Bios Upgrade T4x for USB fingerprint reader

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rssb · #1 Post by **rssb** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 5:23 pm

Is there anyone in these forums who can put in a request with IBM / Lenovo to add USB fingerprint functionality for a future bios release. The T60, Z60, series seem to have it.

snife · #2 Post by **snife** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:55 pm

There is no point requesting it as it is simply not possibly - this feature required updating to the actual fingerprint hardware itself, this is not permitted via a software update as it would have made the technology less secure.

#3 Post by **Kyocera** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:10 pm

Dear IBM/Lenovo please add USB fingerprint functionality to future bios releases of T4x's. Thank you.

There you go!

rssb · #4 Post by **rssb** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:49 am

Snife, The hardware on the external USB fingerprint reader is from the same manufacturer and exactly identical. When the same fingerprint reader is connected to a T60 it was picked it up. Can you elaborate on what hardware might be missing or do you have evidence to prove it.

I wonder why would they have included it in T60's and Z60's if it was less secure.

To me it seems like a USB support by the BIOS, during boot, the bios needs the driver to activate the piece of hardware, which can then communicate with the embedded fingerprint software in the BIOS as a module, which in turn communicates with the TCPA etc. If you remember older bioses, didnot support booting from a USB Flash drive or cd drive. Even in the current bios, if you disable USB support it frees some 16KB of code space to be used for other purposes, which would not let you boot from any of these USB devices. While the T60 seems to have lot of free space being a 16Mbit flash , to incorporate future upgrades, the Z60 is a still a 8Mbit flash same as T4x's which has the support.

Kyocera thanks for your help composing it, I would appreciate if you can tell me where to send it also !!

snife · #5 Post by **snife** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 3:45 pm

It is to do with the fact that the actual fingerprint impressions are stored on the fingerprint hardware so there would need to be some communication between the internal and external device for it to function at a BIOS level - its not just the BIOS which would need updated but also the fingerprint EPROM. You are correct that the readers are the same which is why they both work on an interchangable way in windows where the fingerprint impressions are generally not stored on the chip.

Its not that the facility to do this is less secure its that they have not been the fingerprint chip flash upgradeable as this would be less secure - so its OK for it to be set at the factory but its just not possible to upgrade.

I don't have any evidence for it but I have been asking about it since power on authentication was introduced on ThinkCenter, after the Z series introduced the function I was advised that this was the reason it could never to added to previous models.

#6 Post by **draco2527** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:43 pm

Kyocera wrote:Dear IBM/Lenovo please add USB fingerprint functionality to future bios releases of T4x's. Thank you.

There you go!

ROFLMAO!!!!

Seriously.....

You NEVER know who might be looking, so his dream might come true after all........and I think it is a valid request!

rssb · #7 Post by **rssb** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:24 pm

snife, my external usb fingerprint reader works with T60 and Z60. I didnot update any firmware on the fingerprint reader. I dont think this has anything to with firmware on the reader itself, or else why would it work with a T60 or Z60.

snife · #8 Post by **snife** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:42 am

It does have to do with the firmware - I know your not going to believe me without proof but i'm sure of it.

The reason is that the T60 and Z60 fingerprint readers/BIOS were designed to support this function from the factory which is why they work and the earlier models don't. The earlier models could easily support it on a hardware level if the EPROM could be updated to reflect this - the trouble is that this cannot be updated through a software flash for the security reasons previously mentioned.

rssb · #9 Post by **rssb** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:03 am

The USB fingerprint reader, which i have is almost 7-8 months old. My question is simple, since it works with the newer T60 and Z60, since it is supported by thier bioses, why cant it work with a T4x bios upgrade.

If the finger print also were released newly then yeah I would agree.... but this is a old one,

Are you talking about a specific EEPROM on the notebook motherboard, which has the firmware from the factory ? If it is a the notebook then yeah it is possible, but from what was written above I am under the impression that it is the firmware on the Fingerprint Reader.

snife · #10 Post by **snife** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 9:19 am

I am essentially referencing the firmware on the fingerprint reader but not the USB fingerprint reader - the internal fingerprint reader. Sorry if that wasn't clear. It would in theory be possible to add this support through a BIOS upgrade for T4* systems which did not contain a fingerprint reader but due to the confusion this will not happen.

venik · #11 Post by **venik** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:35 pm

I am amazed that people can even USE the fingerprint "reader". Mine works only a small fraction of the times, and the whole thing is just a waste of time. It would have been wonderful, of course, if it DID work...

rssb · #12 Post by **rssb** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 9:39 am

I think it depends on a lot on whether you swipe it straight down along the center , and also the texture of your skin ( oilly, dry, clean etc.. ) , mine worked most of the time. May be since it is an external one, it is more flexible and allows me to adjust whichever way convienient to get a better grip which ensures the direction of swipe is well aligned ?

christopher_wolf · #13 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 9:57 am

venik wrote:I am amazed that people can even USE the fingerprint "reader". Mine works only a small fraction of the times, and the whole thing is just a waste of time. It would have been wonderful, of course, if it DID work...

Yes, I use my fingerprint reader many times per day; no, no amazed that people use it.

It seems to be sensitive to certain environments from what I can gather, however I have been unable to get it to completely fail in any situation that I can conceive the Thinkpad being used in. Since it does work off of fringe capacitance, very heavy EM interference in the area will change the characteristic response of your finger when the FPR goes to read the swipe.

Does this happen *all* the time or in only a few select places where you cannot log in via the FPR?

Bios Upgrade T4x for USB fingerprint reader

Bios Upgrade T4x for USB fingerprint reader

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