--- title: "File System Scanner Agent Configuration - Windows" slug: "fortanix-key-insight-file-system-scanner-agent-configuration-windows" updated: 2026-06-16T14:16:56Z published: 2026-06-16T14:16:56Z canonical: "support.fortanix.com/fortanix-key-insight-file-system-scanner-agent-configuration-windows" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.fortanix.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # File System Scanner Agent Configuration - Windows ## 1.0 Introduction This article describes the minimum configuration requirements needed to successfully scan file system resources in an on-premises environment using the File System Scanner Agent on the **Windows** platform. It also describes: - How to install the File System Scanner Agent. - How to configure the scanner through the configuration file parameters. - How to execute the File System Scanner Agent. *For detailed information on the File System infrastructure, refer to* [*File System*](/v1/docs/fortanix-key-insight-on-premises-file-system)*.* ## 2.0 Scanning Permissions *For detailed information on on-premises connection scanning permissions, refer to* [*On-premises Connection Permissions*](/v1/docs/fortanix-key-insight-on-premises-connection-permissions). ## 3.0 Prerequisites The following are the prerequisites to configure a File System Scanner Agent on the Windows platform: - **Fortanix On-premises Scanner**: Ensure that the Fortanix On-premises Scanner ( `fortanix-scanner` ) package, which acts as the central service, is installed, configured, and running. It communicates with Fortanix Key Insight and with the File System Scanner Agents. When the file system scanning service (`accumulator`) is enabled, this package starts a local HTTPS server to receive data from the agents. *For detailed information on Fortanix On-premises Scanner installation and configuration, refer to* [*On-premises Scanner Configuration*](/v1/docs/fortanix-key-insight-on-premises-scanner-configuration)*.* - **Server Specifications** - The server hosting the scanner must have **at least** **2 virtual Central Processing Units (vCPUs)** allocated. - The server must have a **minimum of** **8 GB** of **Random Access Memory (RAM)** to support the scanner. - The server should have **at least** **20 GB** of **storage capacity** for temporarily storing scanned data. - **Operating System and Libraries** - Supported operating systems include Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022. - **Network Requirements** > [!NOTE] > NOTE > > The File System Scanner Agent does not expose any ports. It only initiates outbound connections to the `fortanix-scanner` service. - **Outbound (File System Scanner Agent → Fortanix On-premises Scanner):** File System Scanner Agent must be able to establish Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections to the Fortanix On-premises Scanner’s host and port, as defined in the configuration file. ## 4.0 File System Scanner Agent Installation and Configuration You must install the File System Scanner Agent package on a Windows machine to manage your File System resources on Windows. > [!NOTE] > NOTE > > You **must start the** `fortanix-scanner` **service** before executing the File System Scanner Agent. If the `fortanix-scanner` service is not running, the File System Scanner Agent will fail with an error when attempting to register a new scan. Perform the following steps: 1. [Download](https://fortanix.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/41120565006868-Fortanix-Key-Insight-On-premises-File-System-Scanner-for-Windows) and open the Microsoft Installer File (`msi`) file. 2. On the **Fortanix KI Filesystem Scanner Setup** dialog box, read through the scanner license agreement and select the check box to accept the terms. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/c3bd85d2-4ad8-4d85-9f60-f1c168a3aad9/Images/Documentation/KI_FS Scanner.png) **Figure 1: Install the Scanner Package** 3. Click **Install** to proceed with the installation. 4. After the installation completes, click **Finish** to close the installer. The scanner is installed in the default directory, `C:\Program Files\Fortanix\KI\`. 5. Generate and configure the File System Scanner Agent configuration file as described in [*File System Scanner Agent Configuration File*](/v1/docs/fortanix-key-insight-file-system-scanner-agent-configuration-file)*.* 6. Start the scanning process as described in [*Section 5.0: Run the File System Scanner Agent*](/v1/docs/fortanix-key-insight-file-system-scanner-agent-configuration-windows#50-run-the-file-system-scanner-agent). > [!NOTE] > NOTE > > To upgrade the package on Windows, download the latest installer (`.msi`) and run it. The installer automatically replaces the previous version and no manual uninstallation is required. ## 5.0 Run the File System Scanner Agent After the File System Scanner Agent is configured, it must be run from an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell session as **Administrator**. Perform the following steps to execute the File System Scanner Agent: 1. Open the command prompt and run the following command to navigate to the scanner installation directory: ```powershell cd "C:\Program Files\Fortanix\KI" ``` 2. Run the following command to execute the scanner: ```powershell FortanixFSScanner.exe --config-file ``` Where, `<path-to-config.yaml>` is the full path to your scanner configuration file. For example: `C:\Program Files\Fortanix\KI\conf\config.yaml`. > [!NOTE] > NOTE > > - Restart the scanner after modifying the configuration file for changes to take effect. > - If the scan is interrupted or closed, the next scan will start from the beginning. > - To stop the scanner when running in Command Prompt, press **Ctrl + C** in the same console window. ## 6.0 Troubleshooting *Refer to* [*On-premises Connection Troubleshooting*](/v1/docs/fortanix-key-insight-on-premises-connection-troubleshooting) *for guidance on troubleshooting steps for common issues encountered while configuring and running Fortanix Key Insight in on-premises environments.* The File System Scanner Agent is installed on servers that require scanning. It navigates through local file systems to detect and extract metadata related to cryptographic materials, such as keys and certificates. The scanner securely collects this data and shares it with the Fortanix On-premises Scanner, which aggregates and analyzes the findings within Fortanix Key Insight. This process provides centralized visibility and facilitates effective compliance management.