Troubleshooting Network Discovery Issues

Updated at Jun 02, 2025
By Kali Patrick

Table of Contents

Warning Icon Next to Primary Node Status Issues Error Codes Error Code 1: Download Failed: Agent Installer Could Not Be Retrieved Error Code 3: Agent Installation Skipped: An Agent Was Already Installed Error Code 5: Authentication Issue or Insufficient Permissions Error Code 6: Installation Failed: WMI Error Error Code 7: Device Unreachable: Check Network, WMI, Offline Error Codes 2 & 4: Installation Failed: Generic Failure

This document should help you identify and resolve any issues you might run into while setting up Network Discovery Profiles and acting on network discovered devices. If you have issues that are not covered here, please reach out to Support.

See also: Remote Installation Prerequisites.

Warning Icon Next to Primary Node

If you see a warning icon next to the asset displayed in the Primary Node column of the Network Discovery table (in the Profiles view only), this means the asset originally selected as the Primary Node for the scan has been deleted. Discovery will be disabled for the profile until you edit the profile and select a new Primary Node.

Status Issues

Stuck “In Progress”

Older agent versions may cause discovery runs to become stuck in the "In Progress" status for 24 hours.

If you encounter this issue, please ensure that the Syncro Windows Agent on your primary network node is upgraded to the latest version and retry the discovery scan once the previous one has failed.

Repeated “Install Failed”

If you repeatedly get “Install Failed” statuses, you should:

Hover over the status to see a tooltip that will provide more information about the specific error, which may include:
- Download failed: Agent installer could not be retrieved
- Authentication issue or insufficient permissions
- Installation failed: WMI error
- Device unreachable: Check Network, WMI, Offline
- Installation failed: Generic failure
Confirm your credentials are correct,
Look to see whether alternate, device-level credentials may be needed,
Confirm that the Primary Network Node in the Discovery Profile is online and present on the network, and
Check that a firewall isn't blocking the Syncro agent. (See also: Syncro Exceptions and Allowlists.)

Error Codes

Error Code 1: Download Failed: Agent Installer Could Not Be Retrieved

Check Internet Connection: Ensure the device attempting the installation has a stable internet connection. Try browsing a website.
Firewall/Proxy: Investigate if a firewall on the device or network, or a proxy server, is blocking the download. You might need to add exceptions for the Syncro domain or IP addresses.
Antivirus/Security Software: Temporarily disable antivirus or other security software to see if it's interfering with the download. If it is, configure exceptions for the agent installer.
Check Syncro Status: Verify if there are any reported outages or issues with the Syncro platform that might be affecting downloads.

Error Code 3: Agent Installation Skipped: An Agent Was Already Installed

No Action Needed: This status typically indicates a successful outcome–the agent was already there. No further installation is required.
Troubleshoot if Unexpected: If you didn't expect the agent to be installed, investigate how it might have been installed previously.

Error Code 5: Authentication Issue or Insufficient Permissions

Verify Credentials: Double-check the username and password used for the installation. Ensure they are correct and typed accurately.
Administrator Privileges: The account used for installation MUST have local administrator privileges on the target device.
Domain vs. Local Account: Ensure you are using the correct type of account (domain account if the device is domain-joined, local account if it's a workgroup).
UAC (User Account Control): Temporarily lower the UAC settings on the target device (if safe to do so) to see if it's interfering with the installation's elevated privileges.
Group Policy Restrictions: Investigate if any Group Policies are restricting the installation process or user rights on the target device.

Error Code 6: Installation Failed: WMI Error

Verify WMI Service: Ensure the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service is running on the target device. Check services.msc.
Restart WMI Service: Try restarting the WMI service.
Check WMI Repository: The WMI repository might be corrupted. You can try rebuilding it (this is an advanced step and should be done with caution). Use commands like winmgmt /verifyrepository and potentially winmgmt /resetrepository.
Firewall: Ensure the Windows Firewall (or any other firewall) on the target device is not blocking WMI traffic. You might need to enable specific WMI-related rules.
Permissions: Verify that the account used for installation has the necessary permissions to access WMI on the target device.

Error Code 7: Device Unreachable: Check Network, WMI, Offline

Ping Test: First, try to ping the target device from the machine initiating the installation to verify basic network connectivity.
Check Network Connection: Ensure the target device has a valid network connection and is online.
Firewall: The Windows Firewall (or any other firewall) on the target device might be blocking all incoming connections, including those needed for agent installation. You might need to temporarily disable it for testing or configure necessary rules.
WMI Service: Even if the device is online, the WMI service might not be responding. Try to remotely connect to the WMI service on the target device using tools like WBEMTest.
DNS Resolution: Ensure that the hostname or IP address of the target device is resolving correctly.

Error Codes 2 & 4: Installation Failed: Generic Failure

Check Installation Logs: The most crucial step for generic failures is to examine the detailed installation logs on the target device. These logs often provide specific error messages that pinpoint the problem. The location of these logs can vary depending on the operating system.
Run as Administrator: Ensure the installation is being run with administrator privileges. Right-click the installer and select "Run as administrator."
Check System Requirements: Verify that the target device meets the minimum system requirements for the Syncro Agent (e.g., operating system version, .NET Framework).
Reboot: Sometimes a simple reboot of the target device can resolve underlying issues preventing installation.
Check Disk Space: Ensure there is sufficient free disk space on the target device's system drive.
Conflicting Software: Investigate if any other software installed on the device might be interfering with the agent installation.
Retry Installation: Attempt the installation again after performing the above checks.