How to find and disable devices

Sherri is a Cat

Sherri is a Cat

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I want to disable a couple of things. I haven't figured out how to
  • Find the devices
    • Once I find them, it may be obvious how to disable them
  • I've looked through the repository under "System" in the Software Manager
  • Search terms
    • Disable device
      • No search results
    • Device
      • A lot of results
      • I don't think I know enough Linux speak to
        • Filter the results
        • Understand exactly what the software manager does.

I'm sure this can probably done from the terminal. I'm a serious newbie! If there is a program that will help me do this it would be nice.
 


Can you give an example of the devices you wish to disable?
 
KGIII said:
Can you give an example of the devices you wish to disable?
Click to expand...
The integrated camera and microphone.

To avoid rambling on like I do, I'll tell you why if you ask!
 
In your sound settings, look in your system tray near the clock, you can disable the microphone.

That's the easy one...

This is old and for Ubuntu - but may work for Mint:

askubuntu.com

How can I disable my webcam?

I have an integrated webcam in my laptop. I know that it works and that ubuntu recognized it because at installation it asked if I wanted a photo taken for some kind of image associated with my acc...
askubuntu.com askubuntu.com

There's a quick and easy way in the very first answer provided. You could try that.

Before proceeding, now's a good time to ensure you have backups and that you know how to restore from said backups - as well as ensuring the validity of the backups.

linux-tips.us

How To: Have A Proper Backup Of Your Data • Linux Tips

In today's article, we're going to show you how to have a proper backup of your data. I've wanted to write this article for a while.
linux-tips.us linux-tips.us
 
KGIII said:
Before proceeding, now's a good time to ensure you have backups and that you know how to restore from said backups - as well as ensuring the validity of the backups.

linux-tips.us

How To: Have A Proper Backup Of Your Data • Linux Tips

In today's article, we're going to show you how to have a proper backup of your data. I've wanted to write this article for a while.
linux-tips.us linux-tips.us
Click to expand...
I've been taking snapshots in Timeshift immediately after every update. For now, they are stored on the internal HDD. (Having issues with the tower, and then there's the things I don't know yet, like how to restore..)

I think I'll wait on disabling things until I'm a little further along.

Thank you!
 
you can also check your BIOS some have the ability to turn off stuff - the mic can be disabled through pavucontrol

1.png
 
The OP is likely a little confused with the reference to BIOS being locked with involving Legacy.

Sherri, although you are using UEFI/GPT on your Lenovo, there is still a utility that you can get into at startup which we still call BIOS.

From your inxi -xxxz output, you are using

LENOVO v: 9ACN28WW date: 09/23/2014

You can likely get into it with tapping maybe F2, maybe F10, whatever, at startup, and then you can take a look around to see if what @GatorsFan was talking about applies.

When you leave the Setup10 Utility, it is usually with F10, but it will likely say, and then your bootup will continue into Mint.

Wiz
 
wizardfromoz said:
The OP is likely a little confused with the reference to BIOS being locked with involving Legacy.

Sherri, although you are using UEFI/GPT on your Lenovo, there is still a utility that you can get into at startup which we still call BIOS.

From your inxi -xxxz output, you are using

LENOVO v: 9ACN28WW date: 09/23/2014

You can likely get into it with tapping maybe F2, maybe F10, whatever, at startup, and then you can take a look around to see if what @GatorsFan was talking about applies.

When you leave the Setup10 Utility, it is usually with F10, but it will likely say, and then your bootup will continue into Mint.

Wiz
Click to expand...
On my ASUS, after you go into UEFI there is an option to enter legacy settings, or BIOS. I haven't looked around yet on the Lenovo.

I'm not always sure how to refer to UEFI. It's like BIOS in that a lot of things that we used to change BIOS can also be changed in UEF, but it'salso not like BIOS. I've had to go to Legacy Settings to be able to do some things. Maybe they can be done in UEFI too, but I've had a hard time finding how to do those things. I either already know how to use BIOS or I have book marks in my browser to go back to the places I finally found what I was looking for.
 
There are several possibilities to disable the webcam
1] check motherboard BIOS] settings
2] some distributions will have a control in the system settings
3] unload the Kernal drivers
4] blacklist the webcam

And finally, and the one guaranteed to work [for those who have a total security phobia of their camera being turned on remotely] ]
The Homer method... [black insulating tape across the lens aperture.]
 
Brickwizard said:
And finally, and the one guaranteed to work [for those who have a total security phobia of their camera being turned on remotely] ]
The Homer method... [black insulating tape across the lens aperture.]
Click to expand...
I already did that!
 
GuksxMydCVPtOBFhKrhX.gif
 
Brickwizard said:
The Homer method...
Click to expand...

That sounds more like a Socrates thing!

Ha! I crack me up!

Anyhow, did you get this sorted? It's not terribly complicated.
 
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