Inactivate vs Deactivate - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between inactivate and deactivate

is that inactivate is to make inactive while deactivate is to make something inactive or no longer effective.

(en-verb)

To make inactive.

"'Computer inactivated, Crawford reported. 'I get nothing at all.'" - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, ''The Mote in God's Eye , 1974

* de-activate *

(deactivat)

(ergative) to make something inactive or no longer effective

to prevent the action of a biochemical agent (such as an enzyme)

to remove a person or piece of hardware from active military service