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How to reset the McAfee Agent GUID if computers are not displayed in the ePolicy Orchestrator directory
Technical Articles ID:   KB56086
Last Modified:  4/7/2016
Rated:

Environment

McAfee Agent (MA) 4.x
McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) 5.x

Problem

Computers are not displayed correctly in the ePO directory. The issue may manifest with a variety of symptoms, some of which are listed below:
  • Imaged computers have the same AgentGUID registry value.
  • Clients overwrite the same computer object in the ePO directory.
  • Agents from newly deployed computers do not populate in the ePO directory.
  • Agents do not appear to report to the ePO server.
  • Clients do not receive correct policies.
  • Clients disappear from the ePO console.
  • Clients were deployed with the ePO agent preinstalled using an image.

Cause

The computers were imaged and deployed with the same AgentGUID and/or MACADDRESS registry value.

Solution

CAUTION: This article contains information about opening or modifying the registry.
  • The following information is intended for System Administrators. Registry modifications are irreversible and could cause system failure if done incorrectly.
  • Before proceeding, Intel Security strongly recommends backing up your registry and understanding the restore process. For more information, see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986.
  • Do not run a .REG file that is not confirmed to be a genuine registry import file.

For current deployments

IMPORTANT: These instructions are intended for use by ePO administrators only.

Verify the issue:

  1. Click Start, Run, type regedit, and click OK.
  2. Compare the agent GUIDs on the affected clients. If the GUIDs are the same, this is the cause of the problem. An agent GUID is stored as the data of the AgentGUID registry value:

    32-Bit:  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Network Associates\ePolicy Orchestrator\Agent\AgentGUID]
    64-Bit:  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Network Associates\ePolicy Orchestrator\Agent\AgentGUID]

    NOTE:     The agent GUID is ePO's primary method of uniquely identifying a computer. Matching AgentGUID values affect the process used when computers check in, prevent properties from being recorded correctly, and prohibit policy enforcement.
Resolve the issue:
On each affected client, delete the AgentGUID registry key and restart the McAfee Agent services.
  1. Delete the AgentGUID registry key:
    1. Click Start, Run, type regedit, and click OK.
    2. Navigate to one of the following registry keys:

      32-Bit:  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Network Associates\ePolicy Orchestrator\Agent\]
      64-Bit:  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Network Associates\ePolicy Orchestrator\Agent\]

    3. Right-click the AgentGUID and select Delete.
    4. Click Registry, Exit.
  2. Restart the McAfee Agent services:
    1. Click Start, Run, type services.msc, and click OK.
    2. Right-click the following service and select Restart:
       
      McAfee Framework Service
       
Alternative solution to "Resolve the issue" section:
An alternative option is to reinstall the McAfee Agent using the /forceinstall switch. Reinstall the agent by doing either of the following:
  • Install the agent from the command line using the /forceinstall switch. For more information, see the "Agent installation command-line options" section of the McAfee Agent 4.8 Product Guide (PD24333).
  • Send an agent installation to the computer, ensuring that you have selected Force Install over existing version.

Solution

For future deployments
The ePO agent GUID is created when the McAfee Agent services start with the AgentGUID value missing. Usually this happens during installation. Running SysPrep or changing the name of the client computer does not dynamically change this value. The information for including the ePO agent in an image is located in the "Include the agent on an image" section of the McAfee Agent 4.8 Product Guide (PD24333).
 
Before creating the final image, delete the AgentGUID value from the registry.

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