Accidentally Uninstalled Biometric using Device Manager and its not coming back

Anonymous
2019-01-10T04:37:08+00:00

Hello,

I seem to have permanently deleted the "biometric devices" category in the Device Manger. Windows Hello using a biometric device no longer works. 

I have a home built desktop with a Mouse Cm-01a Window Hello camera. It was working very well for about a year. Some combination of the 1809 update and new AMD Graphics Card Drivers stopped it from working consistently.

I began trying to roll back graphics card drivers and do other troubleshooting. I even performed a recovery and it did not solve the issue. I read that I could uninstall the camera and have Windows reinstall the drivers. When this didn't work, I attempted to uninstall biometric devices and have it reinstall the divers. Unfortunately this category has never returned.

Now my Window Hello setting in Sign-in options says "Face and fingerprint recognition are not available on this device".

I have tried a lot of the steps you would see from other troubleshooting sites (edit group policy settings, restart the Windows Biometric Service), but no luck. 

I'm at my wits end here. I would rather not have to do another restore (that state wasn't working perfectly well as it was). Perhaps I have to do a Repair Install. Let me know if I have any other options (or if I just need to bite the bullet). Thanks!

Here are some system stats:

Processor: Intel i5-4690

RAM 16 GB

OS: Windows 10 Pro

Version: 1809

Build: 17763.253 (I am in the release preview track)

GPU: Radeon RX 580 Series (XFX brand)

Radeon Software Version: 18.40.21.06

Edit: Some of the responses have asked that I contact the manufacturer. Unfortunately, that would be me since this is a home-built desktop. I will see if I can find anything through Intel or ASRock (motherboard manufacturer).

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows Hello, lock screen and sign-in

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-06-20T14:28:47+00:00

    The 'Fix' I think you are trying, what i have named that 'Reinstall driver's Fix didn't work for me so I am not a good person to ask. I can recap this for you:

    • There are 3 Main 'Fixes" as follows:
    1. Fix 1 is:

    The Reinstall driver's ;Fix' which is what you are attempting. Here you search in the Start Menu search box for:

    " C:\Windows\System32\WinBioPlugIns\FaceDriver" find the > HelloFace.inf < file on your system and you right click--> Install --> reboot.

     That did NOT work for me.

    1. Fix 2 is: Where you use the 'Group Policy Editor' fix.  This did not work for me either. If you want to try this FIX , search on the MS fixes for this problem and you will see it in one of these 'Answers' responses

    ****

    1.  Fix 3 **** worked for me!,  This is where you call MS Tech Support at +1 (800) 865-9408, (800) 360-7561 or (800) 642-7676, or go through the online process at support.microsoft.com/contactus -or- support.microsoft.com/help, and explain the problem and that you heard on the MS Forum C0ommunity that they had an 'update' fix. They will assist you in installing the update and BOOM, the 'Biometric Node' and 'Hello Face drives are back in Device manager! x

     or . Call

    I call MS tech and they installed some sort of an update and that fixed my problem. So first try the right client

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-06-20T14:30:04+00:00

    (See prior Answer. I hope one of the helps

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-07-09T17:19:22+00:00

    Thank you. Been battling this for days. I not have the driver back :-)

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-07-13T04:33:28+00:00

    Thank you so much brother it was so important for me to do this thank you so much.

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  5. Anonymous
    2021-07-17T18:45:07+00:00

    Launch PowerShell as an administrator:

    Before executing the command to reinstall the HelloFace driver, you have to change the current working directory in PowerShell.
    For this, execute the command cd followed by the targeted directory.
    For your convenience, we have written the complete command below. You just have to copy it and paste it into the PowerShell:

    cd C:\Windows\System32\WinBioPlugIns\FaceDriver

    Now, type the following command and press Enter. This will remove the HelloFace driver:

    pnputil.exe /delete-driver .\HelloFace.inf

    Now, you have to reinstall the HelloFace driver. For this type the following command in the PowerShell and hit Enter:

    pnputil.exe /add-driver .\HelloFace.inf /install

    Wait till the installation process gets completed.

    Open the Device Manager. It should show the Biometric device driver now.

    100% WORKING!!

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