Biometric device not found in device manager

[splunge92]

Hello, all. I have spent many hours searching this forum. I have tried virtually every suggestion but none have worked, so I'm hoping some kind person or persons can help me.

I have a dv6z-6b00 laptop that is nearly two years old, running Window 7 64-bit. About a week ago, I believe after using Windows Update, my fingerprint reader stopped working. Although the Validity driver and Simplepass were both found in the list of programs, there was no listing for biometric devices in Device Manager. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling both the Validity driver and Simplepass. I tried every version of each one that I could find. I took out the battery as some suggested. I checked and updated the BIOS. I went to Services and restarted all of the suggested services. The only suggestion I couldn't follow was to use System Restore. It kept failing, saying it was probably due to antivirus (I use Bitdefender). Now it is too late, as all the restore points are after I did the Windows Update.

In any case. I am very frustrated, and would like to get the fingerprint reader working again. I thank you all in advance for reading this and trying to help.

[Dragon-Fur]

As of last month, there were a small number of Windows Updates that were later recalled by Microsoft due to issues in the Updates -- as far as I know, that inconsistancy has since been fixed; your latest Windows Updates should not have included any of the "suspect" update files.

There is a specific order of events one must follow to install the software.

Just in case it will help, I am providing that information below.

===========================================================================================

First, because you are already in trouble, you will want to consider the following:

The Driver listed in your computer's website should suffice:

Validity Fingerprint Sensor Driver sp54999 V4.3.205.0

Latest HP SimplePass Software:

sp63224 HP SimplePass V0.100.276 Win7-8

Download and do not yet install both packages.

Next,

• Uninstall AND DELETE any existing Validity Sensor driver you have now, if you can find such.
• After the uninstall / delete process completes, shut down the notebook and perform the Hard Reset
• Boot the system and log in
• Install  your downloaded Validity Driver
• Restart / Reboot the notebook and log in
• Install HP SimplePass version 6.0.100.276 over the top of any existing HP SimplePass software package, even if it is the same version.

That may work to untangle things, assuming there is not something still messed up in the Windows Update side.  For future reference, you might switch off the "Automatic" Updates setting and set Windows Updates to "notify" so you can decide when to apply the Updates.  This way, you can manually create a Restore Point if you wish and make sure your latest Image is up-to-date.

Control Panel > icon view > System > System Protection > Create a Restore Point

Good Luck!

Reference SkyDrive file titled: Simple Instructions to Upgrade HP SimplePass

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[splunge92]

Thank you very much for your prompt and thorough response. Alas, it was not successful. I followed all of the steps (twice, just to be sure) and still, no biometric devices are found in Device Manager. I guess it does have something to do with Windows Update, but I have no idea how to address that issue. I welcome any suggestions you (or anyone else) might have. Thanks again.

[Dragon-Fur]

Well, Rats!

If the Updates are the underlying cause and Windows Updates will let you do it, you might be able to fix this by removing one or more of the possible offending updates.

Open Windows Updates > Installed Updates > select an Update at a time and remove it.

Reboot the system and check.

You might make a new Restore Point before you do this -- your fingerprinter is hosed, but at least right now your computer still works.  "Now" is not great, but it is better than being completely up that proverbial creek.

Good Luck!

Click the Kudos Star!

It is a great “Thank You” for the HP Experts who are here to help!

[splunge92]

Thanks again. I painstakingly uninstalled all of the Windows updates from the last update prior to having this problem. No success after each one. I then repeated your original instructions, hoping that might work. But all to no avail. I guess I'm going to have to forget about the fingerprint reader. Very disappointing, but I appreciate your trying.

[Dragon-Fur]

Well, Rats.

It should work - assuming the File System is not corrupted somewhere else, that is.

Here is another Driver to try:

sp56403 Validity Sensor V4.3.301.0

This driver is compatible with this Device Hardware ID:

USB\VID_138A&PID_0018="Validity Sensors (WBF) (PID=0018)"

Reference -- Open and find the file named:

Driver Hardware Ids of Biometric Device

Remember:  Driver installs first, Software installs after driver -- reboots inbetween!

Computers do exactly what they are told ... occasionally they stop listening to what you want.

Good Luck!

Click the Kudos Star!

It is a great “Thank You” for the HP Experts who are here to help!

[splunge92]

I greatly appreciate your ongoing effort. Taking your suggestion about the file system, I ran chkdsk prior to installing the new driver. Unfortunately, this problem seems to be impervious to being solved. Although the Validity driver shows up on the list of programs, it doesn't show up in the Services nor will biometric devices be found with Device Manager. Grrrrrr! 

[Dragon-Fur]

Double Rats!

Well, I would not put up with it for very long -- about as long as it takes to get my backups in order, shove everything I can onto a file server somewhere, take a break to reassess the situation, and then attempt to blast the system into submission by reinstalling the OS.  That is the way I feel about my fingerprint access.  Smiling.   Of course, I do have an old Image around here somewhere so I would be losing little but time and a couple of program reinstallations.  Depending on how prepared you are, resinstalling the OS can be very painful - or at least time consuming.

I imagine that the reason it is not working is because I am missing something that would help.  Even with the act of removing all the Updates that were in the line of "suspected offenders", something seems to have changed that cannot be easily undone.

If I come up with anything clever, I'll post back.

You might try one more Hard Reset - the system might be in a tangle and it might actually "do something" useful.

Good Luck!

Click the Kudos Star!

It is a great “Thank You” for the HP Experts who are here to help!

[splunge92]

Thank you again for your outstanding effort. After your first suggestion, I have done several hard resets along the way. I will be most receptive to any future recommendations as well.

[Dragon-Fur]

Stubborn piece of work...

Hopefully, you did make a backup / Export of your webcards at some point.

May as well forget the Hard Reset option for now -- there is only so much it can do.  Hard Reset just clears the persistant boot-to-boot instructions from the computer so at next boot, everything is read from the on-disk Operating System.  It can certainly clear a lot of cobwebs from a system; it is not magic.  (Too bad, that.  Smiling)

We are getting into some "may or may not work" territory here, so bear with me.

You might try switching off and then back on, the BIOMETRICS setting.

Reset the Biometrics

Be aware and pay attention to the warning about the password data.  This will remove your fingerprint password logon data (at the least) and the fingerprint password logon for any other users with accounts on this computer.  This means:  you must know your Windows login password.

 Windows 8:

Windows key + X > P (Opens the Control Panel) >>

OR

Windows 7:

Control Panel > icon view >>

 Biometric Devices > Change Biometric Settings > Switch Biometrics OFF

• Restart / Reboot your computer and log in
• Repeat / Complete the "Repair SimplePass" procedure
• Next:  Open the Control Panel > Biometrics > Switch Biometrics ON
• Restart / Reboot your computer and log in

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Are you per chance running Windows 7 64bit Ultimate?

If Yes, then

Do you have control over Group Policy on that system?

Click the Kudos Star!

It is a great “Thank You” for all the HP Experts who are here to help!