. To do that you really should find and download a Service Manual for that laptop. The SM will show how to remove/replace the webcam.

Not all webcams are the same. Some have the camera and control chip in one unit that is connected to the motherboard through a long cable that snakes along the edge of the display bezel.
But others have just the camera in the display bezel and the long cable connects to a control chip on the motherboard.
If the control chip is on the motherboard it will be difficult to disconnect the device completely.

Always a good idea to check in the BIOS settings to see if you can disable the webcam there (although I have never seen this setting).

Thank you for good advice. Cant find anything in bios as expected. So then my only hope is to disconnect the damn thing. Downloaded SM, but I suspect the Webcam is a built in part of the LCD-unit, or they just forgot the whole Webcam.

I really wish there was a way around the "hardware remove" solution..

feel free to share if any of you out there have a software "quick- fix" for this problem

Put up a link to the SM and we can take a look. Maybe see something that can help.

But a lot of manufacturers do not put out good manuals these days. It's a throw-away mentality.

Yeah I know, but I am not a throw away guy

Here is the link:

http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/Ma...K_05132009.pdf

I think the manual is ok, but regarding the webcam I did not get any wiser...

regards Dahl

I found it!

On Pg 62: "Removing the CCD Board"
It's part of the "LCD Module Disassembly" chapter.

Better yet, the control chip is part of the assembly, and it can easily be disconnected with the plug:



Hope that helps!