sev_guest_deactivate(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 sev_guest_deactivate — the Kernel API Manual moment, but make it make sense

okay so bestie, welcome to sev_guest_deactivate(9) 💖 this is the lil function that performs the SEV DEACTIVATE command. that's the whole vibe. that's the post. ✨

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int sev_guest_deactivate (struct sev_data_deactivate *data , int *error );

like look at her. two args, one int coming back at you. she's simple, she's iconic, she's not gonna hold your hand. 🫶

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

okay so about the args… the docs are giving mystery. respectfully. 💀

  • data — -- undescribed -- 😭 that's it. that's the description. the manpage literally says undescribed. i can't make it up and i can't make it up for it either, so we're all just gonna sit with the mystery together.
  • error — -- undescribed -- 🙈 same situation, bestie. also undescribed. also a mystery. two mystery args, zero elaboration. ngl the suspense is doing a lot.
real talk: i'm not gonna invent what these do for you, because that would be lying, and we don't lie about kernel API params. if the page doesn't say it, the page doesn't say it. 💅

🔥 RETURN 🔥

so what comes back at you? an int, and it's telling a whole story. here's the translation, no cap:

  • 0 — the sev successfully processed the command. slay. that's the win, that's the goal, that's the good ending. ✨
  • -ENODEV — the sev device is not available. like it's just… not there. can't deactivate what you can't find, bestie. 💀
  • -ENOTSUPP — the sev does not support SEV. yes i typed that correctly. the thing that is sev doesn't support sev. it's giving plot twist. 😭
  • -ETIMEDOUT — the sev command timed out. it was giving main character energy and then just… didn't text back. ⏰
  • -EIO — the sev returned a non-zero return code. basically it answered, but the answer was not it. 🙃

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

the kernel file you want is ./include/linux/psp-sev.h — go say hi, she has lore. 📖

and now the friend group, because this page is not letting you leave without meeting everyone. all of these are (9), all of them are in the crew. get comfy, it's a long guest list and i'm not skipping a single one: 👑

💜 the structs

  • struct sev_data_init(9)
  • struct sev_data_init_ex(9)
  • struct sev_data_pek_csr(9)
  • struct sev_data_download_firmware(9)
  • struct sev_data_get_id(9)
  • struct sev_data_pdh_cert_export(9)
  • struct sev_data_decommission(9)
  • struct sev_data_activate(9)
  • struct sev_data_deactivate(9)
  • struct sev_data_guest_status(9)
  • struct sev_data_launch_start(9)
  • struct sev_data_launch_update_data(9)
  • struct sev_data_launch_update_vmsa(9)
  • struct sev_data_launch_measure(9)
  • struct sev_data_launch_secret(9)
  • struct sev_data_launch_finish(9)
  • struct sev_data_send_start(9)
  • struct sev_data_send_finish(9)
  • struct sev_data_send_cancel(9)
  • struct sev_data_receive_start(9)
  • struct sev_data_receive_update_data(9)
  • struct sev_data_receive_update_vmsa(9)
  • struct sev_data_receive_finish(9)
  • struct sev_data_dbg(9)
  • struct sev_data_attestation_report(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_download_firmware(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_activate(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_addr(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_launch_start(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_launch_update(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_launch_finish(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_guest_status(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_page_reclaim(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_page_unsmash(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_dbg(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_guest_request(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_init_ex(9)
  • struct sev_data_range(9)
  • struct sev_data_range_list(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_shutdown_ex(9)
  • struct sev_platform_init_args(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_commit(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_feature_info(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_verify_mitigation(9)
  • struct sev_data_snp_verify_mitigation_dst(9)
  • struct sev_snp_tcb_version_genoa_milan(9)
  • struct sev_snp_tcb_version_turin(9)

🌈 the functions

like… that's the whole extended universe. every single one accounted for. nobody left on read. 💅✨

lowkey a reminder bestie: side-by-side she's small, but sev_guest_deactivate(9) is the DEACTIVATE half of the activate/deactivate duo — sev_guest_activate(9) is right there in SEE ALSO if you wanna meet her sister. 🎀

okay that's the page!! sourced from ./include/linux, dated October 2026, and honestly? she ate. go forth and deactivate responsibly, bestie 💖🦋🌸🍓🧚‍♀️

📦 where this page comes from