SPIAgent Init unable to acquire cryptographic resources
When trying to start the SPIAgent service or connect to a remote SPIAgent service the connection fails. In the Event Viewer, you see two SPIMsg error messages containing the text:
SPIAgentInit unable to acquire cryptographic resources
and
SPIAgentCrypt Exchange key CryptGenKey error=5 (0x00000005).
Solution
This error indicates that the built-in SYSTEM account on the machine does not have Full Control permission to the Crypto folder. In Windows XP and Windows 2003 this folder is located at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Crypto. In Windows 2012, Windows 2008, Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista this folder is located at C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto. Once the SYSTEM account has the required Full Control permissions to that folder, the SPIAgent service should start as expected.
SPIAgentInit unable to acquire cryptographic resources
and
SPIAgentCrypt Exchange key CryptGenKey error=5 (0x00000005).
Solution
This error indicates that the built-in SYSTEM account on the machine does not have Full Control permission to the Crypto folder. In Windows XP and Windows 2003 this folder is located at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Crypto. In Windows 2012, Windows 2008, Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista this folder is located at C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto. Once the SYSTEM account has the required Full Control permissions to that folder, the SPIAgent service should start as expected.