File-based Discovery issue resolution

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated March 25, 2026
  • 1 minute to read
  • If you have any issues while setting up or running File-based Discovery, follow the actions listed here to help resolve them.

    Issue Cause/Action
    Error message: File Discovery data not yet synced...
    • Allow Content Data Service (CDS) time to synchronize the samp_file_* tables. Initial synchronization can take approximately 24 hours.
    • Review the Data Services: Download Schedules (cds_client_schedule) table to check if the timestamp has been updated for “samp_file_*” tables.
    File-based Discovery is not triggered during discovery.
    • Feature has not been enabled. Check the Discovery Definition Configuration Console and verify that File-based Discovery is enabled.
    • Interval between scans is too long. Check the interval setting on the Discovery Definition Configuration Console.
    File-based Discovery is not triggered during discovery. Check the Internal properties managed by the Discovery [discovery_private_properties] table for the following items. To view this table, enter discovery_private_properties.list in the navigation filter and press Enter.
    • File_discovery.file_extensions_windows should contain a list of Windows file extensions to be scanned.
    • File_discovery.unix_filename_timestamp should be something other than 1970 timestamp.
    • File_discovery_windows_filename.timestamp should be something other than 1970 timestamp.

    If either timestamp shows 1970, CDS content hasn't downloaded yet. To trigger an immediate download, navigate to the Data Services: Download Schedules (cds_client_schedule) table and search for records where the Table field is samp_file_name, samp_file_map, or samp_file_set. Open each record and select Execute Now. To verify the download, navigate to System Logs > Outbound HTTP Requests and confirm the Response status is 200 for requests where the URL hostname is sncdataservices.service-now.com.

    Errors in MID Server log from FileDiscoveryFilter or MID Server issue created.
    • Check if the File-based discovery inclusion list exists. The inclusion list is in the MID Server installation folder in /agent/work. If it does not exist, the synchronization did not succeed.
    • Review the MID Server record on the instance to see if a MID Server issue was created.
    • MID Server uses the GetMIDInfo scripted soap service to synchronize the inclusion list. See if errors are generated from this script.
    • Select the File discovery filter refresh Related Link in the MID Server record to synchronize the file names to this MID Server.
    PowerShell errors
    • Include the script in your anti-virus software.
    • Add ServiceNow publisher to your trusted publisher repository.