Cannot Start the Terminal Server Licensing Service and Events 7024 and 37 Occur (312028)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2

This article was previously published under Q312028
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

On a computer that runs Windows 2000 Server, you may not be able to start the Terminal Server Licensing service. The following information may be logged in Event Viewer:
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7024
User: N/A
Computer: ComputerName
Description: The Terminal Services Licensing service terminated with service-specific error 3221291009.

Event Type: Error
Event Source: TermServLicensing
Event Category: None
Event ID: 37
User: N/A
Computer: ComputerName
Description: Can't start Terminal Services Licensing because of error 'Can't initialize Cryptographic - error code 80090016.'

CAUSE

This issue can occur if the following key exists in the registry:

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Cryptography\Providers\Type 001

This registry key interferes with the ability of the Kerberos authentication protocol to function correctly and prevents the Terminal Server Licensing service from creating or obtaining a key from the following location:

\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\S-1-5-18

Error code 80090016 means "key set does not exist."

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, delete the relevant registry key. Follow these steps:
  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
  2. Locate the following key in the registry:

    HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Cryptography\Providers\Type 001

  3. On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes to confirm the deletion.
  4. If necessary, locate and then delete the following key:

    HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Cryptography\Providers

  5. Quit Registry Editor.
  6. Restart your computer.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/22/2003
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB312028