How to stop certreq from prompting a dialog box to press OK or CANCEL?

Question

I have an issue guys and I hope someone has a simple answer.
After all of my destruction of installing, configuring and deploying PKI. I have finally narrowed it down to one issue I’m having.
When I run the following command line, CertReq -new -f %certpath%\%input%.inf %certpath%\%input%.req . A popup box with the option to press OK or Cancel. If I press OK, my *.req file is created. If I try to use the -q, I receive an
error:
ConfigMgrWorkgroupClientCertificate
: The system cannot find the file specified. 0x80070002 (WIN32: 2)
The –q is shown on technet
http://technet.microsoft.com/library/cc725793.aspx
I also use CERTREQ in this command and I receive the same response. press OK or Cancel.
certreq -submit -f -Username abc\testuser1 -p P@ssw0rd -PolicyServer "https://lnyceppkis01.abc.com/KeyBasedRenewal_ADPolicyProvider_CEP_UsernamePassword/service.svc/CEP" -config "https://lnycespkis01.abc.com/IssuingCA-LNYSUBCAPKIS01_CES_UsernamePassword/service.svc/CES"
-attrib "ConfigMgrWorkgroupClientCertificate" %certpath%\%input%.req %certpath%\%input%.cer
Rem
Change
ConfigurationManagerClientTemplate below to the name of the
Certificate
Template you create HERE.
Remember
use the
Cert
Name NOT the
Display
Name
echo
;-----ConfigMgrWorkgroupClientCertificate.inf----->
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
[NewRequest]                                    
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
Subject="cn=%input%"                            
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
KeyLength=2048                                  
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
Exportable=TRUE                                 
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
MachineKeySet=TRUE                              
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
KeySpec=1
;key exchange                         
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
KeyUsage=0xA0                                   
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
[RequestAttributes]                             
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
echo
CertificateTemplate=ConfigMgrWorkgroupClientCertificate
>>
"%certpath%\%input%.inf"
Rem
Create the a binary request file
from the INF
echo
Generating certificate
request for server
%input%
CertReq
-new
-f
%certpath%\%input%.inf
%certpath%\%input%.req

Answer 1

You are correct that -q will suppress user input, but the syntax is important. You don't say WHERE in the command you are using the -q. It must be after the first verb (submit, new, policy, etc..). But I tried your default line (witout the -q) and I do not
get a prompt. Can you be more descriptive of what the box is asking when you say OK and Cancel? What is it indicating?
The correct syntax for using the -q option is:
CertReq
-new -q -f %certpath%\%input%.inf %certpath%\%input%.req
Mark B. Cooper, President and Founder of PKI Solutions Inc., former Microsoft Senior Engineer and subject matter expert for Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS). Known as “The PKI Guy” at Microsoft for 10 years.