- Use the Hotfix Installer to install updates for Configuration Manager
- Overview of hotfixes for Configuration Manager
- How to install updates
- Update servers
- Update a site
- Update a site database
- Update a computer that runs the SMS Provider
- Update clients
- Update Configuration Manager consoles
- Deploy updates for Configuration Manager
- Use Updates Publisher 2011 to install updates
- Use software deployment to install updates
- Create collections for deploying updates to Configuration Manager
Use the Hotfix Installer to install updates for Configuration Manager
Applies to: Configuration Manager (current branch)
Some updates for Configuration Manager are not available from the Microsoft cloud service and are only obtained out-of-band. An example is a limited release hotfix to address a specific issue.
When you must install an update (or hotfix) that you receive from Microsoft, and that update has a file name that ends with the extension .exe (not update.exe), you use the hotfix installer that is included with that hotfix download to install the update directly to the Configuration Manager site server.
If the hotfix file has the .update.exe file extension, see Use the Update Registration Tool to import hotfixes to Configuration Manager.
This topic provides general guidance about how to install hotfixes that update Configuration Manager. For details about a specific update, refer to its corresponding Knowledge Base (KB) article at Microsoft Support.
Overview of hotfixes for Configuration Manager
Hotfixes for Configuration Manager are similar to those for other Microsoft products, such as SQL Server, contain either one individual fix or a bundle (a rollup of fixes), and are described in a Microsoft Knowledge Base article.
Individual updates include a single focused update for a specific version of Configuration Manager.
Update bundles include multiple updates for a specific version of Configuration Manager.
When an update is a bundle, you cannot install individual updates from that bundle.
If you plan to create deployments to install updates on additional computers, you must install the update bundle on a central administration site server or primary site server.
The following happens when you run the update bundle:
It extracts the update files for each applicable component from the update bundle.
Starts a wizard that guides you through a process to configure the updates and deployment options for the updates.
After you complete the wizard, the updates in the bundle that apply to the site server are installed on the site server.
The wizard also creates deployments that you can use to install the updates on additional computers. You deploy the updates to additional computers by using a supported deployment method, such as a software deployment package or Microsoft System Center Updates Publisher 2011.
When the wizard runs, it creates a .cab file on the site server for use with Updates Publisher 2011. Optionally, you can configure the wizard to also create one or more packages for software deployment. You can use these deployments to install updates on components, such as clients or the Configuration Manager console. You can also install updates manually on computers that do not run the Configuration Manager client.
The following three groups in Configuration Manager can be updated:
Configuration Manager server roles, which include:
Central administration site
Remote SMS Provider
Configuration Manager console
Configuration Manager client
Updates for site system roles (including updates for the site database and cloud-based distribution points) are installed as part of the update for site servers and services by the site component manager.
However, updates pull-distribution points are serviced by distribution manager instead of the site component manager.
Each update bundle for Configuration Manager is a self-extractable .exe file (SFX) that contains the files that are necessary to install the update on the applicable components of Configuration Manager. Typically, the SFX file can contain the following files:
| File | Details |
|---|---|
| This is the update file. The command line for this file is managed by Updatesetup.exe. For example: | |
| Updatesetup.exe | This .msi wrapper manages the installation of the update bundle. When you run the update, Updatesetup.exe detects the display language of the computer where it runs. By default, the user interface for the update is in English. However, when the display language is supported, the user interface displays in the computer’s local language. |
| License_ .rtf | When applicable, each update contains one or more license files for supported languages. |
| When the update applies to the Configuration Manager console or clients, the update bundle includes separate Windows Installer patch (.msp) files. Configuration Manager console update: ConfigMgr1511-AdminUI-KB1234567-i386.msp Client update: ConfigMgr1511-client-KB1234567-i386.msp |
By default, the update bundle logs its actions to a .log file on the site server. The log file has the same name as the update bundle and is written to the %SystemRoot%/Temp folder.
