Elan WBF Fingerprint Sensor no longer working in Spin 5 - SP513-54N

One day the fingerprint sensor just decided to stop working. Thought maybe it was a driver issue so I downloaded the latest driver from Acer site but that didn't fix. Also ran "sfm /scannow" and it reported everything in order. I took a look in Device Manager and after enabling "show hidden devices," I found the category Biometric Devies with the Elan WBF Fingerprint sensor greyed out. Windows reports the device as not being connected with a code 45. I'm running Widows 11 Pro, and assuming that the touchpad and sensor are all connected via a single cable. Since the touchpad still works, I'm at a lost re the sensor. Hoping I won't have to take the laptop apart to check cable… anyone know what's going on?

[Edited  the  thread  to  add  model  name  to  the  title]

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hanafubuku

Oh, forgot to mention that the device is a Spin 5 - SP513-54N

billsey

A grayed out entry like that says that the OS thinks the hardware has been removed. Since the fingerprint sensor sits on an internal USB port the issue might be in how the port is working, or not working. For the last few years we've seen instances of the USB root controllers and USB hubs garbling data, causing those types of symptoms. If that's the case as often as not simpley removing those devices in Device MAnager and rebooting to force a reinstall can clear it up. Sometimes though the issue is actually with the fingerprint reader hardware and in those cases dealing with USB drivers won't help.

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/683708/elan-wbf-fingerprint-sensor-no-longer-working

Just SFC /scannow on its own won't do anything if the system image file is corrupt that your system is refreshed with when booting. Going online you want to refresh your system image file first with: Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth in the command prompt opened as administrator, when the result is: Successfully completed then run SFC /scannow.

Have you tried to uninstall your Biometric devices in Safe Mode, reboot and see if Windows has reinstalled the correct version?

hanafubuku

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1195843#Comment_1195843

@ billsey, the greyed out device was removed (not in safe mode though) and after reboot it didn't come back on it's own.

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1195919#Comment_1195919

@ Puraw, same result - assuming that the error isn't due to corrupt os files… perhaps a Windows update snuck in and destroyed the fingerprint sensor?

I'll try re-booting to safe mode and poke around…

hanafubuku

I just booted in safe-mode and checked device manager - no notable changes. Not even a device with a question mark on it - looks as if the fingerprint sensor just isn't connected to laptop : /

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1196136#Comment_1196136

Good idea and also try RAPR (explore Windows driver store) although that is more for W10 non-GPU driver issues. RAPR may find some duplicate or older (currupted) Biometric drivers, delete those. Try to install that driver in Safe Mode with Networking enabled, maybe AV or other (mouse) apps are issues.

billsey

When the device is normally connected via an internal USB post, like the fingerprint sensor is, if the data is getting garbled it will either show up in Device Manager as an unknown device (usually with device descriptor failed error) or not show at all, as if it were unplugged. The latter seems to be your issue. Sometimes reinstalling the USB extensible host controllers or USB hubs will get rid of the problem with corrupted data and it will magically reappear. Sometimes it won't, and I don't know why. Sometimes it's an actual hardware issue and a replacement is the only fix, but that's really, really rare.

hanafubuku

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1196140#Comment_1196140

Tried it and no success - there were no duplicate or older biometric drivers - just the one elan driver. Did remove w/ RAPR and reinstall but it just doesn't show up in device manager.

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1196533#Comment_1196533

Tried reinstalling the USB host controllers and root hubs and unfortunately it wasn't a fix. Although rare - I teetering towards this being a hardware issue. Any of you folks have any suggestions to try? I guess I can try doing a system re-install /restore to see rule out any other software issue : /

If that doesn't work, than I'm gonna have to look at opening up the spin.

Puraw

How did you upgrade to W11 Pro? If this was done manually with an ISO file and USB flash drive maybe you have a system version issue. Windows Hello may be disabled in your registry, check this with Regedit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Biometrics
Enabled DWORD
0 = Disable
(delete) = Enable

Did DISM Online refreshed OK and did you run SFC next?

