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Dell Precision 5530: Fingerprint sensor doesn't work on boot
TL;DR: A software issue is causing my fingerprint reader to not function properly on boot up, restart and intermittently when awoken from sleep. Frustrating. Help.
Problem:
- Intermittently the fingerprint reader will not function.
-
It primarily stops after going to sleep (closing the lid). -
Sometimes functionality returns later after putting it to sleep again, and sometimes not. - UPDATE: Sleep-caused intermittency confirm. Today I closed the lid to put it to sleep on two separate occasions. The first time, the fingerprint reader worked fine, and immediately. The second time got no response that the fingerprint reader even existed.
- It will not work at all when I boot the computer, either cold boot or restart.
- I don't ever have my computer hibernate AFAIK (power settings have it disabled, FWIW).
- The device appears fine in Device Manager, and it says that it's functioning properly.
Specs and History:
- Model: Dell Precision 5530
- Windows 10 Pro, version 1803, build 17134.590
- Goodix driver 2.1.32.300
- Have had the motherboard replaced by Dell.
Attempted solutions (in order):
Potential solutions are taken from the following links:
- Dell XPS 13 9370 fingerprint not working
- Fingerprint Reader not accepting fingerprint scans - Full troubleshooting guide
- Dell XPS 13 9370 Fingerprint reader not connected
(Note that all three of these are for different systems, either an XPS, M-series Precision, or Lattitude.)
- Updated the Goodix drivers through Device Manager. Unsuccessful.
- Uninstalled and deleted the the Goodix drivers through the Device Manager. Downloaded a fresh copy of the Intel Software Guard Extensions Platform Software. Ran the software, oddly it did not allow me to just install so I selected "Repair". Then updated the Goodix drivers to the most recent copy through Device Manager. Unsuccessful.
- Changed the BIOS settings for Software Guard Extensions(SGX) from Enabled to Software Controlled. Unsuccessful. (Changed it back to Enabled afterwards.)
- Updated the Goodix drivers by downloading the latest copy from Dell.com. Unsuccessful.
- I removed the fingerprint data through the Settings menu, and set it up again. Unsuccessful.
- I do not appear to have any ControlPoint software on my machine.
- I got nervous about clearing the TPM since it warned me about losing access to data. If someone from Dell can confirm that this won't cause me to lose access to data on my hard drive, I will attempt that.
- I do not appear to have anything called "Control Vault" on my system.
- I do not appear to have anything from Wave Systems Corp. on my machine, nor anything called Wave Data Removal utility.
- I do not have a Contactless Smart Card Reader to deactivate.
- I do not appear to have anything called DigitalPersona on my machine.
What did we learn here? It is clearly a software problem, as I can setup the fingerprint sensor fine through the Settings menu, which means that the hardware must be functional. Thus, my sense is that there's a setting here that needs changing, or something else is prohibiting use of the fingerprint sensor to log in after a shutdown or restart. This is actually mentioned in one of the above threads by TomDC on page 2:
"I posted earlier that I was experiencing a problem where the fingerprint reader would not work when rebooting cold or from hibernation, and thought I'd report back.
I discovered that the option to allow windows to stop the fingerprint reader to save battery was checked. I unchecked that box and it now works as it should. I know it worked prior to one of those windows updates, so i'm assuming that update also enabled that option."
Unfortunately, what options this is or where it is is never discussed, and nobody else commented on it.
I believe this covers every recommended solution in the above three links, which included recommendations from Dell. The only thing left is to System Restore back to a point that didn't have this issue, but I honestly have no idea when that was. Or a complete re-installation of the OS. Neither of which I really have the stomach for.
bitman469
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March 9th, 2021 14:00
I also had this problem routinely after sleep for the last few weeks.
In Device Manager find the fingerprint sensor, select properties and on the Power Management tab uncheck the option "Allow computer to turn off the the sensor to save power".