Fingerprint Reader - stopped working

  • Thread starter Thread starter rayelias
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rayelias

I've got WinXP and a MS Optical Keyboard with Fingerprint Reader
(software from Digital Persona).

It worked GREAT for about a year. Then, recently, whenever I try to
use it, although the light is lit, and when I put my finger on it I get
the sound like it accepts the fingerprint, nothing happens.

Disabling and enabling the keyboard does not help. Nor does unplugging
and plugging back in.

I DID, at one point, uninstall and reinstall the software which worked
for about 2 days. (I lost all my old passwords). But, it's back to
the old problem again.

Anyone have any ideas/suggestions? Has this happened to anyone else?
 
The touchpad is probably dirty, take a piece of scotch tape and use the sticky side to clean off all
the old residue from previous prints.
 
Won't that leave a sticky residue from the scotch tape on the touchpad? I
would have thought that an appropriate mild liquid touchpad cleaner would do
the job.
 
No it doesn't, the reader has some sort of plastic type coating on the top. I think I found the
tape cleaning tip from the Microsoft site (but that was quite a while ago). I have 2 of these
readers and use the tape cleaning without a problem. Just take a small piece of tape cover the
touch spot and lift right off, the top of the reader will be clear again.
 
I found the cleaning instructions, it was in the manual.

Cleaning the Fingerprint Reader

Proper cleaning and maintenance are critical to the performance of your fingerprint

reader. To capture fingerprint scans, the fingerprint reader must be clean.

To clean the fingerprint reader

.. Apply the sticky side of a piece of adhesive cellophane tape to the fingerprint

reader window, and then peel it away.

-or-

.. If the fingerprint reader's window appears cloudy, gently wipe the window with a

soft cloth (not paper) dampened with a mild ammonia-based glass cleaner.
 
It's clean. I clean it often. (By the way, cleaning with the tape
works, if anyone had a question about that). I know it's not that.
When I place my finger on it, I can get the "good beep", like it's
accepting my fingerprint. Just nothing happens. No pop-up window, no
log-in, nothing.

Plus, when I uninstalled and re-installed it worked (for about a day).

I'm 90% sure it's the software and 10% hardware. My bet is that it has
something to do with a recent Windows update that's conflicting with
it.
 
If you get the beep then I agree that its most likely a software issue, other than reinstall I
can't think of much else to do there. Maybe putting it into a different USB port will trick it into
working better (Just a guess though).
 
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