> Source: [sk65151](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk65151)

# sk65151 - "Authentication to server failed"  message during SmartDashboard first time login

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk65151 |
| Date Created | 2011-08-09 |
| Last Modified | 2019-09-03 |
| Technical Level | General |
| Products | SmartConsole |
| Versions | R82.10, R82.20, R82, R81.20 |
| OS | Windows |

## Symptoms

- * When you first attempt to login to SmartDashboard (every time), you see a "`Authentication to server failed`" message.  

* Before this error message appears, the status bar states "`loading local configuration`". Then the window disappears for about 40 seconds, before returning the failed authentication message.   

* The second time you login, it works right away.

## Cause

It seems the problem lies with a set of files, which are usually present within the user's profile. On the Windows Server these file were not present. The files are standard across Windows 2003 and Windows XP, so it is just a case of finding them.

## Solution

If you find you have the problem, simply copy the following directory from a system that has the directory/files present to the relevant user profile on the SmartConsole machine:

* Windows XP and Windows Server 2003: **`C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Microsoft\CryptnetUrlCache`**
* Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008: **`C:\Users\[username]\AppData\LocalLow\Microsoft\CryptnetUrlCache`**

For example, if you need to use the SmartConsole tools logged in as user "`CPoint`" you would need to copy the **`CryptnetUrlCache`** directory from any system that has the files present into:

* Windows XP and Windows Server 2003: **`C:\Documents and Settings\CPoint\Application Data\Microsoft\`**
* Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008: **`C:\Users\CPoint\AppData\LocalLow\Microsoft\`**

You should find that within the `CryptnetUrlCache` directory there are 2 sub-directories named `Content` and `Metadata`. Each of these has about 30 files present. These files are used by Windows to provide the encryption necessary as part of the authentication process when using SmartConsole.

**SmartDashboard 1st time login**

If the files are present, check if files are currently updated. The files will have a time stamp with current date. If files are there, but not updated, replace files from any system that has the files present.

The best way to resolve this issue is simply to get the files, from a working management, from those 2 sub-directories within `CryptnetUrlCache` directory, named `Content` and `Metadata`. Each of these has about 30 files present. On the corrupt system, there will be only about 8-10 file in each. Once the right files are copied, it works right away. No reboot or '`cpstop;cpstart`' is needed.

This solution was tested and worked fine.

*** ** * ** ***

**An alternate solution is deleting cryptoUrlcache**

In the scenario tested (on Windows Server 2008):

1. certutil -urlcache \* delete
2. Then, certutil -urlcache to check the cache is empty.
3. After ensuring that the Internet browser has internet connectivity, the SmartDashboard should load first time.

*** ** * ** ***

**An alternate solution is deleting the current admin and then creating a new admin account via cpconfig**

**Related Solutions:**

**[sk112334 - Debug SmartConsole](https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails=&solutionid=sk112334)**

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