UPDATED: Aug 17 2023

We had a client with a server that did not have updated information in Azure Sentinel side, but passed all of the validation and communication tests on the Azure Arc client side (i.e. on the clients file server).

NOTE: If you want to know how to test your Azure Arc, we have a separate article for that HERE.

After quite some time of troubleshooting both ends, we just gave up and uninstalled then reinstalled the Azure Arc client. Just like before, the client server passed all of the validation and communication tests but on the Azure Sentinel side, new information was not coming through.

uninstall azure connected machine agent azure arc sentinal

It turned out that uninstalling Azure Arc from the server and then reinstalling it was not sufficient. Azure Arc’s uninstall leaves a pile of old files on your computer server which then stifles the new install. We needed to not only uninstall Azure Arc via Programs and Features, but also to manually delete any of these folders that still exist after the uninstall:

how to manually clean uninstall Azure Arc Agent

You can download current and previous versions of the Azure Arc agent directly from Microsoft HERE but make sure you delete these folders (if they exist) before you reinstall.

You will likely have to END TASK on these programs:

programs to end task on that are still running after azure arc monitor uninstall
  • C:\Packages\ (may not exist)
  • C:\Resources\
  • C:\Program Files\AzureConnectedMachine\
  • C:\Program Data\AzureConnectedMachineAgent\
  • C:\Program Data\GuestConfig\ (may not exist)

We have found that a reboot was NOT required after the install, uninstall, or reinstall, which made working on a live production file server much easier.

Then you need to enter your command to connect the agent to Azure Arc:

azcmagent connect --resource-group "[resrouce-group]" --tenant-id "[Tenant ID]" --location "[Azure Region]" --subscription-id "[subscription]" -c

So mine looks something like:

azcmagent connect --resource-group "rg-sentinel" --tenant-id "79054a16-7b7c-424d-bf39-097decefgc75" --location "canadacentral" --subscription-id "74b879bf-65b7-5be1-9eg8-12f559f41fa7" -c

Wait 20 minutes for everything to sync up and then check your Azure Sentinel.



1 Comment

SOLVED: Missing Windows Server Agent Heartbeat – Check Azure Arc Status – Up & Running Technologies, Tech How To's · May 26, 2023 at 12:54 pm

[…] Note that as your arc does not uninstall cleanly and that you need to also delete a bunch of folders after the uninstall, before you install the new one, or you are likely to still have problems. We have an article explaining how to reinstall Azure Arc HERE. […]

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