
Windows PowerShell is a powerful tool inside the Windows environment often overlooked by typical users which is a great mistake since it can offer a large array of functionality and usability and if used well can offer a unique working experience.
Today we will be using PowerShell to turn the WEB camera off so it can not be accessed, completely disabling it for use. You might want to do this for security reasons or just want to learn few new things. Whatever your reason might be, I am welcoming you to this tutorial and please do keep reading.
In order to disable the WEB camera first thing we need to do is to find a matching device ID. We will find this value inside the device manager, so press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the secret menu.
In the menu choose device manager and click on it.
When the device manager opens, expand the Imaging devices or Cameras section.
Right-click Integrated Camera or the primary webcam, and click Properties.
Go to the Details tab.
Under the Property section, click to select Matching device ID from the drop-down.
Right-click the value and select Copy
The next step is to download and install Windows Driver Kit (WDK)
Create and run a PowerShell script with the following parameters/values to disable the camera. Substitute the <FOLDER> placeholder with the actual name of the folder where your copy of Devcon is residing
$id = (Get-CimInstance Win32_PnPEntity | where caption -match '<PRIMARY CAMERA>').pnpDeviceID $ppid = "{0}{1}" -f '@',$id Set-Location c:\<FOLDER> Devcon status $ppid Devcon disable $ppid Devcon status $ppid
To enable the camera device, run the command below in PowerShell:
devcon enable $ppid
Device Manager Error Code 31 pops up when Windows prevents the driver for a particular hardware device from loading. The error code 31 is almost always presented in the following format:
“This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device.” Code 31
This error can occur with any hardware device; however, in most cases, it occurs with Ethernet cards. The good news is that it belongs in the easy-to-resolve category. So repairing it should not be difficult.
To resolve error code 31 on your system, try the methods given below. We have listed down some of the most effective and easy-to-perform DIY methods for fixing Device Manager code 31 on your PC.
This simply means to return the driver back to its previous state - to the version last installed. Try this method to resolve error code 31. This is probably the easiest way to return your PC to its previous working state.
However, by doing so, you will not be able to update your drivers and run new driver versions on your system. In other words, this is a temporary method to fix this issue.
You may still want to try other methods given below to ensure you have the latest drivers installed on your system.
You can roll back the driver to its previous version by accessing the Driver Rollback feature located in the driver settings within the Device Manager. Or another way to perform a rollback is to use the Windows System Restore Utility.
It is a recovery tool built-in the new Windows versions. To access it, simply go to the start menu and type System Restore Utility in the search menu.
Access it and pick a point in the past, also referred to as the restore point, to return your PC to its previous state before the error code 31 occurred.
However, to resolve the problem permanently, try method 2.
Error code 31, as discussed above, may occur due to outdated, misconfigured, or corrupted drivers. Whatever the reason may be, to ensure the proper functioning of your hardware device, it is important to update the drivers on your system frequently.
To start driver updates, first, it is important to find out and identify problematic drivers. You need to identify the drivers that are corrupt, misconfigured, and outdated. For this, go to the Device Manager and then look for devices with yellow exclamation marks.
The yellow exclamation marks next to the devices show that these device drivers are problematic. Once you’ve identified the problematic drivers, simply update them by finding the latest and compatible versions on the manufacturer’s website.
This process is time-consuming and can be frustrating at times, especially when doing it for the first time.
Also, once you’ve updated the drivers, you need to update them from time to time to ensure they don’t get outdated, or else you will have to encounter Device Manager error codes again.
Method 3 - Download DriverFIX to Update Drivers Automatically
To avoid the hassle and stress involved in updating drivers manually, it is advisable to download and install DriverFIX.
DriverFIX is a smart, innovative, and feature-filled software embedded with an intelligent algorithm that quickly detects problematic drivers, matches them with the latest and compatible versions, and updates them immediately and automatically in just a few seconds and a couple of clicks.
It’s as simple as it can be. Furthermore, with this software installed on your PC, you don’t have to stress and worry about when your drivers need to be updated again.
DriverFIX ensures all drivers are continuously and regularly updated before they become outdated.
