E6520: Fingerprint reader not working

Hi There,

I have just come across this problem on out new E series laptop. We purchased several E machines (6320, 6420 and 6520) and I'm in the process of creating a Windows 7 64 bit image for them all. I followed the Re-imaging documentation from Dell

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

 to the letter but ended up having the same issues. After trawling through the Dell driver’s pages and read each of the pieces of info that accompanies the software downloads, I believe I have come up with a solution that will resolve all problems. Most of the text have been taken from Dells own info, however, I have not found a location where all the information is present in one place. Maybe they could update the above document to outline the additional steps required.

Install the OS and follow the instructions for adding the addition devices drivers and application as per the E-Family Re-Image Guide (as in the above link). You are mainly concerned with section 2.5 and 2.6. However, at section 2.6.11 STOP, and read below:

At section 2.6.11, follow these instructions from Dell:

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NOTE: Installation order is very important – use the following procedure, including reboots or the software will not function properly:

1. Download the following software packages and install in the order listed below:

a. Dell Data Protection | Access | Drivers Package (Package R308326, (available in the Dell Data Protection section of the driver page)
i. Double click package filename and select Custom installation Setup Type
ii. Uncheck the Dell ControlVault box
iii. Continue to follow the wizard installation instructions until completed

b. Dell ControlVault Windows Biometric Framework Driver package (available in the Security section of the driver page)
i. Double click package filename and follow the wizard installation instructions
ii. Go to the C:\dell\drivers\RXXXXXX\USH64 folder and double click on CVHCI64.msi and follow the wizard installation instructions until completed
iii. Reboot - * see note below

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* NOTE - In addition, when installing the Dell ControlVault Firmware (see below), the TPM setting must be set to enabled/deactivated in BIOS for the USH firmware to be updated. If you havn't done this make sure you enter the BIOS during the reboot and enable TPM and set to deactivate

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c. Dell ControlVault Firmware (package R309311 available in the Security section of the driver page)
i. Double click package filename and follow the wizard installation instructions
ii. Go to C:\dell\drivers\RXXXXXX\firmware folder and double click on ushupgrade.exe and follow the wizard installation instructions
iii. In the pop up dialog window press the Start button
iv. When installation is completed press the Restart button. The system will reboot.

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2. Enable ControlVault Windows Biometric Framework feature (Start->All Programs->Broadcom->USH Tools and click on ControlVault WBF
a. In pop up dialog window select Enable and the press the Set button.
b. Press the Exit button
c. Allow time for any windows updates to complete

Errata Data:
Windows Update may sometimes conflict with the installation of the Dell ControlVault Windows Biometric Framework driver installation and not allow proper installation. To identify if this occurs, go to Device Manager (Start->My Computer->Properties->Device Manager) and click on “Biometric Devices” and notice if there is a yellow exclamation mark (yellow bang) on the “ControlVault w/Fingerprint swipe sensor”. If this is so, right click on “ControlVault w/Fingerprint swipe sensor” and select Update Driver and choose “Browse my computer for driver software. Wait until Driver has been detected and installed (~30 secs).

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3. Now you can install the rest of the DDP packages

a) Dell Data Protection | Access | Middelware (Package R308511, (available in the Dell Data Protection section of the driver page). Reboot (just to be sure)

a) Dell Data Protection | Access | Application (Package R308585 (available in the Dell Data Protection section of the driver page). Reboot (just to be sure)

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Should you have already installed the DDPA, then follow the following steps and then repeat the instructions above.

Completely uninstall (Start->Control Panel-> Programs and Features) any previously installed Biometric Authentication Software before installing the Dell ControlVault Windows Biometric Windows Driver:
• Dell ControlPoint Security Manager
• Dell Data Protection | Access | Drivers
• Dell Data Protection | Access | Middleware
• Dell Data Protection | Access
• Any non-Dell Windows Biometric Framework Drivers or Applications

(basically everything I have listed above, then start over)

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I think that should about cover it. I have found no need to install wither the Control Vault driver (in the Security section). In fact, when trying to do so I simply get a message that a more up to date driver is already installed.

Chris

In addiiton the note above, if you are building an image for a base set of machines (as I'm doing for the £5320, 6420 and 6520), you will need not only to install the image, but also to re-complete section 1.c) and 2) as listed above (i.e. re-install the Control vault firmware and re-enable the control vault biometric tramework on each machine you have just imaged! I can't see any other way of doing this????

As part of testing, I have tried to test out the enroling of fingerprints and smart cards. As the dat for these are stored on the indivual machines and not on the HDD (I think), it would seem wise to reset all the security setting prior to generalizing an image. We have self encrypting drives which i also think would be a bad idea to set up prior to imaging.

If anyone knows of any links to documentation to setting up the security on these device and the best mothds of doing so, I would appreciate it. This would include not only things like the device security, but also the enroling of the devices into the Intel AT system.

Arggghhhh. Just created my base image whilst in audit mode, then ran sysprep and generalised, however, when I now go to enrol my fingerprints the Dell Data Protection Access I get the same "NoFinger Print Reader found" error, with the error code of  RN:02000051. I'm loathed to have to complete the above steps on every machine - thats why we create an image!

It would be nice if someone from Dell could pipe into this one.

I tried that, too, didn't work for me.

Still haven't had the time to reinstall Windows... Customer support doesn't no anything either.

Right. I have now re-loaded the base Windows 7 image taken whilst in Audit mode and an Unattended install. I can confirm that everything works as expected here. I can configure the fingerprint reader, TPM Control Vault etc with no issues - the fingerprint reader is fully functional and I am able to enrol fingerprints into the base admin account. The finger print reader is usable within DDP and also is found and configured correctly in pre OS, thus allowing for single sign on. If I look at the Control Vault  in DDP and it says that the "Users are enrolled".