When you run the update bundle, it extracts a file with the same name as the update bundle to a temporary folder on the computer, and then runs Updatesetup.exe. Updatesetup.exe starts the Software Update for Configuration Manager
As applicable to the scope of the update, the wizard creates a series of folders under the Configuration Manager installation folder on the site server. The folder structure resembles the following:
\\ \SMS_ \Hotfix\ \ \
The following table provides details about the folders in the folder structure:
| Folder name | More information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This is the name of the site server where you run the update bundle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SMS_ | This is the share name of the Configuration Manager installation folder. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This is the ID number of the Knowledge Base article for this update bundle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| These are the types of updates for Configuration Manager. The wizard creates a separate folder for each type of update that is contained in the update bundle. The folder names represent the update types. They include the following: Server: Includes updates to site servers, site database servers, and computers that run the SMS Provider. Client: Includes updates to the Configuration Manager client. AdminConsole: Includes updates to the Configuration Manager console In addition to the preceding update types, the wizard creates a folder named SCUP. This folder does not represent an update type, but instead contains the .cab file for Updates Publisher. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is a platform-specific folder. It contains update files that are specific to a type of processor. These folders include: How to install updatesTo install updates, you must first install the update bundle on a site server. When you install an update bundle, it starts an install wizard for that update. This wizard does the following: Extracts the update files Helps you to configure deployments Installs applicable updates on the server components of the local computer After you install the update bundle on a site server, you can then update additional components for Configuration Manager. The following table describes update actions for these various components:
You can deploy updates only to computers that run the Configuration Manager client. If you reinstall a client, Configuration Manager console, or SMS Provider, you must also reinstall the updates for these components. Use the information in the following sections to install updates on the each of the components for Configuration Manager. Update serversUpdates for servers can include updates for sites, the site database, and computers that run an instance of the SMS Provider: Update a siteTo update a Configuration Manager site, you can install the update bundle directly on the site server, or you can deploy the updates to a site server after you install the update bundle on a different site. When you install an update on a site server, the update installation process manages additional actions that are required to apply the update, such as updating site system roles. The exception to this is the site database. The following section contains information about how to update the site database. Update a site databaseTo update the site database, the installation process runs a file named update.sql on the site database. You can configure the update process to automatically update the site database, or you can manually update the site database later. Automatic Update of the Site Database When you install the update bundle on a site server, you can choose to automatically update the site database when the server update is installed. This decision applies only to the site server where you install the update bundle and does not apply to deployments that are created to install the updates on remote site servers. When you choose to automatically update the site database, the process updates a database regardless whether the database is located on the site server or on a remote computer. Before you update the site database, create a backup of the site database. You cannot uninstall an update to the site database. For information about how to create a backup for Configuration Manager, see Backup and recovery for Configuration Manager. Manual Update of the Site Database If you choose not to automatically update the site database when you install the update bundle on the site server, the server update does not modify the database on the site server where the update bundle runs. However, deployments that use the package that is created for software deployment or that installs always update the site database. When the update includes updates to both the site server and the site database, the update is not functional until the update is completed for both the site server and site database. Until the update is applied to the site database, the site is in an unsupported state. To manually update a site database: On the site server stop the SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER service, and then stop the SMS_EXECUTIVE service. Close the Configuration Manager console. Run the update script named update.sql on that site’s database. For information about how to run a script to update a SQL Server database, see the documentation for the version of SQL Server that you use for your site database server. Restart services that were stopped in previous steps. When the update bundle installs, it extracts update.sql to the following location on the site server: \\ \SMS_ \Hotfix\ \update.sql Update a computer that runs the SMS ProviderAfter you install an update bundle that includes updates for the SMS Provider, you must deploy the update to each computer that runs the SMS Provider. The only exception to this is the instance of the SMS Provider that was previously installed on the site server where you install the update bundle. The local instance of the SMS Provider on the site server is updated when you install the update bundle. If you remove and then reinstall the SMS Provider on a computer, you must then reinstall the update for the SMS Provider on that computer. Update clientsWhen you install an update