# [SOLVED] Windows not recognizing many digital signatures



## amadis2009 (Apr 23, 2009)

Just completed my first build and installed Windows 7 on it and immediately noticed some glitches. Whenever I opened some basic windows applications, the User Account Controller would state that the publisher was unknown. Also had problems getting the video card and network adapter drivers installed. Windows said the digital signatures could not be verified. After a lot of internet searching I decided to reinstall the OS since I hadn't put any significant data on the computer yet. That seemed to fix the driver issues. The device manager said everything was working properly. But I still noticed and worried about those pesky UAC prompts. Why wasn't Windows recognizing it's own programs? Once I got internet connection working it only got worse. Certain websites wouldn't be recognised, video played weird and crashed my browsers (IE8 & Firefox 3.6) often. (That may or may not be unrelated). Then I noticed Windows update wouldn't work either. Thinking I should just reinstall again, but did I do something wrong with the first reinstall? I booted from the CD and installed over the original OS. Maybe this is a 64 bit issue as I have Win7 64-bit.

my build:
case: Rosewill Blackbone ATX
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 550 Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W
Mobo" MSI 760gm-E51 AM3 AMD 760G HDMI Micro ATX AMD 
RAM: Kingston 2GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600)
PSU: Antec Basiq BP430 430W Continuous Power ATX12V Version 2.2 
Video Card: SAPPHIRE 100295HDMI Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX 
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
Opt Drive: ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X 
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

*Re: Windows not recognizing many digital signatures*

All x64 drivers must be digitally signed. x86 has no such requirement. It's not uncommon for installing apps to list "publisher unknown", depending of course on what it is you are installing.

You say "I booted from the CD and installed over the original OS." - what was original OS?

Run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor --> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

Is your Windows 7 a full retail copy?

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## amadis2009 (Apr 23, 2009)

*Re: Windows not recognizing many digital signatures*

I installed Windows 7 Home Premium both times. The first time I had those digital signature problems right off the bat. Opening the device manager, Windows would not recognize mmc.exe and my video card and network adapter drivers had problems with the digital signature. So I reinstalled the same OS over again. You say it's not uncommom for installing apps to list "publisher unknown", but what about Microsoft's own apps? My Os won't recognize those. And now the problem is just getting worse as I start to add more programs. (I've stopped that now). I added Thunderbird and setup my email account. Everything was fine. An hour later I tried to get mail and the OS won't recognize my ISPs digital signature.


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

*Re: Windows not recognizing many digital signatures*

"mmc.exe" = Microsoft Management Console, part of Windows 7, so digital signature should not be a problem.

What about Computer Management?
START | *compmgmt.msc*

Is your Windows 7 x64 Home Premium a full retail version?

Validate the OS --> www.microsoft.com/genuine

Check Windows Updates --> www.update.microsoft.com

What is the origin of then Windows 7 DVD? Purchased DVD, downloaded, etc...?

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## amadis2009 (Apr 23, 2009)

*Re: Windows not recognizing many digital signatures*

Thank you for bearing with me. I'm not sure what you mean by "digital signature should not be a problem". It seems to be a problem in that every time I run the program, Windows asks me if I'm sure I want to do that because Windows can't tell who the publisher is. The publisher is Microsoft, so Windows should know this, right? Many other programs won't work either. I'm also not sure what you were asking regarding Computer Management. Were you asking if it worked or had I tried it? I can open it, but again I get the prompt that windows doesn't recognize it's own program. Also as I mentioned before, Windows update will not work. As for the origin of the OS, I bought an OEM DVD from Newegg.


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## amadis2009 (Apr 23, 2009)

*Re: Windows not recognizing many digital signatures*

Oh I forgot to mention that I did activate Windows but the validation wouldn't complete.


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## amadis2009 (Apr 23, 2009)

*Re: Windows not recognizing many digital signatures*

So after much hair pulling and many many hours of googling I've found the solution to my problem. I had a feeling I had missed something during my inital setup because reinstalling Windows 7 four times resulted in the same problems everytime. It turns out I had not flashed the BIOS to the very latest version. Since I'd never done that before I didn't know what to expect. Turns out all I did was download the latest drivers and utilities, but not the latest BIOS. Now everything works fine and Windows is recognizing all of it's own programs. \o/


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## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi - 

I'm glad to hear you solved this. I honestly did not consider BIOS. Nice job.

Did the system pass validation after BIOS update?

www.microsoft.com/genuine

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

.


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## amadis2009 (Apr 23, 2009)

UPDATE: Turns out not flashing the BIOS might not have been the only problem. When I flashed the BIOS, it was set back to default settings. (I'd originally unlocked my third and fourth core. I know, I never mentioned that.) When I went back into the BIOS to unlock the cores again, the problems started up again. ARGH! Went back again and set everything to default settings and the problems gone!! Yay!!! And yes I was able to validate Windows after that. Any chance someone can explain why unlocking or overclocking would mess with UAC publisher info and Windows Update and Windows Experience Index etc.. I'd just like to understand how it all works.


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