Ubuntu – Fingerprint GUI breaks lock screen after suspend

fingerprint readerlock-screensuspend

ASUS M50Vc with AuthenTec AES1600 fingerprint reader, Ubuntu 14.04.

Everything works normally EXCEPT when I need to unlock the screen after suspend. There is no prompt to swipe the finger, swiping doesn't do anything, if I try unlock with password, the "wait" indicator keeps rotating but screen won't get unlocked (it doesn't hang though, panel still accessible).

Has anyone had a similar issue? Any workaround suggestions?

Best Answer

@Pavel, I just came across the same issue with my ThinkPad X220 here, running Ubuntu 14.10. A temporary workaround for me is to switch to the (non-graphical) console, log in there with my password, kill the fingerprint-helper process and then switch back to the X-server console.

Steps are:

  1. Switch to the text console: Ctrl + Alt + F1
  2. Login with your regular username + password
  3. Shutdown the blocking process: killall fingerprint-helper
  4. Switch back to the X-server console: Alt + F7

If this is not sufficient, you might want to try killing fingerprint-polkit-agent as well, although it hasn't been necessary when I tried today.

Don't forget to log off from the text console again (press Ctrl + D), otherwise everyone else who has physical access to the machine will be able to use it!

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