SOLVED: Fingerprint Scanner

The fingerprint scanner - a Validity Sensor VFS451 - was not available as a login method on the initial computer configuration. It was during an attempt to install the Verisoft fingerprint software that I realised that the OS was 32-bit, which then prompted a full reinstallation.

To start with, I had been unable to get the finger print reader working on my 64-bit version of Windows 7, despite numerous forum searches, downloads from the HP website and driver/software installation (Validity Sensor driver, plus either Verisoft Access Manager or Digital Persona).

I then took the drastic step of asking for assistance, using HP's Active Chat facility. Here are key excerpts from my chat session with Vijay:

Vijay: To isolate the issue please download and install the Validity Fingerprint Sensor Driver using below weblink and check the issue. [HP.com Link]

Me: [After having downloaded & installed the driver, and rebooted] Driver is now 2.1.0.2. digitalpersona still can't detect a sensor

Vijay: Please download and install the HP ProtectTools Security Manager using below weblink and try to configured your finger on the Notebook and check the issue. [HP.com Link]

Vijay: Please install the HP ProtectTools Security Manager and try to configure the finger on the Notebook using the below steps and check the issue.

1. In HP ProtectTools Security Manager, click Credential Manager in the left pane.
2. Click My Identity, and then click Register Fingerprints.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete registering your fingerprints and setting up the fingerprint reader.
4. To set up the fingerprint reader for a different Windows user, log on to Windows as that user and then repeat the steps listed above.

Me: [After uninstaling digitalpersona, rebooting, installing HP ProtectTools and rebooting again] Hi there, that was really easy in the end. Thanks for helping me out!!

Vijay: You are most welcome.

So in summary, you need to:

1. remove any other fingerprint manager software first (eg, Verisoft / Digital Persona) (reboot required)
2. update your sensor driver to the latest version (reboot required)
3. install HP ProtectTools (reboot required)

After all this, and all those reboots, you will/should have a working fingerprint reader which you can use to login to Windows or anywhere where a password is required. Good luck!

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