Acer 8100 Smartcard Advice

Don't use the smartcard software Acer provides with this laptop for boot authentication purposes. I recently had a huge problem with the software. I will explain for the benefit of readers out there and any googlers that happen to stumble upon the same problem:

I unplugged my laptop from the socket while the laptop was still on. (I've done this hundreds of times) This should be normal, right? The laptop switches to battery-power mode and disables some devices. When I look up at the screen I see a screensaver with the text, "Please insert your Travelmate smartcard." This would be no big deal had I actually removed the smartcard... So I tried reinserting it to no avail. The screen stayed put. I tried pressing ctrl-alt-del but no window but the "smartcard" one could take focus.

I found this website:
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/411414/30/0/threaded

which explains how to bypass this security (another reason to drop platinumsecure).

Then I arrive at the main screen and find that the smartcard is "invalid" and so I cannot disable the boot authentication "platinumsecure." At this point I'm desperate so I restart the computer...same thing comes up. I start pushing all the buttons on the keyboard. Somehow I press Fn+F4, which is the hotkey for standby mode. I bring the computer out of standby and...it asks me for the smartcard password! So I enter it and all turns out well. I immediately go to the settings of platinumsecure (psecret) and disable everything.

An alternative procedure would have been to use the emergency smartcard, but I was afraid that that one would have been 'wiped' too...

I hope this helps someone, someday.

 

Thanks for letting us know about your problem. It is becoming more and more common for these smart cards to be installed in notebooks - business ones for the most part.

It seems like they have not yet been perfected...or maybe just the software hasn't.

Chaz