How to fix A referral was returned from the server error

The “A referral was answered from the server” error is a common Windows error when installing or launching a program. Although it may sound like a network-related error, it is usually related to application permissions. Here are some ways to fix this problem.

Note : Before following the methods below, make sure that you trust the program you are trying to run. In most cases, the program requires elevated permissions which Windows will block. You will have to disable/edit those Windows functions for the program to work.

Table of Contents

• Run the program with admin rights
• Reduce UAC security level
• Disable PKI Signature Check
• Check program ownership
• Run Compatibility Troubleshooter
• Completely disable UAC
• Turn off Driver Signature Enforcement
• Turn off antivirus software
• Repair corrupted system files

Run the program with admin rights

If your primary account is a standard account, you may see this error when accessing specific applications. Luckily, you can simply run the program with admin rights and this error will go away.

Once the program is open, right-click on it and select Run as administrator . This should fix the problem in most cases.

Reduce UAC security level

User Account Control (UAC) is not only responsible for granting admin rights to applications, but can also block/restrict applications that require higher permissions. You can temporarily reduce UAC security level to run the program. Here's how to do it.

Search for "uac" in Windows Search and open the control panel item Change User Account Control settings .

Here, set the slider to Never notify , which is the lowest level of security. Then click OK and try running the program.

Make sure you turn the UAC slider back to its default level as this is very important for PC security.

Disable PKI Signature Check

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a framework that uses digital certificates to secure data communications, ensuring that data exchanged is secure and encrypted. In Windows, PKI signature checks verify that software is signed with a trusted digital certificate before it runs.

If the program you are running is old or not properly signed, it can lead to the error "A referral was answered from the server". You can temporarily disable these checks before running the program.

You can use the Group Policy Editor in Windows to disable it. Search for "group policy" in Windows Search and open Edit group policy .

Here, go to Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options and disable User Account Control: Only elevate executable files that are signed and validated in the right panel.

If your version of Windows does not support Group Policy Editor, you can also disable this feature in the Windows Registry. In Windows search, type "registry editor" and open Registry Editor .

Move to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Double-click ValidateAdminCodeSignatures in the right panel and set its value to 0 .

Make sure you undo these changes after running the program.

Check program ownership

This error can also sometimes occur when your account has limited ownership of the program. To check the ownership of a program, right-click on the program and select Properties .

Here, go to the Security tab and check the permissions for your current account. Make sure that the account has Full control permission . If not, click the Edit button .

Now, check the checkbox below Allow next to Full control and click OK .

If you can't take full control like this, then you'll have to use the advanced options to take ownership.

Run Compatibility Troubleshooter

The Compatibility Troubleshooter in Windows can automatically fix problems related to Windows version compatibility, permissions, and display. This troubleshooter can also fix problems that cause the "A referral was returned from the server" error.

To run the troubleshooter, right-click on the program and select Troubleshoot compatibility .

In the troubleshooter, first select Try recommended settings to see if the troubleshooter's suggestions resolve the problem. If not, select the Troubleshoot program option instead.

Here, select The program requires additional permissions and click Next to see if it fixes the problem.

Completely disable UAC

This is a last resort option, but if nothing else works, this should fix the problem. You can temporarily disable User Account Control to remove most of the restrictions from the program. You can do this using the Registry, here’s how:

Open the Windows Registry by searching for "registry" in Windows Search. Navigate to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Now double click on EnableLUA and change its value to 0 . You will have to restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

Once you finish installing or using the program, make sure you repeat the above procedure and set the EnableLUA value to 1 .

Turn off Driver Signature Enforcement

If you see this error specifically when installing a Windows driver, it may be because the driver is not properly signed. You can temporarily disable Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows to install the driver.

Note : You need to disable Secure Boot in Windows before following the instructions below.

Search for "cmd" in Windows Search, then right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator .

Here, copy/paste the following command and press Enter .

bcdedit /set nointegritychecks on

This will turn off Driver Signature Enforcement and you can install the driver.

Once you have finished installing the driver, use the command below to re-enable Driver Signature Enforcement.

bcdedit /set nointegritychecks off

You should also re-enable Secure Boot as this is important for PC security.

Turn off antivirus software

Most antivirus software today has behavioral detection features, including Windows Defender . This feature can prevent programs from running based on their behavior, resulting in the "A referral was answered from the server" error.

You can temporarily disable your antivirus program and try running it. To disable Windows Defender, search for "windows security" in Windows Search and open Windows Security .

Here, go to Virus & threat protection in the left panel, then click Manage settings under Virus & threat protection settings .

On the next page, turn off Real-time protection and confirm the UAC prompt.

If you use a third-party antivirus program, it should have an option to temporarily disable it in the main interface or from the tray icon. In most cases, the protection will turn on automatically, but you should turn it on immediately after trying to run the program.

Repair corrupted system files

If none of the above methods work for you, then the cause may be corrupted system files that are interfering with program execution. Fortunately, you can easily repair corrupted system files using the System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tools.

Surely one of the above methods will resolve the “A referral was answered from the server” error. If you are still having trouble, it is time to reset Windows to its default settings as it can resolve most software related issues.

Good luck!

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