Windows Installation

This article guides you through the installation process for the Insight Agent on your assets if you are using the Windows Operating System.

Still need to download the installer? See the Download and Installation overview page for instructions on how to download the correct installer for the operating system of your intended asset.

Requirements

Before proceeding with the installation, verify that your intended asset is running a supported operating system and meets the connectivity requirements. If your organization also uses endpoint protection software, ensure that the Insight Agent is allowed to run when detected.

The Insight Agent installer supports proxy definitions. If you need to direct your Insight Agents to send data through a proxy before reaching the Insight Platform, see the Proxy Configuration page for instructions

Install the Insight Agent on the Collector

As with the rest of the endpoints on your network, you must install the Insight Agent on the Collector if you want to have data on that host. The Collector is not an Insight Agent on its own.

Windows is the only operating system that supports installation of the Insight Agent through both a GUI-based wizard and the command line. The following section covers both installation options.

Install using a Token

Install using the Wizard

The installation wizard guides you through the setup process and automatically downloads the configuration files to the default directories.

Custom locations for configuration files

If you want to store the configuration files in a custom location, you’ll need to install the Insight Agent using the command line.

To install the Insight Agent using the wizard:

  1. Run the .msi installer.
  2. Follow the prompts to install the Insight Agent.
  3. When the Agent Pairing screen appears, select the Pair using a Token option.
  4. Enter your token in the provided field.
  5. Advance through the remaining screens to complete the installation process. The Insight Agent will be installed as a service and appear with the name Rapid7 Insight Agent in your service manager.

What if I wasn’t prompted to enter my token?

If the Agent Pairing screen does not appear during the wizard, the installer may have detected existing dependencies for the Insight Agent on your asset. To resolve this issue, delete any of those files manually and try running the installer again.

Install using the command line
Running the Windows installer from the command line allows you to specify a custom path for the Insight Agent’s dependencies, configure any Insight Agent attributes for InsightVM, and perform a silent installation.

The following example command utilizes these flags:

  • CUSTOMCONFIGPATH - The absolute path where the installer downloads its dependencies.
    • If you specify this path as a network share, the installer must have write access in order to place the files. Additionally, any local folder specified here must be a writable location that already exists.
  • CUSTOMTOKEN - The token you generated and copied from the Insight Agent download panel.
    • Note that the token flag is always required. If the token is not specified, the installer will have no way to download the necessary dependencies.

Token `CUSTOMCONFIGPATH` functionality

Unlike its usage with the Certificate Package installer, the CUSTOMCONFIGPATH flag has a different function when used with the Token installer. In this example, the path you specify establishes the target directory where the installer will download and place its necessary configuration files.

If you omit this flag from your command line operation, all configuration files will download to the current directory of the installer.

To perform a silent installation of a token installer with a custom path, run the following command in a comment prompt.

 
1
msiexec /i agentInstaller-<installerType>.msi /l*v insight_agent_install_log.log CUSTOMCONFIGPATH=<target-directory-for-dependencies> CUSTOMTOKEN=<regionalID:UUID> /quiet

In the command, specify this information where indicated:

  • <installerType> - Specify x86_64 for most Windows architectures, or arm64 for Windows ARM64.
  • <target-directory-for-dependencies> - Specify your custom path.
  • <regionalID:UUID> - Specify your custom token.

The Insight Agent will be installed as a service and appear with the name Rapid7 Insight Agent in your service manager.

Install using the Certificate Package

Certificate Package SSL errors

Due to additional support added for the Insight Agent, deploying with Insight Agent certificate packages older than October 2023 can lead to SSL errors. Ensure all deployments use certificate packages downloaded after this date to safeguard our systems. You can download the latest certificate package from insight.rapid7.com > Data Collection Management > Agent Installer.

To successfully install the Insight Agent, ensure that the certificate and configuration files are in the same directory as the installer before you start the installation process. This also applies when reinstalling the Insight Agent using the installation wizard and the certificate package installer.

To install the Insight Agent using the Certificate Package on Windows assets:

  1. Fully extract the contents of your Certificate Package ZIP file. Make sure that the .msi installer and its dependencies are in the same directory.
  2. Run the .msi installer with Run As Administrator. The Insight Agent will be installed as a service and appear with the name "Rapid7 Insight Agent" in your service manager.
Silent installation on Windows

Administrator privileges required

Your command prompt must have administrator privileges in order to perform a silent installation.

If you want to perform a silent installation of the Insight Agent, you can do so by running one of the following commands on the command line according to your system architecture:

For 32-bit installers and systems: msiexec /i agentInstaller-x86.msi /quiet

For 64-bit installers and systems: msiexec /i agentInstaller-x86_64.msi /quiet

For ARM64 installers and systems: msiexec /i agentInstaller-arm64.msi /quiet

Advanced installation options

The Insight Agent has multiple advanced options for customization. Read more about these in our advanced installation options overview.