Recipe 20.7. Fixing Cryptographic Services Error


Problem

You get an error message about Cryptographic service when you try to install security updates or XP Service Pack 1.

Solution

Using a graphical user interface

  1. Go to Start, select Control Panel, and then double-click Administrative Tools.

  2. Double-click Services.

  3. Right-click on Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and select Properties.

  4. For Startup type, ensure Automatic is selected.

  5. For Service status, click the Start button, wait for the service to start, and then click OK.

  6. Right-click on Cryptographic Services and select Properties.

  7. For Startup type, ensure Automatic is selected.

  8. For Service status, click the Start button, wait for the service to start, and then click OK.

  9. Close the Services window and then try your application again.

Using a command-line interface

Run the following commands:

net stop cryptsvc ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 oldcatroot2 net start cryptsvc regsvr32 softpub.dll regsvr32 wintrust.dll regsvr32 initpki.dll regsvr32 dssenh.dll regsvr32 rsaenh.dll regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll regsvr32 sccbase.dll regsvr32 slbcsp.dll regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll

Then reinstall the updates or service pack.

Discussion

Microsoft's current patches and service packs carry a digital signature that authenticates them as having a valid origin from Microsoft and suitable for application to Windows. If any component of Windows' cryptographic services that validates these digital signatures is corrupt, improperly installed, or not running, you may not be able to install any updates or service packs. Resetting these services and associated files as indicated above allows Windows to properly authenticate and accept updates. Cryptographic services also depend on the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service, which may have been disabled as a security measure. Re-enabling and starting RPC then cryptographic services should set things right.

Cryptographic services are at the very heart of Windows XP's security almost everything you do with Windows is checked through cryptographic services, from startup to shutdown. These services provide the core for encryption, the Security Access Manager (SAM) database, authenticating users for login, file and program access, file and printer sharing, and validating security certificates for applications and patches from Microsoft and other vendors.

See Also

An excellent guide to the various ins and outs of cryptographic service errors is available at http://www.updatexp.com/cryptographic-service.html, and Microsoft covers this error specifically in MSKB 813442.



Windows XP Cookbook
Windows XP Cookbook (Cookbooks)
ISBN: 0596007256
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 408

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