JSI Tip 8638. Your Windows 2000 client generates 'Error: 0x80090020 - NTE_FAIL' when it requests a smart card certificate from a Windows Server 2003 certification authority?

When a Windows 2000 client requests a smart card certificate from a Windows Server 2003 CA, the following error is displayed:

An error occurred while creating the certificate request. Please verify that your cryptographic service provider (CSP) supports any settings you have made and that your input is valid.

Suggested cause:
The CSP you chose has been unable to process the request. Try a different CSP.

Error: 0x80090020 - NTE_FAIL

This error can occur if the Windows 2000 client is NOT running Service Pack 3 or greater.