How to you import a root certificate to a machine level store in Windows 7

ssl-certificatewindows 7

I have a service (Running as local system) that uses an SSL connection. Currently this connection fails because the remote host used a private CA to sign it's certificate. For previous operating systems, I used to use the certificate manager to import the CA cert into the local machine's Trusted Root certificates store.

Though I can do the steps with a windows 7 machine, it seems after a reboot that the imported certificates are gone. Here are the steps I'm doing in Windows 7:

  1. Open mmc
  2. Add Certificates Snap-in for Local Machine
  3. Navigate to Third-Party Root Certification Authorities/Certificates
  4. Import Root CA Cert.

The certificate seems to work fine, using internet explorer or the service to test the SSL connection works, but after a reboot it seems like the change is reverted.

Best Answer

Silly question: Are you running the command as an administrator? Only a user with local administrator rights can modify the machine stores. Windows 7 should elevate the mmc.exe process automatically, but maybe it isn't for some reason?

Also, you may want to try adding them to the Trusted Root CA folder instead. Maybe the changes will stick for some random reason...

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