ErrorFindly
0x80090020SystemHigh

Error 0x80090020 — Internal Error (NTE_FAIL) | Windows System Error Fix

Windows 11Windows 10Windows Server 2022

What Does 0x80090020 Mean?

An internal error occurred in the cryptographic provider.

Real-World Causes

  1. 1Corrupted cryptographic service provider (CSP)
  2. 2Hardware security module (TPM) malfunction
  3. 3Crypto key store corruption
  4. 4Windows Cryptographic Services failure

Symptoms

  • ⚠Encryption or decryption operations fail
  • ⚠Certificate-based operations fail
  • ⚠VPN connections fail with crypto error
  • ⚠BitLocker operations fail

DIY Fix

Beginner-friendly steps you can try at home

  1. 1Restart the Cryptographic Services: 'net stop cryptsvc && net start cryptsvc'
  2. 2Run 'sfc /scannow' to repair crypto DLLs
  3. 3Clear the crypto cache by renaming C:\Windows\System32\catroot2
  4. 4Restart the computer

Advanced Fix

For experienced users and IT professionals

  1. 1Re-register crypto providers: 'regsvr32 rsaenh.dll' and 'regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll'
  2. 2Check TPM status in tpm.msc if TPM operations are failing
  3. 3Reset the crypto API: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cryptographic providers?
Cryptographic Service Providers (CSPs) are Windows components that perform encryption, decryption, hashing, and digital signing. They handle all crypto operations in Windows. If a CSP fails, anything that uses encryption (HTTPS, VPN, BitLocker, signing) may break.

Related Error Codes

0x80090304Internal Error (SEC_E_INTERNAL_ERROR)0x80090305Security Package Not Found (SEC_E_SECPKG_NOT_FOUND)

About the Author

Windows Troubleshooting Team

Verified against official Microsoft documentation and real-world diagnostic data. Error behavior confirmed across Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server.