Windows Server 2008 isn’t as straight forward as it looks when it comes to renewing your SSL certificate.

At some point your SSL certificate is going to expire.  Your credit card was probably billed a renewal fee, and your certificate was renewed automatically, but you’re not done yet.  You need to re-issue your certificate from GoDaddy by generating a new certificate request in IIS.  Renewing your certificate in IIS doesn’t work, you must delete your existing certificate and generate a completely new one.  The CSR it tries to generate when you attempt to renew is way too long most likely because it isn’t the correct bit rate.

Login to GoDaddy and Request to Renew Your Certificate

Create a New Certificate Request in IIS 7

1. IIS Manager -> Your Web Server -> Server Certificates -> Create Certificate Request…
2. Input your information, your common name must be the same as the common name in your expired certificate, most likely the name of your webserver; yourwebserver.yourdomain.com.
3. Save the request to a text file such as c:\cert_request.txt.
4. NOTE: Clicking your existing certificate and choosing Renew -> Create Renewal Certificate Request, will fail during the GoDaddy process.  You must generate a new one.

Paste Your Certificate Request Text To GoDaddy in the provided form.
If all is well, GoDaddy will ask you to verify your information and it will notify you that your renewed certificate has been sent to your email address.

Download and Complete Your Certificate Request

1. Download your renewed certificate following the instructions sent via email by GoDaddy.
2. Delete your existing certificate in IIS.
3. Complete the request using your newly downloaded certificate by choosing Complete Certificate Request… in IIS.
4. Select the .crt file from your GoDaddy download.

Bind Your New Certificate to Your Site’s HTTPS Protocol

1. IIS Manager -> Your Webserver -> Your Website -> Bindings…
2. Bind HTTPS to your newly renewed certificate.  (If you receive an error, you may have to restart the IIS Manager and try binding again).

That’s it!  You should be done.  Go test your site and make sure it’s working properly.  If it isn’t, you’ll need to re-read the steps above and give it another try.