Question Fingerprint Scanner doesn't work when PC is in sleep mode ?

xfr0stx

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Aug 10, 2019
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I have this weird issue where my fingerprint scanner only works when the PC is shut down and turned on.
When it is put to sleep, The scanner doesn't work (It says "currently unavailable")
The fingerprint scanner was replaced around 3 weeks ago.
It feels like some sort of power management issue.
 
What I did:

1) device manager > biometrics > (My fingerprint driver ) > power management tab > untick allow computer to turn off device. (the second option is greyed out)
2) services > find the service related to your fingerprint ( mine was valwbf...) > set the service to manual > go to tab recovery > set the first action to "RESTART THE SERVICE"
3) in run command "gpedit.msc" > computer configuration> administrative templates > windows components > biometrics >
* Facial > disabled
* ALL OF allow using biometrics > enabled
4) power options > advanced power management > usb suspend option > OFF
(Link is safe, its MIcrosoft)

step 3 might be difficult if you have win 10 Home, as you don't have access to Group Policy Editor
 
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(Link is safe, its MIcrosoft)

step 3 might be difficult if you have win 10 Home, as you don't have access to Group Policy Editor
As for the 1st option, I do not have a powermanagement Tab
For the second option, I looked thoroughly and couldnt find it.
Third option, I do not have the USB sleeper setting
My fingerprint scanner only works after a long time of shutdown, Suppose I turn the pc off and turn it on tomorrow I can use it only for first time login, If I restart lock sleep it doesnt work.
 
is this a laptop? It sounds like a driver problem. Knowing what you have might help me find an answer.

Odd it doesn't work after a restart. Do you have fast startup turned on?
I suspect you do. But its still strange as its doing the opposite to what I would expect.

PC with fast startup turned on aren't really off when you shut them down. They in a hybred hibernate. If fast startup is turned off, then its actually off. The only time PC with fast startup on is actually off, is during a restart.

The odd thing is that its normally having it on that trips up drivers, not restarts. Drivers should load fine on a restart.

Makes me think device isn't responding to PC on cold starts. Turning fast startup off might result in it not working on startup too.

I wonder if its a bad device, why did you replace the other one?

are you on latest version of win 10?
 
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is this a laptop? It sounds like a driver problem. Knowing what you have might help me find an answer.

Odd it doesn't work after a restart. Do you have fast startup turned on?
I suspect you do. But its still strange as its doing the opposite to what I would expect.

PC with fast startup turned on aren't really off when you shut them down. They in a hybred hibernate. If fast startup is turned off, then its actually off. The only time PC with fast startup on is actually off, is during a restart.

The odd thing is that its normally having it on that trips up drivers, not restarts. Drivers should load fine on a restart.

Makes me think device isn't responding to PC on cold starts. Turning fast startup off might result in it not working on startup too.

I wonder if its a bad device, why did you replace the other one?

are you on latest version of win 10?
Yes, I am on a laptop. Dell Latitude 5411
I have my fast startup turned off, Do I turn it on?
I replaced the fingerprint scanner on the button because it was torn and hence didnt work.
https://ibb.co/PrXDcxk
Also whenever the fingerprint scanner doesnt work I go to the device manager and in biometrics I can see the fingerprint scanner but it is hidden/greyed out
 
if its off, there shouldn't be any difference between startup and restart.

only difference I can think of would be temperature and perhaps how much power is left in system.

Also whenever the fingerprint scanner doesnt work I go to the device manager and in biometrics I can see the fingerprint scanner but it is hidden/greyed out
have you looked at this page when it is working? Just curious if it is different.



Try a clean boot and see if it changes anything - make sure to read instructions and make sure NOT to disable any microsoft services or windows won't load right - https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

It doesn’t delete anything, it just stops non Microsoft programs running with start. Easy to reverse.

if clean boot fixes it, it shows its likely a startup program. You should, over a number of startups. restart the programs you stopped to isolate the one that is to blame.



try the answer suggested in this post - https://www.elevenforum.com/t/finge...wont-allow-it-to-remain-on.10845/#post-229908
 
if its off, there shouldn't be any difference between startup and restart.

only difference I can think of would be temperature and perhaps how much power is left in system.


have you looked at this page when it is working? Just curious if it is different.



Try a clean boot and see if it changes anything - make sure to read instructions and make sure NOT to disable any microsoft services or windows won't load right - https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

It doesn’t delete anything, it just stops non Microsoft programs running with start. Easy to reverse.

if clean boot fixes it, it shows its likely a startup program. You should, over a number of startups. restart the programs you stopped to isolate the one that is to blame.



try the answer suggested in this post - https://www.elevenforum.com/t/finge...wont-allow-it-to-remain-on.10845/#post-229908
When the fingerprint scanner works, I can see it without enabling the show hidden devices.
I tried clean boot and power scheme, None of them worked unfortunately... 🙁

Also I don't know if this makes sense, But should this be the issue
"A common issue with hibernation is that you lose connection to WiFi, much like you lose access to the fingerprint sensor" ( From the thread you posted)

It is also interesting to see that in advanced power options I have no other options except these 4.
https://ibb.co/ZTXc7zM

Also could you please confirm whether I am using the latest windows 10 version?
 
is this a laptop? It sounds like a driver problem. Knowing what you have might help me find an answer.

