Serious problem with fingerprint software 5.6/CSS 7.00.0022

[dwlewis_uk]

All:

I think that I am well and truly screwed. I desperately hope that someone smarter than me can help me figure out how to solve the below problem.

BACKGROUND
I have a Thinkpad X60s setup to use the fingerprint reader for hardware boot from shutdown, Windows login, and the SecureDisk. This was all working hunky-dory until this last Tuesday.

PROBLEM
After a reboot Tuesday the following started occurring:

1. Hardware boot
Fingerprint reader works fine at hardware boot. No issues whatsoever.

2. Windows login
I swipe my finger normally and get the expected green check that indicates that the fingerprint was accepted. However, after the system sits and spins for ~30 seconds I get the below error and I am forced to log in with my normal username/password combination:

ERROR MESSAGE ON WINDOWS BOOT:
The requested operation requires fingerprint authorization, but you have no fingerprints enrolled. Please enroll fingerprints and retry the operation.

3. SecureDisk Access (PrivateDisk 1.19.0.2)
Upon login, I am challenged as normal by the fingerprint software, and I get the expected green check. However, I get the above error message after ~15 seconds. Further, when I try to access the securedisk with my password I get the error "Wrong password. Next attempt is delayed ..." ALL OF MY BUSINESS AND PERSONAL DATA IS ON THIS SECUREDISK.

I have no problem wiping the entire hard drive and rebuilding from scratch, although I would prefer not to waste an entire day doing this. However, I am reasonably certain that were I to do so I would lose all hope in getting back to my data.

Analysis:
It seems to me that something key to fingerprint enrollment has gotten stepped on somehow. If I can figure out how to remind CSS system that my fingerprints are really enrolled then I assume I should be able to access the securedisk. However, when I try to enroll an existing user (I assume that I should not erase my existing enrollment, but I haven't tried this), I get the following error: "Passport name "user" cannot be used for a new passport."

I have already run a repair on both the fingerprint software and CSS, although I have NOT uninstalled and reinstalled, fearing that could permanently close off my securedisk.

Any assistance most appreciated. Don't hesitate to ask if you require qualification on the above.

Oh, and when I take the above information to the boys in IBM/Lenovo support, as well as Utimaco (they make PrivateDisk), they don't seem to either understand the issue or are remarkably unhelpful. IBM pushed me to Utimaco, who said that the version in CSS is specific to Thinkpad and needs to be addressed by IBM. Not very helpful, that.

Thanks a ton.

David

[USSS]

Try upgrading to CSS 8.0.

It is not clear from your post whether you can actually boot into Windows with manual login, but if so, then you should uninstall/reinstall CSS and Fingerprint Software as described below.

I am using Fingerprint Software (FPS) 5.6.2.3650 and it works very well with CSS 8.0. I ran FPS 5.4 with CSS 7.0 and it was a good combination as well. But CSS 8.0 will support only the latest version of FPS.

A conflict of some kind apparently has developed on your system, which is why I am recommending that you completely uninstall and reinstall both CSS and FPS. But it is better than wiping your disk and starting over. At least, there is a chance that you will once again be able to access SecureDisk.

You did not mention if you are using Password Manager. If you are, though, make a fresh backup of your password entries before reinstalling these applications.

Download CSS 8.0 from here and follow the instructions very carefully:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-46391

Let us know the results, and good luck.

[dwlewis_uk]

Thanks for the reply, USSS.

I haven't move to CSS 8 because I had read that there is no support for SecureDisk in that version of CSS. That means data lost for good.

I do use the fingerprint software to log into Windows, with the error indicated below, as mentioned in my previous post:

The requested operation requires fingerprint authorization, but you have no fingerprints enrolled. Please enroll fingerprints and retry the operation.

It seems that the issues is FAR worse than I had imagined, as when I tried to log into the Rescue and Recovery partition (the ThinkVantage button on boot) I input my password and am challenged with:

The requested operation required recovery questions for authentication, but you do not have any recovery questions configured. Please reconfigure recovery questions and retry the operation.

I DEFINITELY have recovery questions configured! So it seems that the problem may lay in that Rescue/Recovery partition.

I used Rescue & Recovery from CSS in Windows to roll back to a previous operating environment before the errors and got the exact same problems.

Looking much worse, not better.

Arrrgggh.

David

[USSS]

David, you are absolutely correct about support for SecureDisk being dropped for CSS 8.

First of all, are you able to load Windows and access the desktop at all, using manual login?

Here are some of my standard recommendations for recovery in cases where it appears that a software installation has suddenly become corrupted for no apparent reason:

1. Revert your system back to a point prior to when symptoms of the problem appeared. You can use System Restore (if it does not work in normal mode, boot into SAFE MODE and try again). If this does not work, proceed to Step 2.

2. Boot into SAFE MODE and from the list, select "Last Known Good Configuration." If this also fails, then...

3. Restore a recent backup if you have one.

You mentioned that you performed a "repair" of FPS and CSS. Was this done through the Add/Remove applet in the Control Panel?

[dwlewis_uk]

Hi again.

My comments embedded. Thanks for taking the time on this.

David

**********


First of all, are you able to load Windows and access the desktop at all, using manual login?

YES

Here are some of my standard recommendations for recovery in cases where it appears that a software installation has suddenly become corrupted for no apparent reason:

1. Revert your system back to a point prior to when symptoms of the problem appeared. You can use System Restore (if it does not work in normal mode, boot into SAFE MODE and try again). If this does not work, proceed to Step 2.

ALREADY DONE LAST WEEK. TWICE

2. Boot into SAFE MODE and from the list, select "Last Known Good Configuration." If this also fails, then...

ALREADY DONE LAST WEEK. TWICE

3. Restore a recent backup if you have one.

DONE LAST WEEK. Restored the entire drive from backup to a known good state

You mentioned that you performed a "repair" of FPS and CSS. Was this done through the Add/Remove applet in the Control Panel?

YES. TWICE

As indicated in my previous post, I think the core problem is with the Rescue partition which I cannot access at all at the moment. See below from my last post:

It seems that the issues is FAR worse than I had imagined, as when I tried to log into the Rescue and Recovery partition (the ThinkVantage button on boot) I input my password and am challenged with:

The requested operation required recovery questions for authentication, but you do not have any recovery questions configured. Please reconfigure recovery questions and retry the operation.

I DEFINITELY have recovery questions configured! So it seems that the problem may lay in that Rescue/Recovery partition.

[USSS]

David, you've done just about everything I know of. I've not used R&R yet to perform an actual recovery, although I have made the disks and configured the application for it.

At this point, I would launch the R&R GUI (Start > ThinkVantage > Rescue & Recovery > Launch Advanced Rescue & Recovery) and then run the wizard to recreate the recovery authentication questions/answers again. If you can do that, you may have a new shot at re-accessing your data.

I vaguely recall having to rerun this wizard again after uninstalling/reinstalling CSS, FPS and R&R when I was having problems with Password Manager and FPS. I was able to use the same questions and answers.

I wonder also if downgrading to the previous version of FPS (v5.4?) might help?

You also might perform a search on the IBM Developer Forum. There seem to be a number of posts about Rescue & Recovery there.

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/forums/index.html

See also if you can work with a different support technician at Lenovo on this; try to get it escalated since it involves mission-critical, secured data.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Steve