Unable to set the private key: Probably, the private key format is invalid.

[netpresent]

Bought a key from Godaddy (Standard SSL Renewal). My domain is on its own IP address. I just cant manage to install the new certificate.

If I go to my domain's main page, click Certificates, click Choose file, choose my gd_bundle.crt, and then click Send Sile, I get:

Error: Unable to find the appropriate private key for the certificate.

Or if I clicks 'Add SSL Certificate', and try to upload the bundle from there, I get:

Error: Unable to set the private key: Probably, the private key format is invalid.
Error: Some fields are empty or contain an improper value.

I have no idea what I should put in which field. I have 4 files now: mydomain.key, playak.csr, gd_bundle.crt, and mydomain.crt . The form is asking for 3 files, and I must admit I have no idea what the difference is between 'Certificate' and 'Certificate CA'. Also, it seems strange that my private key file starts with something like:

-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
Proc-Type: 4,ENCRYPTED
DEK-Info: DES-EDE3-CBC,BB7.....

tOSjCFDF+5dddyLX37jc4UxClGinzHh2I1WVm79....

I generated the private key in the linux shell.

I'm very confused. Have used SSL before on the same server, but have never seen this problem.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

Cheers,
Jeroen

 

[metaforge]

I have exactly the same problem

Somebody please respond?

Thanks...

Bump!

 

[theqoflife]

I had the same problem until I realized that the key file I generated needed to be decrypted before Plesk would accept it.

If you generated an RSA-encrypted key file using openssl on Linux, use `openssl rsa -in key.key -out newkey.key` to create a decrypted copy. You'll be prompted to enter the passphrase in order to decrypt. Don't forget to make a backup copy of your original key file!

You'll notice that the "header" of the decrypted key file doesn't have the two text lines + new line following "-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----"

If you received the key as-is from GoDaddy, either you provided them with a passphrase or they provided one to you -- so with this piece of data you'll be able to decrypt.

Hope this helps.

 

[metaforge]

Thanks!

That worked! I might suggest that Plesk should respond with a more helpful error message, like:

"Your private key is encrypted - decrypt it first using [shell command here] then retry."

Thanks again