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I just bought a cheap new netbook on clearance (Lenovo 100S) and I've been given a nice used external monitor (Dell SX2210).

The netbook only has two USB ports but the monitor includes a USB hub with four ports. It also includes microphone and webcam that work via the USB connection. (Monitor speakers require an audio cable rather than USB.)

Apparently this built-in webcam is known not to work with Windows 10. The system crashes with a BSOD when I connect the monitor to the netbook via the USB cable. It also crashes during bootup if the USB is connected.

Is there a way I can disable just the webcam component or its driver but retain all the other functionality? I would have to disable it when it's not plugged in, which I don't know how to do.

WhoCrashed output

The first several crashes have this report:

On Mon 15/02/2016 2:13:42 AM GMT your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\021516-11609-01.dmp
This was probably caused by the following module: oa002afx.sys (OA002Afx+0x1C34C)
Bugcheck code: 0x50 (0xFFFFFFFF8B4575C0, 0x10, 0xFFFFFFFF8B4575C0, 0x2)
Error: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
file path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers\oa002afx.sys
company: Creative Technology Ltd.
description: Advanced Audio FX Driver
Bug check description: This indicates that invalid system memory has been referenced.
This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem.
A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: oa002afx.sys (Advanced Audio FX Driver, Creative Technology Ltd.).
Google query: Creative Technology Ltd. PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

The later crashes have this report. I'm pretty sure the change is due to my attempt to update the driver:

On Mon 15/02/2016 5:16:02 AM GMT your computer crashed
crash dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\021516-11218-01.dmp
This was probably caused by the following module: ctauddrv.sys (CtAudDrv+0x1D16C)
Bugcheck code: 0x50 (0xFFFFFFFFB8BCE258, 0x2, 0xFFFFFFFF8B4575C5, 0x0)
Error: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
file path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers\ctauddrv.sys
company: Creative Technology Ltd.
description: Advanced Audio FX Driver
Bug check description: This indicates that invalid system memory has been referenced.
This appears to be a typical software driver bug and is not likely to be caused by a hardware problem.
A third party driver was identified as the probable root cause of this system error. It is suggested you look for an update for the following driver: ctauddrv.sys (Advanced Audio FX Driver, Creative Technology Ltd.).
Google query: Creative Technology Ltd. PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

hippietrail
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  • To fully verify the root cause of the BSOD, please download the bluescreen viewer and open the log in c:\Windows\minidump Post it here – Andrew Naisbitt Feb 15 '16 at 11:43
  • I find it hard to trust and install something with such a scary URL: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiD8vag2PnKAhUF0A4KHdk1AIIQFggfMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nirsoft.net%2Futils%2Fblue_screen_view.html&usg=AFQjCNEpCkwIT-LsVvL6ixjv9cyleKn0AA&sig2=h4t3AsyRwFkNMhJxkgSQCA&bvm=bv.114195076,d.bGs – hippietrail Feb 15 '16 at 11:52
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    http://superuser.com/a/410674/10165 - try the first two tools I linked there. I THINK he's meaning the nirsoft one, but whocrashed is simpler – Journeyman Geek Feb 15 '16 at 11:53
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    @hippietrail I think he copy and pasted a link from Google rather than the url itself ;) – Jonno Feb 15 '16 at 12:23
  • I ran whocrashed and it seems to confirm that the problem is caused by the monitor's webcam. It lists two drivers associated with the webcam as being at fault: ctauddrv.sys (Advanced Audio FX Driver, Creative Technology Ltd.) and oa002afx.sys (Advanced Audio FX Driver, Creative Technology Ltd.) One could be a later one when I tried to update the driver. Various forum posts tell me they are not updating the drivers for Windows 10 and the latest ones are known to cause BSOD with this new OS. I didn't see how to disable just the webcam part of the minotor in any of the forums. – hippietrail Feb 15 '16 at 12:43

3 Answers3

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If you don't mind opening up the monitor/webcam/mic/USB device, following wires and adding a switch or just cutting the wires that connect the webcam, you could always do that. I think just disconnecting the red power wire should be sufficient (and you can always cut the other 3 later if required).

Especially since the device is already used, you've got no chance of voiding a warranty by opening & playing with it. And if you're careful cutting wires you could always solder them back together later too.

Here's a link on adding a USB switch, can't say I like the yellow plastic play-dough "case", but looks effective - On/Off switch for a USB-Powered Device - - How to add a on/off power switch to a USB/Device

Xen2050
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  • Are you certain there is no generic software solution to such problems? – hippietrail Feb 15 '16 at 13:31
  • This is a hardware-only solution. A software one may exist, but since your computer crashes every time you plug it in, it would be hard to disable it. Maybe there's a blacklist you can add it to, but again it may be hard to get the right description of it since it crashes immediately – Xen2050 Feb 15 '16 at 14:20
  • I thought there might be something I could add, change, or remove in the registry to prevent detecting, installing a driver for, or enabling the driver of a piece of hardware if I know certain of its parameters, or something along those lines. – hippietrail Feb 15 '16 at 14:40
  • Maybe... but this is a hardware answer for your "Disable driver *or hardware* " question – Xen2050 Feb 15 '16 at 14:46
  • Ah. I was trying, unsuccessfully, to express that I was seeking some software method to block either the .sys file or block the hardware from working by software unrelated to the actual .sys files. But thanks anyway. (-: – hippietrail Feb 15 '16 at 14:52
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Provided the webcam Device shows up in Device Manager or DevManView (http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/device_manager_view.html) when not plugged in, you might be able to disable the device there.

You might also be able to disable the device in USBDeview (http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html)

It might also be worth having a look at ServiWin (from Nirsoft as well), if you can disable the webcam driver from there?

However I suspect if you disable the "Advanced Audio FX Driver" you might also lose other functionality or audio altogether.

Stian Lund
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  • The monitor has a jack for audio from the computer's audio out port. And in any case I'm using a set of speakers rather than the monitor's speakers. But I really want to retain use of the USB hub. And retaining use of the monitor's microphone would be nice to have. – hippietrail Feb 15 '16 at 14:43
  • Yes the device does show up in Device Manager when I enable "Show hidden devices" in the "View" menu. In the "Driver" tab of the "Monitor Webcam Properties" dialog there is a "Disable" button, but it is ghosted. I'm guessing it would not be ghosted if the monitor were plugged in, but would trigger the crash. I'm also guessing clicking on such buttons makes a change in the registry or similar. A change that I might be able to make manually with Regedit...? – hippietrail Feb 15 '16 at 14:57
  • I guess you can only disable connected devices there, but DevManView should allow you to disable it. – Stian Lund Feb 15 '16 at 15:02
  • I can disable the devices while they are not connected with DevManView. But when I plug in the USB to the monitor it still crashes after a few seconds. If I disable the devices and uninstall the drivers it seems to automatically reinstall the drivers and takes just a little longer before it crashes. – hippietrail Feb 15 '16 at 15:44
  • @hippietrail Yeah, that's the "magic" of Plug'n'Play unfortunately... – Stian Lund Feb 16 '16 at 12:02
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I came up with a hacky workaround in lieu of a proper deterministic answer.

I deleted the drivers oa002afx.sys from C:\Windows\System32\ and then created a directory with the same name in its place.

This has prevented the incompatible driver from being automatically reinstalled.

The computer no longer crashes when the USB is attached. The USB hubs and microphone in the monitor still work.

But there has to be a better way (-:

hippietrail
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