How to add a USB Fingerprint scanner internally to laptop

I had a Dell Mini-9 that i installed Mac OS X onto and in the process saw other users adding an internal GPS receiver. This got me thinking, could I add a fingerprint scanner into it. The users of http://www.mydellmini.com were instrumental in the initial setup as one of the user found out where and how to add internal usb solder points. With this information I decided I had enough to tackle the project.

For this project you will need to have good soldering skills as there are some small points to solder to.

Tools needed:
Soldering iron and solder
Jeweler's screwdrivers
small files
Dremel
Dell Mini-9 (or any laptop worthy of modifying)
USB Fingerprint scanner
USB hub which you will dismantle as well
Double sided .001" thick Kapton Tape


LOTS OF PATIENCE as you will be ding some small soldering and drilling and filing away plastic from the palm rest and this can not be undone once it has been started.

This is my mod, I orginally posted it to the my dell mini forums and thought it would be good to have it here for more people to see and get ideas for their own. This has been seen on many other sites, doing a search on google for "dell mini-9 fingerprint scanner" brings up on lots of tech pages.

If you are ready to tackle this fun project let begin!

Step 1: Disassembly of the USB hub

First we need to take the USB hub completely apart so that the circuit board is exposed and you have some length of wire still attached to the circuit board. 

Photo 1 shows the USB hub in its original case. (This photo is not mine as i was too anxious to get the project started)

Photo2: Remove the 6 screws holding the case together

Photo 3: Bottom cover comes off easily

Photo 4: Partially remove the top cover as to not rip off the wires from the circuit board, once it is apart far enough go ahead and cut the wires leaving enough that you know what color is what solder point

Photo 5: case is off the circuit board

Comments

[kmohan]

Sir,can u get me the pics of the scanner detailed.
Thanks in advance

[metrogdor22]

Nice Instructable, but only 1 comment: Macs suck :P

[superMacaroni]

Agreed. :I

[Electroinnovation]

win! :D

[rich2871]

Thank you.

As for Mac's to each is own. I had had that mini running Mac OS X with no issues, and the macbook I have had for 3 years and have not had to do a single reinstall, unlike my experience with windows where its every 6 months. But I look at it like this, some people love fords and hate Dodge, where others are just the opposite.

[metrogdor22]

Eh you win some you lose some, just putting in my 2 cents :) (The only reason I think they suck is because Apple puts unnecessary things into Macs, so they can bump the price up. It would cost me <$1000 to build a PC with the same or better specs as a $2000 Mac. But as for the OS itself, I've never had any problems with my Windows :))

[rich2871]

You are totally right about the pricing, yes they are up there, but defiantly worth it in my book. For adding extra stuff into it, not so much, unlike the windows OS. I think a lot of my issues with windows was the fact of installing things all the time and I like to try new stuff on them. I have talked to a few others that have had great luck with windows and for that I give you kudos.

Thanks for the comments guys!

[metrogdor22]

That's the thing I don't get about OSs. My installation of XP has NEVER given me ANY issues, or bug reports, or any other BS. Then some other guy can have it crashing every 5 minutes :/

[ElectricLegend]

My nickel of a thought, I'm an MCSE who has both Win & OsX...I can tell you that the majority of the problems win users have is due to user errors (download something from the cloud, with spyware injected into registry) or hardware problems (Win doesn't like hardware prob's, No BUENO)....as for Mac's I don't buy them new, (saves a few pennies) the OS runs smooth with little headache....The same can not be said for win, the numerous updates one has to maintain is dizzying.... OsX being unix based code is a much stabler platform when compared to Win.... i could go on....but personally I prefer Linux(CHEVY GTO) which just does what its told.....