What is a bad Certificate? Here is a link that might be useful: faq

Try this first, Here are Instructions that may help resolve the Issue Reregister DLL files that are associated with Cryptographic Services To register .dll files that are associated with Cryptographic Services, follow these steps: 1. Click Start, and then click Run. 2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK. 3. At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each line: Note Click OK if you are prompted. Note Microsoft Windows 2000 does not include the Sccbase.dll file. If you are running a version of Windows 2000, omit the Sccbase.dll file. regsvr32 softpub.dll regsvr32 /u wintrust.dll regsvr32 /u initpki.dll regsvr32 /u dssenh.dll regsvr32 /u rsaenh.dll regsvr32 /u gpkcsp.dll regsvr32 /u sccbase.dll regsvr32 /u slbcsp.dll regsvr32 /u cryptdlg.dll regsvr32 /u softpub.dll exit 4. Restart your computer. 5. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK. 6. At the command prompt, type the following commands (press ENTER after each command). Note Click OK if you are prompted. Note Microsoft Windows 2000 does not include the Sccbase.dll file. If you are running a version of Windows 2000, omit the Sccbase.dll file. regsvr32 softpub.dll regsvr32 wintrust.dll regsvr32 initpki.dll regsvr32 dssenh.dll regsvr32 rsaenh.dll regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll regsvr32 sccbase.dll regsvr32 slbcsp.dll regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll regsvr32 softpub.dll exit

I don't claim to be an expert but I used to do e-service Technical Support for about 6 years and most people did not believe me when I told them what the problem was. The simplist way I can explain it is that whenever you go to a site that requires you to sign in you need a certificate from the root signing authority installed in your certificate repository. These root certificates are typically pre-installed at the factory in browsers. When you go to a website your browser attempts to verify their certificate against what you have in your browser and if it does not find it you get an invalid certificate warning. It is a security feature embedded in the browser. Most of the time it is a matter of your browser root certificates being outdated but sometimes viruses have removed some of your certificates. The error message does make it seem that the website is the problem but if it was the website all of us would be getting the same error message. If you are still in doubt do some research on root certificates on the Internet but my explanation is probably easier to understand than the technical explanations you are likely to find. You also must keep your Java updated. I included a link to verify your java version as well. I am not sure which browsers are giving you trouble but yes some viruses do remove your certificates from your root depository commonly as an attempt to trick you when luring you to phishing sites. Remember that the free site advisor can be your best friend along with an up-to-date browser. That really helps in safe surfing. Thats my 2 cents based on my best knowledge. I hope it helps someone! Or maybe I misunderstood the question??? Ms Jay Here is a link that might be useful: verify your Java

Hi Renovator8, thanks so much for posting that link to the contract software! I found it extremely very useful, especially for how I can click on my state and the page gives some bullet points about how the contract has to comply with the laws of my state. It is a good reminder for me to check on that also. Thanks also for the tip to look at A105. I had started with A107 after reading about it in the "Building a House" forum here on GardenWeb, and one of the GCs that we interviewed said he usually uses a customized version A107 (but his customized version still refers to an Architect). I'll take a look at A105 too. Some of the A107 clauses that use the term "Architect", I can see how just replacing "Owner" would work, and still be clear. For example, section 9.1.2 about starting portions of the work and examining the contract documents, says "the Contractor shall report to the Architect any errors, inconsistencies, or omissions discovered or made known to the Contractor..." I could see this sentence as reading "the Contractor shall report to the Owner any errors, inconsistencies, or omissions discovered..." (etc.) As the owner, I'd want to be notified of such things prior to the contractor starting that portion of work--so we can together make sure the right things happen. In contrast, a section like section 13.3, I would just strike completely as it talks about the architect having authority to order minor changes. That doesn't fit, as there's the change order process for any changes. It's the area about the applications for payment where it seems grayer to me. As this is the first big renovation we've ever done, I think the heart of what I'm wondering is: - In practice, what do good, with-integrity professional contractors expect to have happen if they submit a requisition for a progress payment and the owner looks at the state of the work done and doesn't think the requisition matches reality? (Assume an honest contractor and an honest owner, both with their own points of view.) Do they expect to have a conversation to come to an mutual understanding? Are they OK with an owner saying "Here it says 50% of the wallboard is done, but it looks more like a third of the way around to me."? - And if they are OK with that as the process they expect, is it something to write down in the contract as the expected process of how such a situation would be handled, if it arises? I don't want to come off as litigious in the contract wording. Quite the opposite--I feel like if the expectations are laid out in writing and we can agree on them, then we know what's expected on both our parts. I was thinking of something like "Upon receiving the requisition, the Owner will review the work to verify it has progressed according to the application and the construction documents. If the Owner cannot make such verification, then the Owner and Contractor will xxxxxxx" (That's the part I'm stuck on--what should go in place of the xxxx? Or should I omit the whole "If the Owner cannot verify" portion altogether?) My feeling that something should be in the contract about what happens at that point might be completely off base--and if it is, I hope everyone here at GW will tell me, so that I can avoid making people mad or turning away good professionals. :-) Thanks in advance!