WinCollect 10: Error “Parameter AgentCore.Identifier={COMPUTERNAME} -- must be a valid IP or Hostname” when applying changes

Troubleshooting

Problem

Administrators may encounter an issue when attempting to apply configuration changes to a WinCollect 10 agent.

Symptom

Administrators who attempt to apply configuration changes to a WinCollect 10 agent may receive the following error message:

ERROR: Parameter AgentCore.Identifier={COMPUTERNAME} -- must be a valid IP or Hostname

This error prevents the configuration from being saved or applied successfully.

Cause

This issue occurs when the AgentConfig.xml file contains an unresolved variable for the agent identifier, such as {COMPUTERNAME}. During installation or manual configuration, this value may not have been substituted with a proper hostname or IP address.

Additionally, the presence of .xml override files in the WinCollect patch directory can interfere with configuration validation and prevent updates from being applied.

Diagnosing The Problem

Administrators run the following steps to diagnose the issue:

Review the WinCollect log file located in the following path:
C:\Program Files\IBM\WinCollect\logs\wincollect.log

Look for entries similar to:
(In this example we are using this hostname WINCOLLECT-HOST01)
```
INFO  Code.Engine : Setting up AgentCore Name:WINCOLLECT-HOST01 Identifier:WINCOLLECT-HOST01 Status:New
```
If {COMPUTERNAME} is still present as a value, it indicates the variable was not resolved.
Check the Agent configuration file in the following path:
C:\ProgramData\WinCollect\Data\AgentConfig.xml

The following lines may appear, indicating that the value is still {COMPUTERNAME} instead of a valid hostname such as WINCOLLECT-HOST01:
```
<Parameter name="Name" value="{COMPUTERNAME}" />
<Parameter name="Identifier" value="{COMPUTERNAME}" />
```
Inspect the patch directory for override files:

C:\Program Files\IBM\WinCollect\patch

If .xml files exist in this directory, they may override or block updates to the current configuration.

Result:
The administrator confirms if this behavior is presented and continues with the section "Resolving The Problem".

Resolving The Problem

Administrators resolve the issue using the preferred method, find the next two options:

Option 1: Remove patch overrides and restart the agent

Navigate to the following directory:
C:\Program Files\IBM\WinCollect\patch
Delete any .xml files located in this folder.
Restart the IBM WinCollect Agent service

Open services.msc
Locate WinCollect service
Right-click > Restart

This clears any conflicting override files that may interfere with the active configuration.

Option 2: Manually update the AgentConfig.xml file

Open the following file with administrative privileges:
C:\ProgramData\WinCollect\Data\AgentConfig.xml

Replace the placeholder values with a valid hostname or IP address. For example:

<Parameter name="Name" value="WINCOLLECT-HOST01" />
<Parameter name="Identifier" value="WINCOLLECT-HOST01" />

Save the file and restart the WinCollect agent service.

Result:
Administrators can apply changes through the WinCollect interface without encountering the validation error. If the issue persists, contact QRadar Support for assistance.

Document Location

Worldwide

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