Odd it doesn't work after a restart. Do you have fast startup turned on?
I suspect you do. But its still strange as its doing the opposite to what I would expect.

PC with fast startup turned on aren't really off when you shut them down. They in a hybred hibernate. If fast startup is turned off, then its actually off. The only time PC with fast startup on is actually off, is during a restart.

The odd thing is that its normally having it on that trips up drivers, not restarts. Drivers should load fine on a restart.

Makes me think device isn't responding to PC on cold starts. Turning fast startup off might result in it not working on startup too.

I wonder if its a bad device, why did you replace the other one?

are you on latest version of win 10?
I would also like to tell you that just shutting down the laptop doesnt work, It has to be the next day for it to work
 
I would also like to tell you that just shutting down the laptop doesnt work, It has to be the next day for it to work
It makes me think its a power related problem, in that its fine on a cold start but doesn't work any other time.

Also I don't know if this makes sense, But should this be the issue
"A common issue with hibernation is that you lose connection to WiFi, much like you lose access to the fingerprint sensor" ( From the thread you posted)
That normally means its a driver. As older drivers don't cope with some power modes

I wonder what driver the fingerprint reader uses - https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-au/product-support/product/latitude-14-5411-laptop/drivers - As I don't see it listed here. Unless its classified under input devices... it sort of is.

All of those drivers all look new enough to work with win 10 though.

I wonder if its just a faulty unit... i wonder if running in linux would tell us anything. Reason to use another OS is to remove chances its windows. If same thing happens on 2 different OS, its hardware. I am not suggesting installing it, rather running off a live USB - https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/try-ubuntu-before-you-install#1-getting-started
 
It makes me think its a power related problem, in that its fine on a cold start but doesn't work any other time.


That normally means its a driver. As older drivers don't cope with some power modes

I wonder what driver the fingerprint reader uses - https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-au/product-support/product/latitude-14-5411-laptop/drivers - As I don't see it listed here. Unless its classified under input devices... it sort of is.

All of those drivers all look new enough to work with win 10 though.

I wonder if its just a faulty unit... i wonder if running in linux would tell us anything. Reason to use another OS is to remove chances its windows. If same thing happens on 2 different OS, its hardware. I am not suggesting installing it, rather running off a live USB - https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/try-ubuntu-before-you-install#1-getting-started
My fingerprint device uses the Dell Control Vault Driver
So I installed ubuntu on a USB and tried booting in it then some black screen popped up saying "TPM interrupt not working" then it loaded me into ubuntu, I tried searching for security settings in ubuntu and couldnt find anything, how do I use my fingerprint scanner in ubuntu?

 
Hmm, I really should work out Ubuntu myself one day

So I installed ubuntu on a USB and tried booting in it then some black screen popped up saying "TPM interrupt not working"

That log message is completely normal. You don’t need to do anything to fix it. All it means is that the TPM does not support “Interrupt Mode” (where it gives the computer information), so instead the computer needs to use “Polling Mode” (where the computer asks the TPM for new information every so often).

This is completely normal behavior and is not causing any problems.

https://www.makeuseof.com/enable-fingerprint-login-on-ubuntu/ < this might help
 
Hmm, I really should work out Ubuntu myself one day





https://www.makeuseof.com/enable-fingerprint-login-on-ubuntu/ < this might help


These people have the same issue as I do (Dell Control Vault Finger Print)

edit: Today as soon as I turned my laptop on, I went to the set up fingerprint in windows it showed set up as I was setting it up it said fingerprint disconnected as if some power issue or smt I really dont know
 
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I wonder which version you have - https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=8chrt

it would appear to be a bug with that driver - link - though it not showing unless its a cold start is strange. Drivers should work or not work, shouldn't care about temperatures.
I am using the latest driver version, uninstalled and installed multiple times
also today I tried setting up today as well after cold start, But today I was able to set up 4 fingerprints until the fingerprint device stopped working whereas yday I couldnt even set up 1
 
have you asked on the Dell support forums?

Seems to me you are not alone which makes me think it might be already asked about on here - https://www.dell.com/community/en/categories/dell-community
I saw a lot of posts thats similar if not the exact issue I have, I have sent those links to them lets see what they come up with.
edit: I also would like to point out that, during the first start up even if it is kept for 15 mins without logging in the fingerprint sensor is working, but when I sign in and wait 10 secs its gone
I already performed clean boot and checked, do you want to see the picture of my services or startup programs??
 
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edit: I also would like to point out that, during the first start up even if it is kept for 15 mins without logging in the fingerprint sensor is working, but when I sign in and wait 10 secs its gone
that sure makes it sound like a driver then. Only other thought I would have had is a startup program but as clean boot makes no difference, I can remove that option.