Custom GINA modules do not work after you upgrade your computer to Windows Vista

After you upgrade your computer to Windows Vista, custom Graphical Identification and Authentication (GINA) modules no longer work.

This behavior occurs because GINA functionality that existed in earlier versions of Windows is replaced by a credential provider model in Windows Vista. Therefore, GINA modules do not work after you upgrade your computer to Windows Vista.

Use one of the following procedures, as appropriate for your situation:

• If you obtained the custom GINA module from a third-party software vendor or third-party hardware vendor, contact the vendor to inquire about a replacement.
• If you developed the custom GINA module, create a new solution that uses the credential provider model in Windows Vista.

Note Custom GINA modules use the following registry subkey: If the GinaDLL subkey is present, it contains the name of a GINA .dll file. The GinaDLL subkey is not present in default installations of Windows.

The credential provider model in Windows Vista is a pluggable architecture that enables modules that work with credentials to be written to a common interface. Therefore, modules can work with multiple system components. These components include the LogonUI component and the CredUI component.

For more information about the ICredentialProvider interface, see the "Shell Interfaces" topic in the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK). To obtain Windows Vista credential provider samples, visit the following Microsoft Web site: