Licensing dialog is not opening when using FIPS compliancy mode in Windows

Issue

When starting "License.exe" nothing happens. The windows events contain an error message:

Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.

Exception Info: System.InvalidOperationException

  at System.Security.Cryptography.MD5CryptoServiceProvider..ctor()

Cause

This is caused by Federal Information Processing Standards(FIPS) mode in windows or more precicely "System Cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing.". The license.exe uses md5 hashes, which is blocked in FIPS mode

It is possible to verify this by executing the following powershell code. 

$inputbytes = [System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetBytes("Just some text")
[System.Security.Cryptography.MD5]::Create().ComputeHash($inputbytes)

Solution

You need to turn of FIPS mode. Make sure you are allowed to do so before following these instructions

• Press Win+R and type secpol.msc
• Navigate to Local Policies/Security Options
• Double click "System Cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing"
• Select "Disabled" and press OK
• Activate your coolOrange license
• Reactivate FIPS

See Also

• Microsoft doesn't recommend FIPS mode if it is not required(Techcommunity Microsoft)
• System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption, hashing, and signing(Microsoft Docs)