Windows Installation

Install the OpenTelemetry Collector directly on Windows as a Windows Service.

Overview

This PowerShell script deploys the Coralogix OpenTelemetry Collector as a Windows Service. It supports both regular mode (local config) and supervisor mode (remote config via Fleet Management).

Prerequisites

• Windows 10/11, Windows Server 2016 or later
• PowerShell 5.1 or later
• Administrator privileges
• Coralogix Send-Your-Data API key

Quick Start

Run the following command in an elevated PowerShell (Run as Administrator) to download the installer from GitHub and install with your config file:

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Config 'C:\path\to\your\config.yaml'

Replace <your-private-key> with your Send-Your-Data API key and C:\path\to\your\config.yaml with the path to your config file. Ensure the config file exists on the machine before running (e.g. create it in Notepad and save as C:\otel\config.yaml). Copy the command as a single line; the key must be in single quotes with a closing quote before the semicolon (e.g. 'your-key'; & $f).

Note: On Windows Server 2016 or older, prepend [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12; to the command so the download from GitHub succeeds (GitHub requires TLS 1.2+).

Note: For specific versions, see releases (look for otel-installer-v* tags).

Environment Variables

Required Variables

Automatically Set Variables

The installer automatically sets these environment variables for the collector service:

Variable	Default	Description
OTEL_MEMORY_LIMIT_MIB	512	Memory limit in MiB (set via -MemoryLimit parameter)
OTEL_LISTEN_INTERFACE	127.0.0.1	Network interface for receivers (set via -ListenInterface parameter)

To use these in your configuration file:

processors:
  memory_limiter:
    limit_mib: ${env:OTEL_MEMORY_LIMIT_MIB:-512}

receivers:
  otlp:
    protocols:
      grpc:
        endpoint: ${env:OTEL_LISTEN_INTERFACE:-127.0.0.1}:4317

Supported Platforms

Windows Versions

• Windows 10 (all editions)
• Windows 11 (all editions)
• Windows Server 2016 and later

Architectures

• x64 (amd64)
• ARM64

Install with Custom Configuration

To install with your own configuration file (script is downloaded from GitHub and run from temp):

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Config 'C:\path\to\config.yaml'

Install Specific Version

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Version 0.144.0

Install with Custom Memory Limit

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -MemoryLimit 2048

Note: Your configuration must reference ${env:OTEL_MEMORY_LIMIT_MIB} for this to take effect.

Install as Gateway (Listen on All Interfaces)

By default, the collector listens only on 127.0.0.1. To accept connections from other hosts (gateway mode):

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -ListenInterface 0.0.0.0

Note: Your configuration must reference ${env:OTEL_LISTEN_INTERFACE} for this to take effect.

Dynamic Metadata Parsing (IIS Logs)

Enable dynamic metadata parsing for file-based logs, such as IIS logs with header-based format detection:

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -EnableDynamicIISParsing

This option creates a storage directory at C:\ProgramData\OpenTelemetry\Collector\storage and runs the collector with --feature-gates=filelog.allowHeaderMetadataParsing. Only available in regular mode, not supervisor mode.

Note: If your configuration file uses the file_storage extension (e.g. for checkpoint state), you must also pass -EnableDynamicIISParsing so the installer creates the required storage directory. Without it, the service will fail to start with an error about the storage directory not existing.

Supervisor Mode

Supervisor mode enables remote configuration management through Coralogix Fleet Management.

Basic Installation

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_DOMAIN='<your-domain>'; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Supervisor

Note: Supervisor mode requires version 0.144.0 or higher (Windows MSI is available from this version). If the detected version is lower, the script will automatically use 0.144.0.

With Specific Versions

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_DOMAIN='<your-domain>'; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Supervisor -SupervisorVersion 0.144.0 -CollectorVersion 0.144.0

With Local MSI File

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_DOMAIN='<your-domain>'; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Supervisor -SupervisorMsi 'C:\path\to\opampsupervisor.msi'

With Custom Base Collector Config

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_DOMAIN='<your-domain>'; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Supervisor -SupervisorCollectorBaseConfig 'C:\path\to\collector.yaml'

The base config is merged with remote configuration from Fleet Manager. The config cannot contain the opamp extension (the supervisor manages the OpAMP connection).

