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If Apache fails to start after configuring SSL on a Windows Curator installation, work through the steps below to identify and resolve the issue.
The examples below use the default installation path C:\InterWorks\Curator. If Curator was installed on a different drive or directory, adjust the paths accordingly (e.g. D:\InterWorks\Curator).

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Step 1: Test the Configuration From the Command Line

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run: 
& 'C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\bin\httpd.exe' -t
This validates the configuration and outputs a specific error message pointing to the exact file, line number, and problem. If everything is valid, it outputs Syntax OK.
This is the fastest way to identify the issue. If the output points to a clear problem, skip to Common SSL Issues and Fixes for the resolution.

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Step 2: Check the Apache Error Log

If Step 1 wasn’t sufficient, check the Apache error log: 
C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\logs\error.log
Open this in Notepad — the most recent entries at the bottom will show what went wrong during the last startup attempt.

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Step 3: Check the Windows Event Log

  1. Attempt to start the Curator HTTPD Server service from the Windows Services Manager.
  2. After it fails, press Win + R, type eventvwr.msc, and press Enter.
  3. Navigate to Windows Logs > Application.
  4. The most recent error entries at the top will be from the failed startup attempt — double-click them and read the Description field for the actual error message.

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Common SSL Issues and Fixes

Error: SSLPassPhraseDialog builtin is not supported on Win32 or the service hangs waiting for passphrase input.Fix: Strip the passphrase from the key:
& 'C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\bin\openssl.exe' rsa -in C:\InterWorks\Curator\certs\your_key.key -out C:\InterWorks\Curator\certs\your_key_nopass.key
Then update SSLCertificateKeyFile in C:\InterWorks\Curator\curator.conf to point to the new key.See also: Removing Passphrases in the Windows SSL setup guide.
Error: SSLCertificateFile: file 'C:\...' does not exist or is emptyFix: Verify the paths in C:\InterWorks\Curator\curator.conf for these directives all point to files that actually exist in C:\InterWorks\Curator\certs\:
  • SSLCertificateFile
  • SSLCertificateKeyFile
  • SSLCertificateChainFile
Error: Syntax errors referencing lines in the SSL block.Fix: Open C:\InterWorks\Curator\curator.conf and ensure the entire <VirtualHost *:443> block and the Listen 443 line are fully uncommented (no stray # characters).See: Replacing References in the Windows SSL setup guide.
Error: SSLCertificateChainFile: file does not existFix: Ensure the CA intermediate/chain certificate is in the certs directory and referenced correctly. If you have a single combined cert, comment out the SSLCertificateChainFile directive.
Error: certificate and private key do not matchFix: Verify they match by comparing their modulus hashes:
& 'C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\bin\openssl.exe' x509 -noout -modulus -in C:\InterWorks\Curator\certs\your_cert.crt | & 'C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\bin\openssl.exe' md5
& 'C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\bin\openssl.exe' rsa -noout -modulus -in C:\InterWorks\Curator\certs\your_key.key | & 'C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\bin\openssl.exe' md5
Both commands should output the same hash. If they don’t, the wrong key or certificate file is being used.
Error: could not bind to address 0.0.0.0:443Fix: Check what’s using port 443:
netstat -ano | findstr :443
If IIS or another service is on port 443, stop it or change the Curator port.
Error: error reading certificate or PEM routines:get_name:no start lineFix: Apache requires PEM format (text starting with -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----). Convert from DER if needed:
& 'C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\bin\openssl.exe' x509 -inform DER -in your_cert.cer -out your_cert.pem

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After Fixing

  1. Re-run the config test: 
    & 'C:\InterWorks\Curator\libs\Apache24\bin\httpd.exe' -t
  2. If it says Syntax OK, start the Curator HTTPD Server service from Services Manager.