Error activating agent session 0: Invalid pointer (-2147477261)

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

After a push of the Altiris Agent, the Installation Status Report says that the agent successfully installed, although the Agent doesn't come up in the System Tray (even though it was configured to do so).

If it is run from the Start Menu -> All Programs -> Altiris -> Altiris Agent, the attached error is received in a dialogue box labelled 'AeXAgentActivate':

Error activating agent session 0: Invalid pointer (-2147477261)

NOTE: The issue does not appear to affect functionality but seems to be focused around the agent UI as the Altiris Agent service was started and logging entries were appearing as expected.

Cause

In this case the problem was in the fact that were some machines on the network that still had a previous version Altiris Agent installed and configured to report to a redundant NS.
 
The redundant server had been de-commisioned and had a different name to the new NS.

When the agent was pushed to a client that had one of the redundant Altiris Agents installed this is what caused the issue.

Resolution

If the issue is only occuring on a hand-full of clients run through the below steps:

(i) Run the below command to clean the currently installed agent:

"c:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\AeXAgentUtil.exe" /clean

(ii) Re-install the Altiris Agent to the relevant client(s) via Push or Pull method

If the issue is occuring across a client base you could use numerous methods, the below suggestion is one example (Please note DS is mentioned here as part of the suggestion and aclient would need to be installed on client base):

(1) Enable the 'Altiris Agent Uninstall' policy under:

Configuration -> Altiris Agent -> Altiris Agent Uninstall ->

NOTE1: Please ensure that you disable any of the Altiris Agent rollout policies, including the scheduled task push under 'Altiris Agent Installation'
NOTE2: If you still have the redundant NS still connected on your network, please ensure that you change the startup type to Manual for the Altiris Service and stop this service

(2) Create a Windows Script job in DS and modify it to contain the below command applying it to relevant machines:

"c:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\AeXAgentUtil.exe" /clean

NOTE: The above script is assuming that you have installed your agents to the default location.....

(3) Lastly after you have monitored the completion of the above script run a 'Discover Computers' and schedule a push via the 'Altiris Agent Installation' page.

As per always I would run through the above on a sample collection of 10 or so machines (that ideally had experienced the issue previously with the Agent) to ensure that the above does work well before rolling it out across the board.

Applies To
NS 6 SP3