# Fingerprint scanner

## audiodef

I have an HP ProBook 6550b, which has a fingerprint scanner. In what ways can I use this fingerprint scanner, and what do I need to do to the kernel to configure and use it?

Can I use it to login? Can I secure specific docs with it? And so on.

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## bbgermany

Hi,

i dont know about HP notebooks, but most of the fingerprint readers are supported by thinkfinger. You could try this one.

```

* sys-auth/thinkfinger

     Available versions:  ~0.3-r3 {debug pam static-libs}

     Homepage:            http://thinkfinger.sourceforge.net/

     Description:         Support for the UPEK/SGS Thomson Microelectronics fingerprint reader, often seen in Thinkpads

```

Check out this for a configuration. If its a UPEK/SGS fingerprint reader, you should get it working.

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Thinkfinger#Gentoo

bb

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## audiodef

Thanks! I tried thinkfinger, but when I ran tf-tool --acquire, I got a "USB device not found". 

lsusb returns:

```

Bus 001 Device 003: ID 138a:0007 Validity Sensors, Inc. VFS451 Fingerprint Reader

```

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## audiodef

I found fprint_demo, but when I ran that, it still does not find the device.

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## bbgermany

 *audiodef wrote:*   

> I found fprint_demo, but when I ran that, it still does not find the device.

 

 *audiodef wrote:*   

> 
> 
> ```
> Bus 001 Device 003: ID 138a:0007 Validity Sensors, Inc. VFS451 Fingerprint Reader 
> ```
> ...

 

yeah, this seems to be related to the ID of the device. According to this Ubuntu post ( http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-1715880.html ). There seems to be the 0007 in the ID the problem, why it isnt recognized  :Sad: 

bb

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