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I want to permanently delete SSL certificate from Windows Server 2008. What I did is open up the mmc window and selected the certificate from the machine store and click delete. This removed the certificate from the certificate store. I just want to know if this action deleted the certificate completely from the machine and want to make sure that its private key is also deleted. The action I did is correct or not?

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Yes, the key will be deleted with the certificate. You would need to export them first if you want to be able to restore them at some point.

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When I import certificate, a file is created under C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys. But when I delete certificate it does not delete file from that location. – Kumar Sep 17 '12 at 13:30
I mean is it safe to leave the files in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys once I delete certificate from mmc. – Kumar Sep 17 '12 at 15:02
That file is a container for keys. The actual key will be removed from the container when the key is deleted. – Ansgar Wiechers Sep 17 '12 at 16:28
Thanks Ansgar Wiechers – Kumar Sep 17 '12 at 17:48

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