All about updating WSSv3 and MOSS2007

As repeatedly asked and apparently still confusing the IT folks,  I’ll post some information’s and what to consider how, during and while updating WSSv3 and MOSS 2007.

1. Support Life Cycle: 
   As already announced you should be aware of the retirement of SP1 for WSSv3 which also affects MOSS as it relies on WSSv3
2. WSS/MOSS SP2 requirement / mandatory now!
   
   NOTE!  SP2 for WSS and MOSS is now mandatory for all additional cumulative updates starting on august 2010 CU, as these are not containing other updates prior SP2!  Also the language pack SP2 is mandatory now!
   Please consider the correct installation order and install always first all updates for the according language packs and then the WSS and MOSS updates!
3. Backup your Farm/Servers!
   It should be mandatory but anyway it is highly recommended that you perform a Full and complete backup of your whole SharePoint Farm and the SQL Server.
   This can be done in either using the following steps:
   – Go to “Central Admin Page – Operations – Backup and Restore – Perform a backup” and select a complete backup
   – Go to SQL Server and perform on Management Studio a database backup of all your content databases
   – Use the operating system function “ntbackup” (Server 2003) or “Windows Server Backup” (Server 2008) and choose “FULL” (including System state)
   
   NOTE! 
   Usually it is not supported to restore the configuration database and therefore not relevant to backup it.
   There is only one exception but not relevant for this topic here. Please check here for more information if required:  Move all Databases (MOSS) ;  (WSSv3)
4. Language Packs:
   In addition to the service packs and updates for WSSv3 and MOSS, consider that on using Language Packs, you need to install also in relation the according service packs for the language packs prior to the intended WSS/MOSS update!
   
   Example:
   – You have MOSS 2007 with SP1 and Language packs but no SP1 for those  –> Install soon the SP1 for the appropriate language pack!
   – You have MOSS 2007 with SP2 and Language packs with SP1 –> Install soon the SP2 for the appropriate language packs as well!
   – You have… regardless which constellation, you should always stay close together with the respective service packs for WSS/MOSS 
     and the relation to the according Language pack – service packs ! If not yet happened, with the next CU in April 2010, the SP2 of the language packs will be a real mandatory step!
   Otherwise you may expect several unwanted issues later on in your environment.

   Back to TOP

5. Consider the order of the installation 
   On a pure WSSv3 it is quiet clear, just install the WSS package and you’re fine 😉
   Now disconnect or prevent users from using the server farm by stopping the “World Wide Web Publishing service” (w3svc) on all Web servers.–> Having a MOSS Server Farm (all on one Box/single Server):
     1. Install the WSS package, don’t run PSConfig Wizard (simply cancel it) 
     2. Install the MOSS package,
     3. Run on last the PSConfig Wizard and watch the logs for errors 
         by default, located on:   %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%Microsoft Sharedweb server extensions12LOGS  

   Note:  If the wizard does not start automatically, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard.

   –>  Having a MOSS Farm with more than one Server: 
     Start on the first Server in Farm, usually the Application Server that is hosting the central admin:
     1. Install the WSS package and run PSConfig Wizard but do not finish it! – Wait as prompted until your last server in farm has been updated as well
         You should receive this message :

       You must run Setup to install new binary files for every server in your server farm. If you have multiple servers in your server farm, run Setup and the configuration wizard on the other servers now, and then return to this server and click OK to continue.

     2. Run on all other servers the WSS package and the PSConfig Wizard 
     3. When all servers are updated, go back to the first server you started and finish the PSConfig Wizard on this Server. Watch the logs for errors. 
     4. Now Install the MOSS package in same manner as the WSS package and end again with the first server to finish the PSConfig Wizard.

   Note: You can install the MOSS update binaries immediately followed by the WSS update binaries. After both of these have been completed PSCONFIG can be used to upgrade the farm for both service packs in one step. The reason I suggest running PSConfig for each SP is that in the event of an upgrade failure it will make troubleshooting that much easier because you only need to check for that particular patch you just installed!

