Putting a certificate in the proper place after accidentally puttingit in the wrong place

We have a network printer and I have enabled security on it. Therefore,
when I use the web interface or use software (that came with the
printer) to check for new faxes, it uses a certificate. On two Vista
Business computers, I accidentally went with the default of using the
Personal store instead of the only useful store, Trusted Root
Certification Authorities. Now I can't tell Vista to trust the
certificate or to reinstall the certificate.

I've tried using MMC with the Certification (Computer) and Certification
(Current User) [where is should be] snap-ins and that didn't work. The
certificate didn't even show up. I tried exporting the certificate from
another Vista (Enterprise 64-bit) computer and then importing that, but
no luck.

How do I re-add or move a certificate that doesn't even show up in the
list of certificates and that I can only see if I go to the web
interface or use the printer software that checks for faxes (where I
specify the printer's IP address)?

 

If the certificate you are trying to import is a root or CA certificate,
then on Vista by default it is saved in "Intermediate Certification
Authorities" store. If you can find it there, drag & drop to root store. In
import wizard, you need to select the root store to change the default
behavior.

 

I can not find it in any stores, even with the Find feature. However, if
I go to the webpage, and choose to View Certificates, then the
certificate is there.

Morris Cox

 

"View Certificates" doesn't copy the certificate to any of your stores. If
you want to trust its root certificate, click "Certification Path" tab,
double click the root node, then click "Install Certificate..." button. On
Vista, this button is available only if IE is not running in protected mode.

 

Thanks for replying again. It is a Vista system. Double clicking on the
root node under the "Certification Path" tab doesn't do anything. The
"View Certification" button is grayed out (even when I disabled UAC). I
even tried running IE7 as admin (via the context menu). No luck.


Morris Cox

 

That means the SSL certificate does not contain a link to its root
certificate, so certificate viewer cannot find it. You will have to logon to
the web server machine and export that root certificate, and import it on
your machine.