Fingerprint reader

Auryn_Macmillan · July 26, 2021, 4:31pm

Got my framework DIY addition up and running over the weekend

Really happy with it so far, it’s a beautiful machine. However, I noticed that the fingerprint reader/power button gets really hot. As in so hot that it’s painful to press it.

Here is a readout of the system sensors right now.

~$ sensors
coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +63.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 0:        +50.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1:        +63.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 2:        +51.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 3:        +55.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

BAT1-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
in0:          17.58 V  
curr1:       136.00 mA 

iwlwifi_1-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +40.0°C  

nvme-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
Composite:    +45.9°C  (low  =  -5.2°C, high = +83.8°C)
                       (crit = +87.8°C)

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1:        +72.8°C  (crit = +210.0°C)

nrp · July 26, 2021, 4:54pm

Hi! That is definitely not expected, as there are no particularly power-hungry ICs on that side of the notebook. When you have a chance, could you take a photo of the underside of the Input Cover in the power button area and also the hinge area that is below the power button?

Auryn_Macmillan · July 26, 2021, 7:11pm

Will grab some pictures later today when I’m finished with work.
Worth noting that after installing TLP the power button seems to be much cooler.
Also worth noting that I was sitting outside in 30°C weather at the time of the first measurements.
All in all, not very scientific.

Nevertheless, I’m inside and TLP enabled now and here are the current readings.
The touch test confirms that the power button is much cooler.

~$ sensors
coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +45.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 0:        +41.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 1:        +42.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 2:        +45.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)
Core 3:        +42.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

BAT1-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
in0:          17.54 V  
curr1:       885.00 mA 

iwlwifi_1-virtual-0
Adapter: Virtual device
temp1:        +44.0°C  

nvme-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
Composite:    +40.9°C  (low  =  -5.2°C, high = +83.8°C)
                       (crit = +87.8°C)

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1:        +46.8°C  (crit = +210.0°C)

Auryn_Macmillan · July 29, 2021, 1:05am

Here is an image of that area under the power button. Everything looks normal to me.

Jason_Hottelet · July 29, 2021, 1:21am

Is your wifi antenna touching the RAM module (it looks like it does at the height of the QR code of the speaker). It may be a bit far fetched, but maybe the heat of the RAM module could be transferred to the corner where the fingerprint reader sits via the antenna cable?

Kieran_Levin · July 29, 2021, 11:45pm

@Auryn_Macmillan we did some testing here and found that the power button gets a bit hotter when the driver has not initialized it. I assume you are running linux with a version of libfprint that does not support our fingerprint reader based on your comment.
We are checking with the vendor of this part to see if we can improve this. But I would recommend running a supported version of libfprint if you can.
What distribution are you using?

Henry_Luengas · September 23, 2021, 6:49pm

@Kieran_Levin I just got my framework from batch 3 and installed Pop!_OS with the latest release of libfprint & fprintd (1.94.0). It works just fine for login as well as for elevating privlages, but I have also noticed my finger print sensor/power button get very hot to the touch. Could this be because the LED under the button is always on? It’s noticably warmer than the surrounding chasis, but not so hot I can’t keep my finger on it. My food thermometer reads the button at 101°F, while the chasis right above the delete key is only 86°F.

Ryan_Helinski · September 25, 2021, 2:50pm

I also had the issue with the super-hot fingerprint reader until I upgraded libfprint to v1.94.0 or greater. I was wondering if it was a feature of the reader to erase your fingerprint from your finger Anyway, the temperature of the power button and the surrounding area are about the same now, so I am happy. In case anyone has installed from git clones and is not sure how to upgrade as new tagged versions of libfprint and fprintd come out, I made a script:

#!/bin/bash

cd libfprint/
git fetch
latestTag=$(git describe --tags `git rev-list --tags --max-count=1`)
echo $latestTag
git checkout $latestTag
sudo chown $USER.$USER -R .
meson setup --wipe builddir
sudo ninja -C builddir install

cd ../fprintd/
git fetch
latestTag=$(git describe --tags `git rev-list --tags --max-count=1`)
echo $latestTag
git checkout $latestTag
sudo chown $USER.$USER -R .
meson setup --wipe builddir
sudo ninja -C builddir install

cd ..

Auryn_Macmillan · October 19, 2021, 6:25pm

Sorry for the slow reply
Running PopOS 21.04

Chris_Xiong · October 19, 2021, 9:48pm

I’m running Gentoo with the latest tagged fprintd version (not git HEAD) and I’ve found a (temporary) workaround. Install powertop, go to its tunables page and turn on autosuspend for the fingerprint scanner (something something Goodix). The fingerprint sensor will no longer drain power and heat up when it’s not used. Powertop will display the command it executed at the top, and you can create a udev rule or a service to run that automatically.

The fingerprint sensor still gets very hot while being used. I also dual boot Windows and found out it does the same thing there. I’ve never seen a fingerprint sensor getting that hot during authentication.

Ryuji · October 26, 2021, 2:44pm

I’m using PopOS 21.04. I got everything working last week and also noticed the reader getting fairly warm. Over the weekend it decided to stop working and deleted the 2 prints I had registered. I should be running libfprint & fprintd (1.94.1). When trying to register a new print it now gives me a yellow ! right before completing saying the “Fingerprint device disconnected”

Though I’m totally new to linux. I also tried a live test version of Fedora 35 (beta) Workstation off a USB drive since that apparently works with the fingerprint reader without manually updating/installing and it also failed to register my fingerprints.

Is there some way to test the reader to see if it is still functioning as intended or should I be contacting support instead?

Ryuji · October 29, 2021, 6:44pm

Over the weekend it decided to stop working and deleted the 2 prints I had registered.

I found the answer in the “fingerprint scanner compatibility with linux” post. basically it updated or something and acted like i changed distros and hid my registered fingerprints. i verified it by registering a finger i haven’t used before. they also resolved it by finding a python code to help delete the hidden prints.