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When I tried setting up Windows Hello, it says a similar fingerprint already exists and I had to go to C:\Windows\System32\WinBioDatabase and delete the files there for it to work. Should I be worried if my device is compromised, possibly at the UEFI level?

I also noticed that I did not need to activate Windows as it was already activated after I reinstalled it.

During reinstall of Windows 11, I used a Ventoy USB flash drive with the windows 11 24H2 ISO file, enrolled the Ventoy key into the TPM, deleted all partitions of the old Windows installation and installed it to unallocated space.

Giacomo1968
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user962460
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1 Answers1

19

Windows Hello uses the TPM to securely store biometric data (like fingerprints or facial recognition)

From the docs. Reformatting doesn't wipe the TPM, so on fresh install Windows simply fetch the data back from the chip.

As for not having to activate, the digital license is automatically retrieved from the Microsoft server after reinstallation, and as long as you're connected to your account or there's no major hardware change, it will just activate by itself.

Martheen
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