| Previous | Next |
| TPM_E_WRONG_ENTITYTYPE | TPM_E_INAPPROPRIATE_SIG |
TPM_E_INVALID_POSTINIT
Meaning beyond the built-in message
TPM_E_INVALID_POSTINIT means TPM_Init and TPM_Startup sequencing is inconsistent with the current power-on state of a TPM 1.2 device.
The first producer to identify is the TPM 1.2 command decoder and state machine. TPM 1.2 is a command/response device with strict binary structures and stateful resources. Windows may present the device response as an HRESULT, but the diagnostic meaning still belongs to the command field, key, session, PCR, NV index or lifecycle check named by the TPM specification.
Read this result as its own boundary in a sequence, not as a verdict that every TPM feature is broken. The sequence reaches TPM_Init and TPM_Startup sequencing is inconsistent with the current power-on state of a TPM 1.2 device, and the component returns 0x80280026 before the application can safely assume that later key, attestation, boot or licensing work occurred.
Decode the relevant state
- Request identity: exact function or command, input lengths, flags, caller context and this result.
- State identity: the startup type, boot or resume path, last TPM_Init/TPM_Startup commands, firmware event log, and whether another stack initialized the TPM first.
- Platform identity: TPM generation, manufacturer/firmware revision, Windows build and relevant service events.
- Binary identity: preserve opaque structures byte-for-byte and log
0x80280026in hexadecimal.
One-variable test
Reboot once and capture the first tpm commands from startup through the failing command without injecting a second initialization sequence.
| Observed outcome | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| The exact request succeeds | The changed condition belongs to the rejected TPM_Init and TPM_Startup sequencing is inconsistent with the current power-on state of a TPM 1.2 device. |
| A more specific earlier code appears | Preserve the earlier result in the diagnostic trace; the previous trace probably lost the first producer. |
| The same code returns with identical bytes | Escalate the persistent it with firmware, service and command evidence rather than broad configuration changes. |
| The code disappears only after destructive reset | The experiment is not diagnostic because original protected state and evidence were removed. |
Differential diagnosis
| Nearby constant | Why it is different |
|---|---|
TPM_E_INAPPROPRIATE_SIG | Signed data cannot include additional DER information. |
TPM_E_WRONG_ENTITYTYPE | The submitted entity type is not allowed. |
TPM_E_BAD_KEY_PROPERTY | The key properties in TPM_KEY_PARMs are not supported by this TPM. |
By contrast, TPM_E_BAD_VERSION concerns a requested capability version, while it concerns the initialization timeline.
Supported corrective direction
Apply the narrow remedy: let the platform and TBS own normal startup sequencing; remove duplicate or late legacy initialization calls. Do not clear ownership, delete keys or reset PCR-related state merely to see whether the message disappears; those actions can destroy the evidence and protected material while leaving serialization or command-order defects unchanged.
References
- TCG: TPM 1.2 Main Specification — source for this result.
- TCG: TPM 1.2 Part 2 — Structures — source for this result.
- TCG: TPM 1.2 Part 3 — Commands — source for this result.
- Microsoft: TPM Base Services portal — source for this result.
Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.