Can you put a fingerprint palmrest on a T40p?

[phaxmohdem]

This has probably been asked before, but a forum quick search didn't reveal anything useful.

Just more a general curiosity question I suppose, but can a fingerprint scanner palm rest be installed on a T40 such as mine (t40p) without one from the factory?

I imagine there is some motherboard header I'm missing, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

[richk]

There is no motherboard connector, but the reader won't work without a chip (biometric coprocessor) on the motherboard. It is on a few T42 machines (nothing before) and, I believe, all T43s

[sjthinkpader]

There is a depressed area on top of the HDD drive cage.

[AlphaKilo470]

A few months ago, I had to take apart a T42 with fingerprint. There were no special connectors on the motherboard. The fingerprint reader connected to the touchpad and went to the moutherboard using the touchpad's connector. If I still had that palmrest and a T40 or T41 motherboard, I'd like to try connecting them just to confirm that it wouldn't work.

[underclocker]

It won't work on any T40 or T41 machines.

It will only work on T42 machines that supported the feature (needs the extra chip on the mobo - biometric coprocessor).

All Intel GPU T43 mobo's support it.

Some ATI GPU T43 mobo's support it (not sure about all).

In addition to needing the palmrest (there were at least 3 part numbers for the palmrest but all seem to be interchangeable), machines that came with the feature have slightly different Ultrabay drive cages. As noted above, they have a cut-out that permits the actual fingerprint scanner to rest within, thereby permitting the palmrest to remain flat when installed.

The fingerprint scanner is cabled to the touchpad and uses the same cable/connector that connects the touchpad to the motherboard. There is no extra or new connector needed on the mobo. You can physically connect the fingerprint scanner palmrest to any T4x machine.

Every Intel GPU T43 that I've opened up has the proper Ultrabay drive cage, whether or not it was originally equipped with the fingerprint reader. This makes for a quick and clean upgrade.

However, the special Ultrabay drive cage really isn't needed. In fact, the part with the cut-out is actually the hard drive cage (which comes with the Ultrabay drive cage). You can just use snips to cut out the small 1" x 1" section just below the fingerprint reader and you'll be fine. It is literally, just a cut-out.

So unless you do not have a motherboard that supports the feature, IT DEFINITELY WILL NOT WORK! (But you can install it and pretend! After all, do those huge wings on Honda's make them go faster?!)

[phaxmohdem]

(But you can install it and pretend! After all, do those huge wings on Honda's make them go faster?!)

Well no... but I do here that the "Type R" stickers add at least 40 BHP

Thanks for the replies, I figured there would be something missing on the motherboard, but doesn't hurt (too much) to ask.