6. When everything went good with no errors, you should find now in central admin page on “Operations – Servers in Farm” the according Built Number to the installed update.
   You can find a table with all Build Numbers and its according download links to the respective bits and KB articles on my “MOSS/WSS Update cube sheet”  To force a software update 
   1.  Force a software update operation by opening a Command Prompt window and changing to the following directory:
           %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%Microsoft sharedweb server extensions12bin 
   2.  Type the following command:   psconfig –cmd upgrade –inplace b2b –wait –force   (Syntax and description of psconfig)
7. Do you get the error: “The expected version of the product was not found on the system” when installing a SharePoint Update?
   If yes, check this blog post for more information 😉Back to TOP
8. Q & A:
   Q: Why do I have to start with the central admin host on running then PSConfig Wizard?
   A: This is because the first server in farm on setup creates the configuration database and usually then hosts the central admin. When we update the farm, the first update is written against the config DB and that will affect the central admin as well. You will see this message after starting:
   “You must run Setup to install new binary files for every server in your server farm. If you have multiple servers in your server farm, run Setup and the configuration wizard on the other servers now, and then return to this server and click OK to continue. “All other servers in Farm then needs to be updated as well by running the PSConfig wizard “one-by-one” to update the registries, ACL’s and several other files and binaries. Once finished you’ll go back to the central admin host where you started and click the “finish” button.

   Q: Can I install SP2 directly on RTM or do I have to keep the order of pre-published updates and packages to install before?
   A: Yes, you can install SP2 directly on top of RTM. All prior released updates are included in the SP2 package.

   Q: Can I install any update package free of choice regardless if published prior or after a certain service pack?
   A: In general: Yes,  BUT… we highly recommend to respect each update package like cumulative updates to be observed as they would rely on the prior published Service pack.
       For example:
       The infrastructure update published in 2008 should be considered in relation to prior SP1.
       The feb. CU published in 2010 should be considered as it would rely on SP2, and so on. 
       There are also lots of more dependencies that may lead to many issues which will not be explained all in detail here.

   
   Q: Can I install SP2 for MOSS/WSS even if I have only language pack SP1 installed?
   A: Yes, BUT…  we highly recommend to respect as well here also the relation between each service pack level.
       For example: 
       If you have WSS/MOSS Language packs installed on a WSS/MOSS SP1 farm,. you should have also installed accordingly the SP1 for the language packs.
       The same is valid for each SP2 (WSS/MOSS related to the according language pack).
       There’ll be also in this case lots of more dependencies that may lead to unexpected issues which will not be explained further here.

   Note!   In future, for any CU it is mandatory to have installed the according service packs to each language pack when in use!
               So when you’re still on SP1 with your language packs, you must update to SP2 for the language packs before you can apply the next CU.

9. Additional Information’s and links:
   Updates Resource Center for SharePoint Products and Technologies
   Support Lifecycle Site Information
   SP2 and Language Packs
   Additional information about WSS 3.0 and MOSS 2007 Language Packs
   WSS and MOSS Language Pack Slipstreaming
   How to Deploy ALL MOSS Server Updates – General Information
   The Mystery Behind SharePoint 2010 Patching by Jie LiBack to TOP

   Download Links for Language Packs:

   Deploy language packs (Windows SharePoint Services 3.0)
   http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262108.aspx

   Deploy language packs (Office SharePoint Server)
   http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262108.aspx
    

   32-bit (download both)
   Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Language Pack
   2007 Office System Language Packs

   32-bit, SP1 (download both)
   Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Language Pack Service Pack 1 (SP1)
   Microsoft Office Language Pack 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1)

   32-bit, SP2 (download both)
   Windows SharePoint Services Language Template Pack Service Pack 2 (SP2)
   Microsoft Office Language Pack 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2)

   64-bit (download both)
   Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Language Pack x64
   SharePoint Server 2007 Language Pack (x64)

   64-bit, SP1 (download both)
   Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Language Pack Service Pack 1 (SP1), 64-Bit Edition
   The 2007 Microsoft Office Servers Language Pack Service Pack 1 (SP1), 64-Bit Edition

   64-bit, SP2 (download both)
   Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Language Pack Service Pack 2 (SP2), 64-Bit Edition
   The 2007 Microsoft Office Servers Language Pack Service Pack 2 (SP2), 64-Bit Edition

   
   Download Links for all other WSS and MOSS updates and Service Packs:
   WSS/MOSS 2007 updates (cube sheet)

   Back to TOP

   Hth and greetings,
   Steve  Chen, Support Engineer – EMEA GTSC