I then reset the security system via DDP, andI then run "sysprep /oodb /generalise" is get a usable image for the other machines. Once the syspreped image is started and the system re-installs itself, however, as soon as t start up DDP and try to enrol a finger print, I get the "No Finger Print Reader found" error, with the error code of  RN:02000051. This time, I tried to disable and re-enable the Windows Biometrics option within the Broadcom USH Tools, but still got the same error.

I think I deleted the Biometric Fingerprint device and re-scanned the hardware prior to my post a couple of posts ago, but whilst I go the finger print reader functional within Windows, it was temperamental and didn't work in Pre OS. In addition when I did manage to enrol an fingerprint, the Control Vault told me that NO Users were enrolled. Maybe I should have then deleted the Control Vault Fingerprint device and re-scanned so see what that would do????

This means that the idea of building a re-usable image for these machines could be very difficult to work. The Imaging Guide does not go into an further detail.

HELP..................................................

Which Biometric fingerprint method do you plan to use?   WBF or  DDPA ? I can help you for either one

Neither method worked for me. I don't care which method the reader uses as long as it works.

I'm already considering just leaving it as is just to save me the hassle of reinstalling Windows...

Thanks, it works. Though the release numbers (RXXXXXXX) have changed now. :emotion-1:

One interesting other thing we have found, with 18 laptops not everyone's fingers seem to work in the same way. For instance, my fingers seem to enrol without issue on every machine I have tried. Other users on the same machine (even under the same profile) seem to have multiple issues getting accurate good swipes.

I have updated my post above to make it a little clearer as to the order of installing things. I hope this helps someone somewhere.

A year ago or so I reported this issue to Dell. Unfortunately Dell support were pretty useless and eventually fobbed me off saying that new software would be release.

Cut to a month or so ago when I contacted Dell support again, but also Wave support (the manufacturers of the DDPA software. Again Dell did not respond, but the girls at Wave have been nothing but brilliant.

By now the software was failing to recognize the fingerprint reader on reboot and often would not allow the user to log in after the system returned from sleep or hibernation. I could not uninstall the software due to an error, and could not then reinstall due to another error. Wave tech support did manage to get the software re-installed via a remote session but the hibernation and reboot issue was still present.

Unbelievably, a week or so after we started trying to resolve these issue, some new software was finally released on the Dell website. Typically you needed to uninstall the old DDPA packages (the ones indicated in my top posts) and just install this package. However, things did not go smoothly. Again, I had issues uninstalling (even after the Wave team re-installed) and when I finally did get the DDPA package removed, the new one failed to install.

Looking at the event logs there seemed to be errors with some side by side packages and components in relation to the odl "Dell Data Protection" software. I decided to manually remove the registry entries relating to "Dell Data Protection". If I would have known how many entries and who long it would have taken I might have though twice (and I wouldn't recommend anyone doing this unless they have an idea of what they are doing) but I did eventually mange to get to a state where I could reinstall the new DDPA package.

I still wasn't quite there as for some reason the password wasn't accepted to the ControlVault so could not run a complete reset on the system. Again Wave support helped out with some commands that allowed me to blank the ControVault password so I could then rest the system.

Now, I have managed to re-enrol fingerprints, and the system has behaved  impeccably since.

So my new advice would be to install the new DDPA package for Windows 7 64 bit (www.dell.com/.../DriverFileFormats)  which now contains all three packages (Driver, middelware and application) in one.

Any issues, ignore Dell support and go to Wave. If they (Wave) only made a clean up tool that removed all registry entries and orphaned files etc  (similar to the Symantec tool) then life could be very simple.

For all interested parties, this solution above (posted by swinster) worked for me and finally allowed me to make use of the finger print reader that I paid for buying my Dell E6530, Win-7 Pro 64 bit, i7 QUAD with 8 gigs of ram. I took receipt of my system on 01/18/13 and quickly found that there was a problem with the finger print reader. It took me until just today to find a viable solution that suited my system and would work the way it should without causing more damage to my system.

Hopefully, this solution will hold up and I have no further issues with this hardware feature. I cannot leave this issue without commenting on what was not done by Dell. I bought my E6530 with the belief that Dell had included all drivers and software with the system. I did not anticipate that I would have to spend more than a week going through  forums and searching the internet for a solution. Even when I found a solution that looked like it would resolve my problem, I still had to cover my eyes and click on a suggested solution and hope for the best. I intended my Dell E6530 to be reliable and to provide me with a stable and uneventful computing experience. My thanks at this time to "swinster" as he has helped me in a way that Dell did not. This is the simple truth in this matter, Dell was sloppy in their support of this issue that can trace its roots back a time around 2006/2008. This should not have happened and Dell should have moved quickly to correct the driver package and made it a clear and simple download early on when problems were first reported. There should have been some form of quick read addendum included with arch unit that was sold with a finger print reader warning buyers/users of what to expect and how to solve these types of problems.

For those who will question why the RANT, I am a long time Dell user and have business interests that use a good number of Dell products. I personally own for my various business interests two Dell Dimension Desktops, two Dell Optiplex desktops, an older Dell Latitude D820. And now with the E6530 that makes two Dell Latitudes. I think that I am entitled to a RANT, when my business is impacted by a poor response.

If this forum is truly being monitored by Dell, then they should reference service tag numbers 905y8W1 as well as a follow on replacement order listed under service tag 5L7LBW1. These number if tracked back and reviewed will easily chronicle what was not done and will point the way for improvements. Once again thanks to "swinster" for the help in the resolution of these finger print reader issues.

End of RANT

habu290