How is your fingerprint reader?

Most of the time I have to swipe finger for many times before succeeding. Quite often ended up pressing Alt-Ctrl-Del to log in with password. Sometimes got "fingerprint reader software unavailable". Very rarely did the first swipe get me in. Not so impressed with this feature--adds more hassles than without it.

What about yours?

 

Mine stopped working with Vista SP2. Before that it worked perfectly. Anyone get their s to work with SP2? I've tried reinstalling the drivers, software etc from the Lenovo website.

Edit: Actually, since this thread I took another gander at it and noticed Lenovo recently came out with an updated version. Works great again, I log in on the first swipe consistently too.

 

Thanks for reminding me while I didn’t bother buying a machine with a fingerprint reader…

 

I've always found fingerprint readers to be really gimicky. On my friend's laptop, I would see him swipe his finger several times before it accepted it.

In fact, Mythbusters tested out how easy it would be to fool a fingerprint reader, and came up with some surprising results: because there is some tolerance for moist fingers, many fingerprint readers can be fooled by wet fingerprints that are not even registered, actually presenting a security hazard!

 

I had a UPEK reader on my T61, and now an Authentec on my T400. Used the T61 with XP Pro and Windows 7, and I'm using only Windows 7 on the T400.

Both readers work very well. I'd say 90% of the time I get logged in with one swipe; the remaining 10% takes two.

BTW MidnightSun, just an FYI -Lenovo fingerprint readers are whare are known as non-conductive readers. They shouldn't be suceptible to gelatin copies (e.g., the gummy-bear trick), etc. I haven't done a Mythbusters-style test, but current-gen biometric readers are not as easy to fool as older ones.

 

I have a T61p running Win 7 RC, and my fingerprint reader works quite well most of the time. Sometimes, though, I open my computer and swipe my finger and nothing happens; it seems to disconnect periodically. But I like it nonetheless.

 

Mine almost always works the first time.

It's invaluable for a tablet, but I admit the utility is questionable for a conventional system.

 

Personally, I just use the one in my T400 for Windows login purposes. My hp tx2500z on the other hand has the reader on the left side of the screen which IMO is a better place for the fingerprint sensor than the palm rest and swiping your thumb seems so much more natural to me than using index or any of the other fingers.

 

Always use for login. Works nearly flawlessly under Win7. Also worked great under Vista. Win7 drivers are faster though.

 

For what it’s worth, Windows 7 has a whole new Biometric Framework. I don’t know if Lenovo is leveraging this yet or not, but it should integrate this stuff better and provide for better reliability as well.

 

@LoneWolf15: That's good to know, at least.

Yeah, that's the only really convenient thing I can imagine about fingerprint readers - you won't have to open up the keyboard on a tablet to log in or out.

 

i think the fingerprint readers are still very unreliable.

 

I got a T60 & a X61
always works flawlessly under Vista SP2 since upgraded last week

 

How many have you used and under what operating systems?

Just curious since I only really have experience with the one on this laptop (T400). I've found it to be very reliable.

 

Ive tried it on many laptops. my own one is on a t4x series. this was my first laptop with a finger print reader a few years ago. so naturally i put it to the test, and my friend who tried it got into the client security software by swiping his fingers while it was surposed to be only mine on the record. and i doubt we have the same print. so anyway i think they are very unreliable.

plus, these electrostatic swiping ones are unlike the higher security ones where you rest your entire finger onto a slide where the computer recognizes the entire print. Those are more reliable, as is why they are used in realistically high security devices like access to control rooms, law enforcement, etc.

 

Thanks for the explanation, that helped. I was confused by you using the word "reliable" when you really seem to mean "secure".

Sometime I'll test out mine with friends/family and see how it does. I did just now try it with the other digits I don't have registered and it refused to accept any of them. You do make a good point people should check out. Hopefully they've made a few improvements to the hardware and software in the few years since the T4x line.

 

Oh my, I'm disappointed with the poll results! Now I wonder whether it's my system's problem or the way I swipe my finger. How much force do you use when swiping your fingers?

 

Little pressure -- just enough I guess to flatten the skin of my finger against the reader.

If you've not done so yet, try cleaning with a soft cloth.

 

There is an argument, however, that the slide-scanners actually retain a user's fingerprint, allowing it to be lifted and duplicated, as opposed to a swipe-strip.

The T4x's fingerprint readers are a little older, and the software also of an earlier generation. While I'd agree with you that biometric readers aren't foolproof, there have been some advances both in readers and in the software that interacts with them since the T4x ThinkPads were released.

 

Seems I used too much force, pressing really hard Lighter swipe is better, but still requires more swipes than I like.

Edit:
I re-registered my fingers using less force, and now it's working much better, just a light swipe and I logged in

 

The only experience I have with FP readers are on my now-dead T42.

It worked rather well, although if my fingers were dirty/wet it wouldn't read my fingers. Several of my coworkers tried it and it wouldn't let them in, so as far as my experience goes it actually worked well.

I'm very confident I'll have a similar experience with the T60 I'm waiting for.

 

I've had good expriences with the t61p fingerprint reader.
Renee

 

I turned my fingerprint reader off, because I had to make a lot of swipes before it would log me in. piece of cr*p. I even uninstalled lenovo fingerprint software.

 

Perhaps you were like me, didn't swipe properly? E.g. using too much force is not good.

 

What machine do u use?

 

Since I updates the software to its latest version (version 3.2.0.341) I've never had to swipe my finger twice. Before that I had to swipe my finger more than once maybe 30-40% of the times. I'm running Vista Business 32-bit.

 

that can be remedied by wiping the slide after each use.

 

See my sig.

Maybe. I'll give it one more try.

 

It's worth the 30-dollar premium for sure as I don't have to type in my login password in front of everyone.

 

Right now 83 percent say that they are able to get in mostly on the first swipe. That says over 80 percent of the people who use it are satisfied with it. Another way to look at it says 8 out of 10 are highly satisfied with it.

Renee

 

Definitely try to re-scan all your fingers and don't put too much pressure. After I did that, I got logged in with one swipe most of the time.

I do have a problem and I wonder how many of you have: most times when I use my laptop on battery, I got " Fingerprint system is not available" and had to use password login. I wonder how common this problem is, and reason?

 

I live in a humid area, and I find that if my fingers have even the slightest bit of sweat, a single swipe will not work. It usually takes a few. The BIOS swipe is the most forgiving, the windows swipe not so much so. It usually takes around 3-4. If the first time doesn't work I use the other hand as I have scanned fingers on both hands.

 

Sorry, is there another fingerprint reader, for BIOS? How to access it? All I know is the one for Windows login.

 

Check the Lenovo Fingerprint Software. There's an option for Power on password. Check that. That will enable a scanned finger to be used for swiping after you just booted.

 

Is it the check box with "Show this window at start up", which is displayed together with fingerprint scan and password fill-in upon opening thw Fingerprint software?

 

Mine works fine, but after I wake from sleep, the fingerprint reader takes a while to warm up.