Execution failed, Win 7: "A referral was returned from the server.:"

[Frank va]

Win7-64, installed hwi64_810.exe
run as admin, small error window without even asking for admin PW:
"C:\Program Files\HWiNFO64\HWiNFO64.EXE"
"A referral was returned from the server."
running portable version gives same results
no reports or logs generated

 

[Martin]

That looks like the digital signature is not recognized by the system.
Are all updates installed including KB4474419?

 

[Frank va]

That looks like the digital signature is not recognized by the system.
Are all updates installed including KB4474419?

Checked, and KB4474419 is already installed, in 2019.

 

[Martin]

If you right-click the HWiNFO64.EXE and check it's Digital Signature, does it report it as valid?

 

[Frank va]

Cert check failed, but I don't know how to fix it. Screen grab of cert check attached. The file itself is OK: I copied it to a Win 11 system also and it installed and ran fine.

 

[Martin]

Not sure if there's a Windows update that could fix this.
If not, then manually installing and trusting the root certificate might help.

 

[Frank va]

I'll try that if you could point me to instructions on how to do it, and where to get the correct certificate.

 

[Martin]

It's in the screen you posted - View Certificate, Install Certificate.

 

[Dalai]

My guess is that the root certificate is there on your Win7 system (it's from 2011), but the intermediate cert is missing (that's from 2021).

To see if the Root CA is there start certmgr.msc and look under Trusted Root Certification Authorities > Certificates if you have "Certum Trusted Network CA 2". My Win7 systems have that CA, and usually Windows systems should update the certificates automatically indepdendently from Windows Update.

If the certificate is missing you can export it on the other system. Or download it from the CA's site: https://www.certum.eu/en/cert_expertise_root_certificates/#id3 (the format DER or PEM doesn't matter). Important: Don't download the certificate from any other site! Then install/import it on the Win7 system by double-clicking on it, select "Install Certificate" and select the "Trusted Root Certification Authorities" store.