Windows Reporting Agent DocumentationInstall the agent
Run the setup on each computer, or push it out silently with the settings on the command line. Set up the report server first so you know its address.
Requirements
| Item | Needs |
|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10 or 11, or Windows Server 2016 or later, 64-bit |
| Rights | An administrator account to install. The service runs as LocalSystem. |
| Network | HTTPS access to the report server, or a file share or SSH server for the other delivery methods |
| SCP delivery | The Windows OpenSSH client, installed by default on Windows 10 1809 and later |
Run the setup
Download windows_reporting_agent_setup_3.2.exe from the downloads page and run it as an administrator. After the license and install folder pages it asks for the report server:
| Field | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Server host name | reports.example.com | The web server that runs the PHP pages |
| Port | 443 | 443 for HTTPS |
| Web path of the upload pages folder | /windows_reporting_agent/upload | The folder that holds upload.php and register.php |
| Enrollment token | (from server.ini) | Leave blank to approve the computer on the admin page |
| Connection security | HTTPS | Plain HTTP is only for a test server |
The setup installs to C:\Program Files\WindowsReportAgent, writes the settings to windows_reporting_agent.ini there, creates the WindowsReportAgent service (automatic start, restarted if it stops) and starts it. The first report goes out right away. It also limits C:\ProgramData\WindowsReportAgent, where the agent keeps its certificate, report and log, to SYSTEM and Administrators.
Unattended installs
For Group Policy, PDQ Deploy, a login script or any other deployment tool, pass the settings on the command line:
windows_reporting_agent_setup_3.2.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART ^
/SERVER=reports.example.com /PORT=443 /URLPATH=/windows_reporting_agent/upload ^
/TOKEN=<enrollment token>| Switch | Meaning |
|---|---|
/SERVER= | Report server host name |
/PORT= | Port, 443 for HTTPS |
/URLPATH= | Web path of the folder with upload.php and register.php |
/TOKEN= | Enrollment token for automatic approval |
/HTTP | Use plain HTTP (test servers only) |
/LOG=C:\path\setup.log | Keep a setup log |
Settings you leave out keep the values of an existing install, so a new version can be pushed out with only /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART.
Check it works
Open C:\ProgramData\WindowsReportAgent\windows_report_agent.log as an administrator. After the first report it shows one line per delivery method:
Waiting for approval:
[https] Registration status from server: pending
ERROR - Report not sent, this agent is pending on the server. Approve host
pc-0142 with key fingerprint 8d3f5723...3aa16 on the admin page
Approved and sent:
[https] Upload successful
STATUS: okTo send a report now instead of waiting for the next cycle, run send_test_report.exe from an administrator command prompt in the install folder. It skips the patch and hotfix sections, which are slow to collect.
Upgrade
Run the new setup over the old one, interactively or with /VERYSILENT. It stops the service, replaces the programs, keeps windows_reporting_agent.ini and starts the service again. The computer keeps its key, so it does not need to be approved again.
Uninstall
Use Settings > Apps, or run unins000.exe /VERYSILENT in the install folder. The service and programs are removed. The INI file and C:\ProgramData\WindowsReportAgent are kept, so a reinstall reuses the same key and settings. Delete them by hand to remove the agent completely, and delete the computer's registration on the admin page.