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mms-xps

7 Posts

46973

January 12th, 2008 20:00

Fingerprint reader suddenly stopped working!!!!!!!!!!!!

I justgot my m1330 3 days ago and everything seemed to be running fine. Last night I used the biometric fingerprint reader and it wrked perfectly. I shutdown my laptop, and woke up this morning to find that the fingerprint reader does not work anymore. I get a message saying "No biometric device was detected. Please connect or enable the biometric device to initialize the fingerprint software."  I dont know what is wrong. I spent 2 hours this morning with dell chat tech support and he couldnt find a solution. I reflashed the bios, did system restore, and after getting very frustrated reinstalled windows vista, only to find it to have the same problem. I looked around and found that Microsoft' has a Hotfix for this however i tried one of them and it didnt seem to work. I would appreciate any help


Message Edited by mms-xps on 01-12-2008 05:03 PM

ajtrek

23 Posts

January 13th, 2008 04:00

Unfortunately Dell has no answer.  I had (or may still have) the same problem. This is a two part answer:
 
Part 1
I found the "Please connect finger print reader" at logon to be intermittent although frustrating. However, continue to logon with your password. Go to device manger Click on the Action Tab and select Scan for Hardware Changes.  You may have to click on the Action tab twice before you see the Scan...option. The screen will refresh and you should see the Biometric Fingerprint reader. Click the "+" sign then click on TouchChip Fingerprint CoProcessor and follow directions to enable it (if not already showing device is working properly)
 
Part 2
A recent Vista patch via Windows Automatic Updates seems to have stabilized the reader and I haven't had a disconnect within the past 7 days since the download. The download was rather large and I first thought it was Vista SP1.  It should be available via Windows Updates in the Start Menu under Programs (if you don't have Automatic Updates configured).
 
Good Luck


Message Edited by ajtrek on 01-13-2008 12:21 AM

Message Edited by ajtrek on 01-13-2008 12:21 AM

Message Edited by ajtrek on 01-13-2008 12:24 AM

cyberay

16 Posts

January 13th, 2008 19:00

I also had a problem with the Belkin docking staion software.  When I installed it I would have the same problem.  I am not using the docking station right now an am waiting for a fix.

cyberay

16 Posts

January 13th, 2008 19:00

When my original hard drive failed Dell sent me a new one and after istallation I got the same message.  I contacted support and they told me to uninstall/reinstall the program.  After reinstallation I found that I could not setup the reader because it still held my finger prints and would not allow me to continue the installation because when I swiped my finger I would get a message that a fingerprint was already stored there.  This would not allow me to complete the installation so after further reading the help menu I found that I could remove my stored finger prints there by allowing me to finish the setup process.  The reader works just fine now.

mms-xps

7 Posts

January 13th, 2008 21:00

Thanks for the reply. I have tried the options you gave, but still no use. I sometimes randomly get a pop up balloon saying that a new hardware is found and its a biometric fingerprint reader, but it has a exclamation mark beside it. After i restart the comptuer the device disappears again. Im thinging its a lose wire inside the laptop. I really dont want the dell techs to open it up, because ive had a friend who did it and the techs messed up the laptop. Is there any way i can make an exchange. I am still in the 21 day limit.

ajtrek

23 Posts

January 14th, 2008 21:00

OK..you reinstalled Vista OS...but did you also reinstall the optional software and drivers which is where the Biometric reader software resides. If you've done all of that try updating the Fingerprint reader's drivers. Also, did you get the Vista update I mentoned? If none of this works an exchange maybe your only solution short of having the Dell Techs perform surgery on your unit.

mms-xps

7 Posts

January 16th, 2008 16:00

I appericiate your help. Unfortunatly, it turns out the hardware is bad, so I am getting my laptop replaced by Dell. Thanks for your help. :smileyhappy:

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