Control Access install - remove duplicates

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Hello,

We use an imaging service to manage our new machines. When we image a laptop, we include the Access install file so as to enable remote control easily. When we re-image a laptop that had Access already installed, it re-installs just fine but it creates a duplicate entry in our Control hub. The old installs are duds and never reconnect to the machine. They are easy to clear out but this is time consuming. Please add a way to have the install file check for a duplicate and either delete the old session or reconnect the install to the old connection.

Thank you!

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jon

Its insane that this thread for something easy for them to add goes unanswered for 5+ years. 

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1
David Hudec
Quote from nathan levandowski

How are you running a report on duplicate serial numbers? Can it be done with ScreenConnect alone or are you using other tools?

Install the Report Manager extension

Image 1196



Once you have the report manager installed you can find it by clicking the admin tab > extras blocks at the bottom > report manager

Build a new report with the following settings:
Aggregation Type: Grouped
Report Type: Session
Group Fields: GuestMachineSerialNumber
Select Fields: Count
Filter: SessionType = 'Access' AND NOT IsEnded
Aggregate Filter: Count >1
Item Limit: Currently set at 10,000 but we only have ~ 900 devices so doesn't matter

Image 1197



Save it and then at the top is run options you can either download as a csv or get a download link

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nathan levandowski
Quote from David Hudec

Best solution I have for this so far is to have a report that is based on duplicate serial numbers - whenever I see device count getting above what I would typically see as normal I run the report and pull the old devices. Having an option to replace if serial numbers match would be awesome

How are you running a report on duplicate serial numbers? Can it be done with ScreenConnect alone or are you using other tools?

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David Hudec
Quote from nathan levandowski

Also having problems with many duplicate access clients. When computer are reimaged and the client is reinstalled, it creates a duplicate with the same name instead of merging or replacing the old one.

Best solution I have for this so far is to have a report that is based on duplicate serial numbers - whenever I see device count getting above what I would typically see as normal I run the report and pull the old devices. Having an option to replace if serial numbers match would be awesome

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nathan levandowski

Also having problems with many duplicate access clients. When computer are reimaged and the client is reinstalled, it creates a duplicate with the same name instead of merging or replacing the old one.

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Kevin Boutelle
Quote from Alex Heylin

Just by renaming the machine from the GUI. I thought this just worked - perhaps I'm wrong. I'd need to test to be sure.

We do not use the CW GUI to rename computers. We use a process that is typical for an AD centric IT department. As part of the deployment/preparation for an end user, the built in processes for renaming a Windows workstation are used. This is to ensure that AD/AzureAD are satisfied with proper renaming processes. Since AD is our focus and must absolutely be correct, we would not employ any external method for renaming. Using this method, CW is not satisfied and does not reuse existing sessions. 

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Alex Heylin
Quote from Kevin Boutelle

How are you doing renames? We see dupes after we rename systems. The old name persists as a separate session. 

Just by renaming the machine from the GUI. I thought this just worked - perhaps I'm wrong. I'd need to test to be sure.

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Kevin Boutelle
Quote from Alex Heylin

In fairness, SC deals with a machine being renamed OK - and fairly quickly.  Reinstalls of the OS / SC aren't deduplicated though. This should probably be a controllable option, which defaults to deduplicating but can be set to still operate the old way. 

How are you doing renames? We see dupes after we rename systems. The old name persists as a separate session. 

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Alex Heylin
Quote from Kevin Boutelle

As Alex said above, 2 years ago, there are several unique items about every computer that could be used to ascertain that it is in fact the same system. Reconnecting a machine that was reimaged (or just renamed) to an existing session is the preferable method. 

In fairness, SC deals with a machine being renamed OK - and fairly quickly.  Reinstalls of the OS / SC aren't deduplicated though. This should probably be a controllable option, which defaults to deduplicating but can be set to still operate the old way. 

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Kevin Boutelle

As Alex said above, 2 years ago, there are several unique items about every computer that could be used to ascertain that it is in fact the same system. Reconnecting a machine that was reimaged (or just renamed) to an existing session is the preferable method. 



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