djc

I recently implemented ssl on an IIS 5 web server. I got the server
certificate from my own windows 2000 server sp4 enterprise CA. A strange
intermittent problem is occuring when connecting to the server from IE
6.0.2800.1106 on a windows 2000 pro sp4 computer. The lock icon does not
always appear. I can go to a site on the server and the page loads but no
ssl icon appears... then i hit the refresh button and it appears...
sometimes. Sometimes the icon is there and sometimes its not???? The site
does not allow any connections other that https and I have verified that
works.

1) So, I am specifying https in the url and the page does load so I assume
it is in fact a secure connection but why would the lock/ssl icon not appear
consistently?

2) I followed directions from a microsoft article to get and install the
certificate. The directions assumed my CA would hold the cert reqest as
pending and I or an admin would process the pending request. The directions
lead you to issue the cert and then, when viewing the issued cert to choose
the 'copy to file' button and save the cert as a 'Base-64 encoded X.509
certificate'. The directions then went on to explain how to install the cert
on the web server. The only discrepancy I had from these directions is that
my CA automatically issued the certificate and I was only given an option to
download the cert as a DER file or a Base-64 encoded file. It did not
specifically say 'Base-64 encoded X.509'... so I chose the Base-64 option of
course but I wondered if that really was Base-64 encoded X.509 or Base-64
encoded something else??? anyone know? maybe its the wrong kind of cert?


any input on this would be greatly appreciated... its driving my nuts!

thanks.