that includes updates for the Configuration Manager client, you are presented with the option to automatically upgrade clients with the update installation, or manually upgrade clients at a later time. For more information about automatic client upgrade, see How to upgrade clients for Windows computers. You can deploy updates with Updates Publisher or a software deployment package, or you can choose to manually install the update on each client. For more information about how to use deployments to install updates, see the Deploy updates for Configuration Manager section in this topic. When you install updates for clients and the update bundle includes updates for servers, be sure to also install the server updates on the primary site to which the clients are assigned. To manually install the client update, on each Configuration Manager client, you must run Msiexec.exe and reference the platform-specific client update .msp file. For example, you can use the following command line for a client update. This command line runs MSIEXEC on the client computer and references the .msp file that the update bundle extracted on the site server: msiexec.exe /p \\ \SMS_ \Hotfix\ \Client\ \ /L*v REINSTALLMODE=mous REINSTALL=ALL Update Configuration Manager consolesTo update a Configuration Manager console, you must install the update on the computer that runs the console after the console installation is finished. When you install updates for the Configuration Manager console, and the update bundle includes updates for servers, be sure to also install the server updates on the site that you use with the Configuration Manager console. If the computer that you update runs the Configuration Manager client: You can use a deployment to install the update. For more information about how to use deployments to install updates, see the Deploy updates for Configuration Manager section in this topic. If you are logged directly on to the client computer, you can run the installation interactively. You can manually install the update on each computer. To manually install the Configuration Manager console update, on each computer that runs the Configuration Manager console, you can run Msiexec.exe and reference the Configuration Manager console update .msp file. For example, you can use the following command line to update a Configuration Manager console. This command line runs MSIEXEC on the computer and references the .msp file that the update bundle extracted on the site server: msiexec.exe /p \\ \SMS_ \Hotfix\ \AdminConsole\ \ /L*v REINSTALLMODE=mous REINSTALL=ALL Deploy updates for Configuration ManagerAfter you install the update bundle on a site server, you can use one of the following three methods to deploy updates to additional computers. Use Updates Publisher 2011 to install updatesWhen you install the update bundle on a site server, the installation Wizard creates a catalog file for Updates Publisher that you can use to deploy the updates to applicable computers. The wizard always creates this catalog, even when you select the option Use package and program to deploy this update. The catalog for Updates Publisher is named SCUPCatalog.cab and can be found in the following location on the computer where the update bundle runs: \\ \SMS_ \Hotfix\ \SCUP\SCUPCatalog.cab Because the SCUPCatalog.cab file is created by using paths that are specific to the site server where the update bundle is installed, it cannot be used on other site servers. After the wizard is finished, you can import the catalog to Updates Publisher, and then use Configuration Manager software updates to deploy the updates. For information about Updates Publisher, see Updates Publisher 2011. Use the following procedure to import the SCUPCatalog.cab file to Updates Publisher and publish the updates. To import the updates to Updates Publisher 2011Start the Updates Publisher console and click Import. On the Import Type page of the Import Software Updates Catalog Wizard, select Specify the path to the catalog to import, and then specify the SCUPCatalog.cab file. Click Next, and then click Next again. In the Security Warning — Catalog Validation dialog box, click Accept. Close the wizard after it is finished. In the Updates Publisher console, select the update that you want to deploy, and then click Publish. On the Publish Options page of the Publish Software Updates Wizard, select Full Content, and then click Next. Complete the wizard to publish the updates. Use software deployment to install updatesWhen you install the update bundle on the site server of a primary site or central administration site, you can configure the installation Wizard to create update packages for software deployment. You can then deploy each package to a collection of computers that you want to update. To create a software deployment package, on the Configure Software Update Deployment page of the wizard, select the check box for each update package type that you want to update. The available types can include servers, Configuration Manager consoles, and clients. A separate package is created for each type of update that you select. The package for servers contains updates for the following components:
Next, on the Configure Software Update Deployment Method page of the wizard, select the option I will use software distribution. This selection directs the wizard to create the software deployment packages. After the wizard is finished, you can view the packages that it creates in the Configuration Manager console in the Packages node in the Software Library workspace. You can then use your standard process to deploy software packages to Configuration Manager clients. When a package runs on a client, it installs the updates to the applicable components of Configuration Manager on the client computer. For information about how to deploy packages to Configuration Manager clients, see Packages and programs. Create collections for deploying updates to Configuration ManagerYou can deploy specific updates to applicable clients. The following information can help you to create device collections for the different components for Configuration Manager.
To update a site database, deploy the update to the site server for that site. For information about how to create collections, see How to create collections. |