Click here to download DriverFIX to repair Device Manager error code 31 and update drivers automatically and regularly.
chkdsk /f /r
get-hotfix KB1111111, KB2222222, KB3333333Note: In the command given above, you need to replace “KB1111111, KB2222222, KB3333333” with the actual update KB numbers.
WeatherBlink is an extension for google chrome, Mozilla, and internet explorer. It allows users to check out the weather anywhere in the world at any time. This might seem like a convenient feature, however, this toolbar also displays unwanted ads, hijacks your browser home page, collects personal data about your web surfing habits, visits, and clicks. From the author: Access local weather forecasts, weather radar, allergy, and pollen reports, and worldwide weather news – all in one convenient spot! This extension configures your New Tab page to WeatherBlink™ to provide these features.
Be prepared with instant weather forecasts. Access FREE and accurate weather forecasts with one click!Code 29 is a Device Manager error commonly seen whenever a hardware device driver reports a problem. This error code indicates that the resources needed for operation are not available.
The computer hardware basically requires drivers to interface with the operating system. Drivers comprise multiple components and are supplemented with other resources provided by the BIOS (a physical chip on the motherboard).
The BIOS contains a set of basic input and output instructions for the computer system to boot, load drivers, and more.
Its firmware provides resources that drivers require to interface with other essential components. However, when the firmware fails to provide the requested resources, the device drivers stop functioning; this results in error codes like code 29.
Error code 29 is usually displayed in the following format:
“This device is disabled because the firmware of the device did not give it the required resources” Code 29
Error code 29 may be triggered due to several reasons. These include:
To avoid inconvenience and to ensure your computer keeps working at its optimal pace, it is recommended that you repair error code 29 on your PC immediately. Delay may limit you from using certain hardware attached to your system properly.
To repair error code 29, you don’t have to hire a professional and spend hundreds of dollars. Here are some quick and effective DIY methods that you can try to resolve this issue in minutes even if you don’t have any technical background.
Sometimes, error codes like code 29 may pop up on your computer screen due to some temporary glitch with the hardware. Rebooting can resolve the issue easily.
Therefore, before you do anything, try restarting your PC. It could be all you need to repair code 29. However, if the error code continues to persist, try the other methods given below.
This may sound technical but it isn’t. To begin, with CMOS is an acronym for Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.
It is a term that is used to describe motherboard memory that contains the BIOS settings. Clearing CMOS helps reset the BIOS settings to their default manufacturer levels. It’s easy to do and is an effective troubleshooting step to resolve error code 29.
To do this, simply:
Error code 29 may appear if a device is disabled. In such a scenario, simply follow the same steps as discussed in method 2, and in the advanced BIOS settings, look for disabled devices.
Enable the devices in the BIOS so that you use them easily.
This will hopefully resolve the issue. If it doesn’t, then this means the error code 29 is caused by either corrupted or outdated drivers. Try method 4 to resolve this issue successfully.
Whether the error code 29 is caused by a misconfigured, corrupted, or outdated driver, simply update the new driver version to resolve. When doing it manually, you will first have to find and identify the problematic device drivers in the Device Manager.
You can access the Device Manager by going to the start menu and then simply typing Device Manager in the search bar.
Access the Device Manager and the properties to identify problematic drivers. Problematic drivers are normally displayed with a yellow exclamation mark.
Once you have spotted problematic drivers, simply update new drivers to resolve them. Though there is nothing technical about it but it may be time-consuming.
A good alternative to manual driver update is DriverFIX. Simply download and install DriverFIX on your PC to update all problematic drivers in seconds. This is a cutting-edge program designed to resolve all kinds of device driver problems.
It is user-friendly and compatible with all Windows versions.
The intelligent programming system deployed inside this software program enables it to identify and detect all problem drivers automatically thereby sparing you from the hassle.
Furthermore, it also matches the drivers with the latest and compatible versions and updates them on a regular basis.
It takes the guesswork out of finding misconfigured and corrupted drivers and fixes driver-related problems and error codes like code 29 right away.
Click here to download DriverFIX to repair Device Manager error code 29 on your system without any hassle.