Script Parameters

Installation Locations

Regular Mode

Supervisor Mode

Service Management

Regular Mode

## Check status
Get-Service otelcol-contrib

## View logs (Event Log)
Get-EventLog -LogName Application -Source otelcol-contrib -Newest 50

## Restart / Stop / Start
Restart-Service otelcol-contrib
Stop-Service otelcol-contrib
Start-Service otelcol-contrib

## Validate config
& "C:\Program Files\OpenTelemetry Collector\otelcol-contrib.exe" validate --config "C:\ProgramData\OpenTelemetry\Collector\config.yaml"

Supervisor Mode

## Check status
Get-Service opampsupervisor

## View logs
Get-EventLog -LogName Application -Source opampsupervisor -Newest 50 | Format-List

## Restart / Stop / Start
Restart-Service opampsupervisor
Stop-Service opampsupervisor
Start-Service opampsupervisor

## Check collector process (managed by supervisor)
Get-Process otelcol-contrib -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Viewing Configuration Files (Supervisor Mode)

## View effective config (actual config after merge with Fleet Management)
Get-Content "C:\ProgramData\opampsupervisor\state\effective.yaml"

Uninstall

Remove the collector while keeping configuration and logs (script is downloaded from GitHub and run):

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; & $f -Uninstall

Remove the collector and all data:

$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; & $f -Uninstall -Purge

Note: For regular mode, uninstall uses the Windows MSI uninstaller. You can also uninstall manually via Windows Settings > Apps > "OpenTelemetry Collector".

Configuration Behavior

Troubleshooting

Service Fails to Start

If the installer reports that the service failed to start, it will print recent errors from the Application Event Log. You can also run:

Get-EventLog -LogName Application -Source otelcol-contrib -Newest 20

Common causes:

• IIS receiver in config but IIS not installed: Remove the iis receiver (and its use in pipelines) from your config if the machine does not have the IIS role, or install the Web Server (IIS) role.
• file_storage extension but storage directory missing: Your config references file_storage but the storage directory does not exist. Re-run the installer with -EnableDynamicIISParsing to create C:\ProgramData\OpenTelemetry\Collector\storage automatically. The installer will detect and report this error specifically if the service fails to start.
• Invalid config: Run: & "C:\Program Files\OpenTelemetry Collector\otelcol-contrib.exe" validate --config "C:\ProgramData\OpenTelemetry\Collector\config.yaml"
• Missing env var: Ensure CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY is set for the service (the installer sets it; if you reconfigure manually, set it in the service’s environment).

SSL/TLS Connection Error (Windows Server 2016 and older)

If you encounter "The request was aborted: Could not create SSL/TLS secure channel" when running the installation script, your system may be defaulting to TLS 1.0. GitHub requires TLS 1.2.

Optional fix for affected versions: On Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, or older Windows 10, enable TLS 1.2 before downloading:

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
$u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Config 'C:\path\to\config.yaml'

Script Execution Policy

If you get execution policy errors:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Or run with bypass:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command { $u='https://github.com/coralogix/telemetry-shippers/releases/latest/download/coralogix-otel-collector.ps1'; $f="$env:TEMP\coralogix-otel-collector.ps1"; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $u -OutFile $f -UseBasicParsing; $env:CORALOGIX_PRIVATE_KEY='<your-private-key>'; & $f -Config 'C:\otel\config.yaml' }

Administrator Privileges

The script requires administrator privileges. Right-click PowerShell and choose Run as Administrator, then run the install command again.

Additional Resources

Support

Need help?

Our world-class customer success team is available 24/7 to walk you through your setup and answer any questions that may come up.

Feel free to reach out to us via our in-app chat or by sending us an email at [email protected].