P645 slow fingerprint reader

I have a P645 running Windows 7 with a fingerprint reader. Whenever I reboot the machine or attempt to return from hibernation, the fingerprint reader icon on the login page displays an hourglass for 30-60 seconds and the fingerprint reader is unusable during that time. Once the hourglass disappears, the fingerprint reader works properly. I can log in immediately after rebooting or resuming by typing my password; it would be great if I could do the same with the fingerprint reader.

I've installed the latest versions of the BIOS (2.08) and the fingerprint driver (3.0.14.0). Any suggestions for a fix would be gratefully received.

Thanks!

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Ryanrr

marcq,

When coming from hibernation the use of the finger printer reader may be delayed because of the software is lower on the resume list and may explain why it takes so long to resume. I don't know of a way to prioritize when that software is resumed. I apologize but it does sound like the hardware is working.

Do you also get this delay when you do a clean reboot? If so, then I could only suggest a factory restore and see if the roblem persists. If this problem existed from day one then it may be a limitation of the software.

marcg

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for the response. The problem occurs with a clean reboot, resume from sleep and resume from hibernation. The machine has behaved this way since I first had the machine. I called Acer support and they also suggested a factory restore. Since that will take many hours of time including restoration of my apps and data, I will see if I can live with the problem.

Perhaps this is something that could be fixed with a driver or BIOS update, or an update to the Acer ProShield app? I had a Dell laptop for the last several years with a fingerprint reader (Latitude 6430s running Windows 7), and the reader there had no delay. It was ready to accept a fingerprint at the same time that it was ready to accept a typed password.

kidziti

I know this thread is dated by several weeks, but thought I'd chime in. My P645 always has an hourglass on the fingerprint reader, but never more than 5 seconds or so. It was like that from day one, and I may have done one restore for an unrelated issue - no change with that either. Again this is Windows 7, no behavior change from the original BIOS (2.04?) to the current 2.09. I also updated ProShield as part of a routine maintenance and saw no change in that minimal but ever-so-slightly annoying hourglass.

I mention this because it definitely sounds like the machine - either hardware or software - is the problem. If it's acting like that right from a clean boot, I might be looking at Run -> msconfig and look at the start-up tab for programs that could be interfering at boot, paying particular attention to security software. If nothing seems to address the issue there, a restore sounds like a good next step.

I figure at two boots a day - even if every day of the year - I end up wasting 1 hour of my life every year waiting for that 5-second hourglass. For you at 30 to 60 seconds - taking an average of 45 seconds to come out of hibe - say even just twice a day for 365 days - you are spending over nine hours a year. That's a full day's wages, or a day trip to the city with dinner, or a real good night's sleep worth of time. Definitely sounds like it's worth a restore.

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