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    What is the Smart Card slot?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by winovin, Aug 28, 2007.

  1. winovin

    winovin Notebook Enthusiast

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    Some of the Thinkpads have Express Card or Smart Card slots. What is the Smart Card slot? What do they call slots for SD cards?

    Thanks
     
    winovin, Aug 28, 2007
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  2. vespoli

    vespoli 402 NBR Reviewer

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    Smartcard is not the same thing as either an SD card or a Express Card.

    An SD-card reader may be known as simply a card reader or a x-in-one reader. My T60 doesn't have a card reader; I'd have to use a USB peripheral to read an SD/other types of flash memory.

    A smart card is generally used as a method of identification/security device.

    A SD card is for storing pictures/video/other data while an expresscard slot is an expansion bus that will let you add various functionality to your laptop.
     
    vespoli, Aug 28, 2007
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  3. winovin

    winovin Notebook Enthusiast

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    Is that what the slot is for? What is the point of putting a smart card in a slot?
     
    winovin, Aug 28, 2007
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  4. mcbrided

    mcbrided Notebook Consultant

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    smart cards are pretty standard for corporations to use for authentication. Its more secure than the standard windows passwords or the fingerprint reader.
     
    mcbrided, Aug 28, 2007
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  5. winovin

    winovin Notebook Enthusiast

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    Some of the T61s offer media readers - why is this limited to only some models? (The others only offer smart card or express card).
     
    winovin, Aug 28, 2007
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  6. aadadams

    aadadams Notebook Deity

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    @McBrided,
    Question for ya, I have a smart card that I bought with my HP and I wonder if I can use that, the TPM chip, and the CSS from Lenovo to get a similarly secure result? If I remember correctly the card is made by O2 Micro or something very similar. What strikes me is that when i purchased my workstation with the Smart Card Reader from HP they included the card, but Lenovo did not.


    @OP,
    Just curious, sorry about the thread jack.
     
    aadadams, Aug 28, 2007
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  7. mcbrided

    mcbrided Notebook Consultant

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    I was under the impression that the 15" has the media reader built in? Perhaps this is entirely wrong though.
     
    mcbrided, Aug 28, 2007
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  8. winovin

    winovin Notebook Enthusiast

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    I was looking at the T61p model.
     
    winovin, Aug 28, 2007
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  9. mcbrided

    mcbrided Notebook Consultant

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    I am unsure how lenovo's software handles smartcards when it comes to securing the actual computer.

    The smart card itself just holds digital certificates and whatnot. My understanding of the TPM chip is that it can create and hold digital certificates for encrypting and whatnot. I am unsure if you can store your TPM-created certificate on a smart card.

    I DO know though that you can integrate yoru smart card certificate with the TPM with 'some' laptops (I have a Dell Latitude D430 next to me here that does just that) so you can use all the security features of the TPM but not use the TPM created certificate directly.

    As I have not even touched a Lenovo yet (got my EST cant come soon enough) - I dont know what all I can/can't do with the CSS software.
     
    mcbrided, Aug 28, 2007
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  10. aadadams

    aadadams Notebook Deity

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    I tried to install the card and it seems the T61p and the smart card do not get along. Oh well...
     
    aadadams, Aug 28, 2007
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  11. mcbrided

    mcbrided Notebook Consultant

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    Can you expand on this a bit? How did it not get along?

    It really shouldnt do anything at all unless you configured your notebook to use the card to logon or something.

    I imagine you would have to do this entirely in your local group policy if you dont have a domain controller at home.
     
    mcbrided, Aug 29, 2007
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  12. desperado

    desperado Notebook Consultant

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    I have the same question to ask....Help Please!...
     
    desperado, Aug 29, 2007
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  13. aadadams

    aadadams Notebook Deity

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    On pointing the card to the driver (HP driver) from an unpacked *.exe the computer attempted to load the driver for several seconds then crashed. Upon reboot, the computer repeated the scenario. I then tried to see if windows update could give it a workable driver to no avail. If I could get an updated/generic/Lenovo driver for O2 Micro then it may have a chance, but for now it seems to be a no go.
     
    aadadams, Aug 29, 2007
    #13