I cloned a Disk Image and have deployed it to multiple workstations and now I cannot register to QAWeb Enterprise?

Article number: [3411] - Legacy code: [11655]

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Answer:

The simple answer is cloning HDDs, or deploying a cloned image, is not easily supported by QAWeb Enterprise.

Keep in mind, it is best to create your Disk Images without any 3rd party software installed for more streamlined deployment.

Explanation:

The logic behind it is that when QAWeb Enterprise Agent gets installed on a workstation, it stores a unique identifier into the registry. It associates this number to that specific workstation using a specific Mac Address. Simply uninstalling the QAWeb Enterprise Agent will not work. This unique identifier on the hard drive is not removed by the uninstaller. This enables QAWeb Enterprise to update any changes made to the specific workstation, even with QAWeb Enterprise removal and re-installation. 

If a disk image gets cloned and then deployed or restored on another workstation, both agents on both workstations stores the same hard drive identifier, resulting in duplicate machines with different hostnames. This causes QAWeb Server to see multiple Enterprise agents as one, and not allow all workstations to register as separate systems.

Suggestion:

Remember: It is best advised to never create or deploy a cloned image with QAWeb Enterprise installed.

However, sometimes this is missed and you are left with multiple systems with this issue. Here we have a workaround for you to implement to help resolve it.

 On each affected workstation:

  • Stop QAWeb agent: As an Administrator, go to the Windows Services and stop the “Barco Qaweb Agent” service 
  • Clean cached registry identifier: Run the registry editor and navigate to:
    • Computer\HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Barco\Barco Core Service Application  

  • Start QAWeb agent again: As an Administrator, go to the Windows Services and start the “Barco Qaweb Agent” service  again
Note: if you refresh the registry now, we expect the identifier key to appear again, however with a different value (equal to the primary MAC address of that workstation)
  • Unregister your QAWeb Enterprise Agent:
    • Go to C:\program files\Barco\QAWeb
    • Execute Configurator.exe
    • Click Next until you arrive on the Agent registration configuration page
      • Click -> "Reset current registration". 

Reset_current_registration_QWAebE.jpg

  • Next enter the Organization ID and Registration key:

Reset_current_registration_QWAebE2.jpg

  • The configurator will apply the newly configured settings and register the agent back to the cloud based organization

Reset_current_registration_QWAebE3.jpg


Should you encounter any issues, please contact the Barco Customer Service Team as described in KB6024 including the QAWeb Enterprise Agent Log Files (see KB9560)

 

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Last updated Jan 2, 2023