How to install drivers for fingerprint reader on Dell Latitude 6520
One of the Dell Latitude 6520s I work on includes a ‘bio-metric’ finger-print reader device. Let’s face it. Bio-metrics are just plain FUN! Who doesn’t secretly LOVE feeling like 00 agent as they log into their computer? I applaud the fingerprint and retinal scanning devices; they save me precious calories that I’d otherwise expel exercising my many fingers as I laboriously key in login-IDs and/or passwords.
In truth, they’re kind of like Apple’s Siri. (not-really-there-yet). Still they do appeal to the ‘kid factor’ in me, and I am impressed at how well the device actually reads my fingerprint.
That is, until I stuck a SSD in my Latitude 6520 and had to reinstall all the drivers– suddenly, no more fingerprint reader capabilities; and while I realize it’s a cheesy bell and/or whistle, there’s another part of me that can’t stand knowing that something doesn’t work. So, I set off to finding the right driver.
The Dell.com website has every driver under the sun, but they’re fairly poorly cataloged. I also ran into issues while trying to surf Dell’s site with Google Chrome. Frames within the browsing windows would suddenly snap shut, drivers would take multiple clicks to download, and (worst of all) the ‘back’ button would take my back to the Dell.com landing page– no matter how deeply I had crept into their driver webpages.
Anyways, back to Biometrics. Dell has made it virtually impossible to determine which drivers need to be installed to get their Biometric devices working on the Dell Latitude 6520. In the hopes I might alleviate some others of this pain, here are the steps to correctly install the Biometrics functions on a Dell Latitude 6520.
Head over to Dell.com, get to the drivers page for the Latitude 6520 and select your OS (these steps were tested with Windows 7 64-bit)
Uninstall all prior versions of “Dell Data Protection Access” and “Dell ControlPoint Security Manager” software and drivers.
You probably don’t have to, but if you run CCleaner, or some type of other registry cleaning software, now might be the time to run it.
Download and install, “Dell Data Protection | Access Driver” package
Download and install, “Dell Data Protection | Access Middleware” package
Reboot
Install “Dell Data Protection | Application” package
Reboot
Great! Now click —> Start Menu / Dell / Dell Data Protection / Access.exe
That’s it! Now just register your fingerprints and start living the good life of fewer caloric expenditures!