As the warranty may have expired I still recommend that you bring/send the laptop to Acer Service in your country to check the Fingerprint sensor.

William_mk2

@hanafubuku

Sometimes a simple system restore will fix the issue..

Try windows x
click on power shell admin or command prompt admin
type rstrui
chose an earlier date on which your computer was working fine
click on next, finish, yes
It will restore your computer to an earlier date
if you get an message - system restore not completed - click on close
It will show you all the icons..
Try and check whether it is working now ..

Try windows + x

go to device manager

expand usb - uninstall all the entries below it. Restart the computer and check.

hanafubuku

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1196583#Comment_1196583

Upgraded by updating the product id and letting Windows download files it needs. That was done when the spin was purchased more then a year ago. The dism and sfc did complete without any issues. I checked the registry and the biometrics key is missing - so should I just create it and a dword value named "Enabled" and set it equal to 1?

As for checking with Acer service - I would rather just do it myself. Will try William Mk2's suggestion and then perhaps a factory reset and if those don't work, I'll open it up and perhaps test a known working fingerprint sensor. It was working not too long ago, so I am hoping it was perhaps some sort of windows update or something similiar that messed it up…

William_mk2

@hanafubuku

We need to determine whether it is hardware or software issue.

If it is still not working then we have to do a refresh and reset

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started

or

on start - type here to search - type reset this pc - click on reset this pc on the top - click on get started

It will show you keep my files and remove everything
chose keep my files
chose the account - type the password - click on local reinstall - click on reset
It will be in progress..
login to computer and start using the computer.
If it is still not working

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started
chose remove everything
click on local reinstall - just remove my files - click on reset
It will be in progress

Note:

If you do refresh ( keep my files ) - all your personal files like pictures, music , documents , videos will still be intact. Only the applications will be lost

If you do reset ( remove everything ) - you are doing a factory default. It will become like a day one computer. It will wipe out everything and take your computer to day one like a new computer.

You can also do the recovery in an alternative way..

There are two alt keys on the keyboard. If you look at the bottom row of keyboard you can see the one on the left side of space bar and the other on the right side of space bar. The alt key on the right side will be looking like alt, alt gr or alt car. Turn off the computer. Hold the alt key on the left and tap f10 continuously. It will go to repair mode. It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot. If it is not going to repair mode, turn off the computer. Turn on the computer. Hold the right alt key ( alt gr or alt car or alt ) and then tap f10 continuously. It will go to chose an option continue and troubleshoot..

It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot
Go to troubleshoot - click on reset this pc
click on keep my files ( only applications will be lost ) chose your account and type your password - click on local reinstall - click on reset
It will be in progress

If the keep my files option is not working

Go to troubleshoot - click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – just remove my files – click on reset
It will reinstall windows.

If the just remove my files is not working..

Go to troubleshoot - click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – Fully clean the drive – click on reset
It will reinstall windows.

Note: You can also go to chose an option , continue , troubleshoot by holding the alt key + tapping f10 or alt gr + tapping f10 on the keyboard while turning on the computer. Once you see the troubleshoot option, you can stop tapping the f10 and stop holding the alt key. Then you can try the keep my files and remove everything ( just remove by files and fully clean the drive ) by following the steps which was mentioned above.

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1198048#Comment_1198048

No don't add that Dword to the registry instead check in Services if Windows Biometrics is present:

WbioSrvc in Services (Automatic start) check if that service is present and is perhaps disabled, set it to Automatic.

Check a different key in the registry, this is what my registry has:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WINEVT\Channels\Microsoft-Windows-Biometrics/Operational: check if enabled (1)

If you have none of those in your registry or in Services you can add that Services: Open this key with Regedit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services

And scroll down (left panel) to WbioSrv and set start to 2 (see below)

If none of this works for you try the restore option suggested by William above, if restore failed restore in Safe Mode (better), keep the shift key pressed and click on restart (in Start). Once in Safe mode open the Command Prompt as administrator and type/paste: rstrui.exe

If you haven't made restore points in the past you have to do the "Reset this PC" (without losing your files), the command for that is: systemreset --factoryreset