"unable to load certificates" when using openssl to generate a PFX

windows, windows server, windows server 2012, iis, ssl, certificates, openssl

The wrong, and right choice to make when exporting a certificate for use with openssl

If you've tried to follow the instructions in my Generating an SSL certificate with SANs via a Windows Certificate Authority post and have run a command to combine the certificate and private key:

openssl pkcs12 -export -out star_dot_robertwray_dot_local.pfx -inkey star_dot_robertwray_dot_local.key -in star_dot_robertwray_dot_local.cer

Getting the error unable to load certificates means that you've chosen the wrong option when doing a 'Copy to File...' or otherwise writing the certificate into the file. Take a look in the certificate file (notepad is a good choice) and if it's unintelligible noise then you've probably exported the certificate as DER encoded binary, rather than Base-64 encoded. Re-export the certificate and try again!

About Rob

I've been interested in computing since the day my Dad purchased his first business PC (an Amstrad PC 1640 for anyone interested) which introduced me to MS-DOS batch programming and BASIC.

My skillset has matured somewhat since then, which you'll probably see from the posts here. You can read a bit more about me on the about page of the site, or check out some of the other posts on my areas of interest.

10 Comments

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    good job - big help

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    You're awesome. Thanks a lot.

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    Just worked, thank you so much.

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    Just saved my entire week, cheers mate.

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    Many thanks, this helped me. I was going round several pages and nobody knew how to indicate what you say

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    Thank you. your tip saved me in front of a customer.

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    perfect .. worked

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    Nice option! chnaged to BASE 64 and it worked.

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    Thank you so much. It saved my time. changed to BASE 64 works.

  • Gravatar Image

    Thank you so much. It saved my time. changed to BASE 64 works.

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