Lansweeper Agent - Automatic Update???

[helpdesk1]

In fact our LS agents do not update themselves automatically...

In our report, all versions are still indicated with 7.x. But we have already installed Lansweeper Server 8.20.x ...
Is there a wiki and / or a howto on how the clients (all Windows) update themselves automatically?

as hoanv9 already mentioned in a post in 2018:
BTW, for normal windows, the user don't have the permission to install software by themself. Pls also consider about that.

Please help about this, because we have hundreds of Clients...

[CHale]

I have to admit that this wasn't cool, and also that it was my fault for not more clearly reading the Release Notes. We had the LSagent deployed on a number of servers, thankfully nothing critical, and had to run through all of them for reboots. I went ahead and removed LSagent (which often stops reporting in anyway if there's an Lansweeper scanner on the same LAN) as soon as this happened.

Shame on me for not reading the release notes appropriately, but just deploying .NET to my boxes was not cool.

[Bruce_B · Accepted solution]

Hi, just to address some concerns and questions:

LsAgent not updating automatically

LsAgent for Windows can update itself when scanning direct to server or via the relay. However, keep in mind that the LsAgent version is not directly related to the Lansweeper version. Our latest LsAgent will in most cases not have the same version number as Lansweeper. As the OP described a version 8.2, this version corresponds with a 7.2 LsAgent version, you can find the list of Lansweeper versions and their corresponding LsAgent client version on our changelog page.

The latest LsAgents were not always immediately updateable via the relay, but they were when connecting direct to server. This is because of a delay on our part for making the agent available on the relay server itself.

LsAgent removing itself (from add/remove programs)

This was a bug in LsAgent release version 8.4.100.142 and 8.4.100.144. It has been resolved in the latest version, 8.100.149. This version can be automatically updated to by updating Lansweeper to version 8.4.110.3.

Keep in mind that LsAgent didn't actually delete or uninstall itself. What happened is that the service cleaned up its own registry entries due to a version mismatch. Outside of that the agent was fully functional.

LsAgent installing .NET Framework 4.8

As of LsAgent version 8.x (corresponding Lansweeper version 8.4.100), the minimum .NET Framework required for the agent is 4.8. This means that:

• Some operating systems are no longer supported, e.g. vanilla Windows 8, very early Windows 10 builds
  
• When a lower .NET framework is found, the agent tries to update .NET before updating itself (connecting to microsoft.com)
  
• A reboot may be required post installation before the agent is functional. This reboot requirement is detected by Microsoft's installer and is dependent on whether or not updated libraries were in use at the time of installation.
  

We published this updated .NET requirement in our knowledgebase and specifically mentioned it in our changelog when version 8.4.100.9 was released:

Changed: LAN-8239 To strengthen security and to allow for the implementation of new scanning technologies, LsAgent for Windows now requires .NET Framework 4.8 to be installed on the client machine. If not already present, LsAgent will automatically try to install .NET 4.8.

https://www.lansweeper.com/knowledgebase/lsagent-installation-requirements/

[antoine_evrard]

LsAgent for Windows can update itself when scanning direct to server or via the relay.

What about updating automatically the Linux agent ?

[FrankSc]

Antoine EVRARD (Stormshield) wrote:

LsAgent for Windows can update itself when scanning direct to server or via the relay.

What about updating automatically the Linux agent ?

At the moment the Windows client is the only one that is updating automatically. Updating the Linux and MAC client is on the wish list. We gave this an extra vote. Hopefully this is something we can do in the future.

[opoplawski]

FrankSc wrote:

Antoine EVRARD (Stormshield) wrote:

LsAgent for Windows can update itself when scanning direct to server or via the relay.

What about updating automatically the Linux agent ?

At the moment the Windows client is the only one that is updating automatically. Updating the Linux and MAC client is on the wish list. We gave this an extra vote. Hopefully this is something we can do in the future.

You can have my vote for Linux/macOS auto update as well.

[helpdesk1]

I am a little surprised that there is no "official" statement from those responsible for Lansweeper ...
Is that the service concept that is reflected in the annual subscription prices?
I don't want to appear malicious, but my question here is not that trivial !!

[dbsooner09]

I got word from a support ticket that this issue with the agent removing itself is a bug in the latest release. Im not sure if it's to do with the auto-update issue as well or if that is just something else that I happened to notice at this same time. The bug will be addressed with the next release.

[dbsooner09]

I checked on a system of my own and I have the new version of .NET. I did a reboot and did notice that the folder still exists and the service is running. It almost looks like the lsagent is running as a service now and not a program visible in add/remove? That would explain why we are seeing them "uninstall" from systems. I run a dynamic group that is based on "is a program installed not like lsagent" and that is what I am seeing climb in numbers and when looking in add/remove programs its not there anymore, but as I said, the service is running on said system.

[CHale]

Are the endpoints being rebooted? I noticed that .Net 4.8 was installed on all of my endpoints that had the agent installed. This required a system reboot before the LSAgent would complete it's update process.

In other news I was really frustrated (with myself mostly) that I didn't catch the .Net 4.8 installation. I would have removed the majority of the LSAgent server installs I had prior to the upgrade.