internal and external fingerprint on t42

[mahone]

hi,
sorry for my bad english, it isn`t my homelanguage.

i own an t42 with internal fingerprint and use the fingerprint for login, not for booting. now i use also the dock2 and later also with an external lcd so that i can close the cover from the t42.
for using the fingerprint with closed cover i will buy one of this externel fingerprint from ibm connected to usb. work the external with the internal ? the internal save the fingerprints on the chip on motherboard, can do the external this also or read from the chip ?

[Johan]

If you search for “external fingerprint reader” in this forum (and remember to check the: “Search for all terms”), then you will find a number of threads which discuss this issue, e.g. this (which is however for T60's!), and I am not sure if your T42 BIOS will allow “to use the ext. finger printer reader as first device” in the same way as is possible for T60's? To check if your BIOS allow this, read this thread. If your BIOS does not have that option, I think you're out of luck.

This thread (specifically addressing a T43p) raises some discussion of whether the external fingerprint reader ("FPR") will work at the time of boot. Perhaps the BIOS (for T42/T43's) has been updated since that time, but if I were you I would certainly check with IBM before ordering such an expensive external keyboard w/FPR that it actually will work!

The keyboard I guess you would buy is this but it has a “US/Euro” keyboard layout (and not a pure German), and I don’t quite know what that the “US/Euro” mean – is there is any (unacceptable) difference from a genuine German keyboard-layout? The datasheet unfortunately is very sparse with information about compatibility... (for those here who can't read German, which I can't you may find the description in English of a similar, although Danish, keyboard here).

This keyboard will only work for certain ThinkPad’s Z60t, Z60m, T60, X60 and ThinkCentre A51/M51/M52), and I guess it must be because only the BIOS of these systems has support for the external FPR?

Alternatively, you can get a Lenovo USB Fingerprint Reader, although it maybe is less elegant. According to this thread it seems uncertain if it will work with T42’s?

I understand that the above does not answer your questions by a simple “yes” or “no”, but it seems that this issue is a little uncertain with a T42. Anyway, I hope the above helps you forward. Call IBM, and make sure they will accept a return of a keyboard w/FPR if it does not work with your T42.

Best regards,

Johan

[mahone]

thx for your answer, i am reading

[Johan]

You're very welcome...

I just discovered something which I have never seen before; this page: Think Accessories: Options Compatibility Matrix. If you download and open it (it is a Microsoft Excel-file), and select the sheet "ThinkPad" (in the bottom of the page), and then select column X - being "T41/p T42/p (14" & 15" Standard) 2373/2374/2378/2379" - and go to line (row) 246, then you will see that the "ThinkPlus Preferred Pro USB Fingerprint Keyboard - Euro English" (IBM p/n 73P4766) is actually said to be compatible with T42's. That the USB-keyboard itself is compatible with T42's is not very surprising, but whether the (external) Fingerprint Reader is also working a boot-time... is still somewhat uncertain! But, on the other hand, why would IBM try selling such fancy/expensive FPR-keyboards when all the customers would immediately be coming roaring and screaming back, if the FPR actually don't work?

Still, better ask IBM first - to be on the safe side, in case of having to return your expensive not-usable purchase!

[mahone]

sounds good
i got one today on ebay, lenevo / ibm.
i hope next week it will be here
i report....

[Johan]

I just checked on my T42p if it is possible to configure an external fingerprint reader as being “the first device”, and unfortunately it is not (I am having BIOS ver. 3.21). The only fingerprint options available in the BIOS are those you will see if you press the blue “Access IBM”, and in the keyword search field (at top) type “BIOS”. If you choose the hit “BIOS menu”, you see the few options. The same information is also found if you run the ThinkPad T42 BIOS simulator. To actually access the BIOS in your ThinkPad (and being able to see and alter the settings), press F1 while booting.

Unless the external USB-keyboard with fingerprint reader comes with some software, it doesn’t appear that you are able to achieve, what you want. But, still – why would IBM sell such a keyboard to T42’s if the fingerprint reader doesn’t work at boot-time? Anyway, it shall be very interesting to hear how/if it works when you receive your new keyboard!

[mahone]

hi,
today i have spoken with ibm about external ffp and t42.
he said that the ffp only works with ibm/lenovo notebooks with this security-chip and not with others like dell, hp and so on. the ffp works and need this chip for saving the fingerprints. he said also that the t42 should be compatible with the external ffp because the keyboard with ffp is on the addons list from the t42. but he asked than an other and than he said that it is sure that the t60 works full with it and he is not sure about the t42 because the t42 miss some bios-options. ibm don`t know it, but he offered me to send the keyboard to ibm/lenevo so that they can test it
but only for an test i won`t send it and spend the money for shipping, the test can also i do.

Unless the external USB-keyboard with fingerprint reader comes with some software, it doesn’t appear that you are able to achieve, what you want.

the ffp comes with the css security-software.

[mahone]

hi,
today the keyboard arrived and it works well
i don`t use the external ffp at startup/ bootprotection or hd-protection but for windows-log-in and in windows. i hadn`t install any software or read new fingerprints, it seems the ffp read the saved from the chip.
the device manager shows 2 ffp but only the ext. is aktive.