Questions about Rollup Updates / HotFixes in Dynamics CRM 4

This article answers common questions about Microsoft Dynamics CRM Update Rollups.

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1. What is an update rollup?
   An update rollup is a collection of software updates for a particular Microsoft Dynamics CRM application.

   Each update package file uses the form CRM_version-KBNumber-platform-application-Language.exe. For example, the following list describes the update rollup 3 package files for the English version.

   • CRMv4.0-KB961768-amd64-Router-ENU.exe. Microsoft Dynamics CRM E-mail Router update rollup package for x64-bit editions.
   • CRMv4.0-KB961768-amd64-Server-ENU.exe. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server update rollup package for x64-bit editions.
   • CRMv4.0-KB961768-amd64-SRS-ENU.exe. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Connector for Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services update rollup package for x64-bit editions.
   • CRMv4.0-KB961768-i386-Client-ENU.exe. Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook update rollup package.
   • CRMv4.0-KB961768-i386-DMClient-ENU.exe. Data Migration Manager update rollup package.
   • CRMv4.0-KB961768-i386-Router-ENU.exe. E-mail Router update rollup package for 32-bit editions.
   • CRMv4.0-KB961768-i386-Server-ENU.exe. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server update rollup package for 32-bit editions.
   • CRMv4.0-KB961768-i386-SRS-ENU.exe. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Connector for Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services update rollup package for 32-bit editions.

   For more information about Microsoft update rollups, see Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates.
2. Should I apply the latest update rollup to my deployment?
   In most situations we recommend that you apply the latest update rollup. Microsoft fully tests and supports installing any update rollup for Microsoft Dynamics CRM at the time of its release. If issues arise after the release of a Microsoft Dynamics CRM update rollup, Microsoft will work to address the issue as quickly as possible. For help and support contact information, see Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Help and Support.
3. What preventative actions should I take before I apply an update rollup?
   Before you apply an update rollup, we recommend that you follow these steps:

   1. If you plan to import customizations that were exported from a Microsoft Dynamics CRM server that was running a previous rollup, review the "Notes about exporting and importing customizations" section of the corresponding update rollup Microsoft Knowledge Base article for limitations.
   2. Back up the computer where you are applying the update rollup. Notice that you must back up the Web.config file if the file has been customized or those customizations will be overwritten. For more information about this issue, seeYou have to manually modify the Web.config file after you install or remove a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 hotfix or update rollup.
4. Does an update rollup require additional configuration after I install it?
   Some of the individual updates may require a Windows registry modification or require you to run a script to complete. For information about additional configuration that may be required after you install an update rollup, see the "Hotfixes and updates that you have to enable or configure manually" section of the corresponding update rollup Microsoft Knowledge Base article.
5. Are the update rollups cumulative?
   Yes, update rollups are cumulative. This means that the problems that are fixed in an update rollup are also fixed in later update rollups. For example, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Update Rollup 3 contains all the fixes that are included in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Update Rollup 2.
6. Do I need to apply the previous update rollup before I can apply a later one?
   No, because update rollups are cumulative. For more information, see the answer in the previous question in this topic.
7. How frequently can I expect a new update rollup to be released?
   The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Sustained Engineering team is committed to releasing update rollups approximately every 8 weeks. For more information about this policy, see Blog post: Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Update Rollup Schedule.
8. How can I get notified when an update has been released?
   If you want to know when updates have been released for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, you can sign up to receive e-mail notifications. Notifications may include information on security updates, updates to Microsoft Dynamics CRM that address feature requests from customers, or the release of a new version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. There are two ways to accomplish this. From a computer that is running a Microsoft Dynamics CRM client application:

   1. In the Navigation Pane, click Settings, click Administration, and then click Product Updates.
   2. In the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Product Updates form, sign in to the Windows Live ID service.
   3. Select the Subscribe box, confirm your e-mail format, e-mail address, and privacy options, and then click Continue.

   Alternatively, you can go directly to the subscription Web page at Microsoft Dynamics CRM Product Updates.
9. In what order should I apply an update rollup?
   All server roles or server role groups must have the same update rollup applied within the same period of time before going live. Similarly, if you have Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server installed on multiple computers, such as a Network Load Balanced (NLB) configuration, the nodes in the NLB cluster must all be updated before they are brought back online. A mixed deployment of Microsoft Dynamics CRM servers or server roles that are running different update rollup versions is not supported.

   Generally, Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook clients will function correctly when connecting to a Microsoft Dynamics CRM server in the following update rollup deployment configurations:

   • Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook computers with a previous update rollup than the server, which is running the next update rollup. For example, Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook Update Rollup 2 connecting to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Update Rollup 3.
   • Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook computers with a later update rollup than the Microsoft Dynamics CRM server, which is running the earlier update rollup. For example, Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook Update Rollup 3 connecting to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Update Rollup 2.
     Notice that, for the best experience we recommend that you apply the update rollups on the clients as soon as possible to be consistent with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server system.
10. How can I automatically deploy an update rollup?
    You can configure an update rollup to be automatically deployed on computers that are running Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook. More information about this is available in the following resources.

    • Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Implementation Guide
    • Blog post: Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
11. What is a PatchId?
    An update rollup identifier or PatchId is a globally unique identifier that must be entered into the Patch Configuration Tool XML configuration file to validate and apply a specific Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook update rollup. The PatchId can be found in the patchid element in the config.xml file that is included in an update rollup. To extract the update rollup files so that you can view the config.xml file, at a command prompt use the /x option, such as the CRMv4.0-KB961768-i386-Client-ENU.exe /x.
12. How can I avoid having my system restart right after I apply an update rollup for Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook?
    To avoid a system restart after you apply an update rollup, follow these steps.

    1. Before starting the update rollup application process, in Microsoft Office Outlook click Options on the CRM menu. On the General tab, clear the Always run the Host process check box and then click OK.
    2. Apply the update rollup. During the installation, close Outlook. If you see any "File in use" errors, click Retry when the Outlook and the CRM hoster process shutdown is completed.
    3. You must restart Outlook to use Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook.
13. How can I check my computer to see if an update rollup has been applied?
    There are two ways to see if an update rollup has been applied:

    • Click Start, open Control Panel, open Programs and Features, in the left pane click View installed updates and look for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server in the list.
      Note
      For Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 computers use similar steps to start Add or Remove Programs.
    • View the details of a binary file in the drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics CRM\Server folder, such as CrmVerServer.dll. To do this, right-click the file, click Properties, click the Version tab, and view the file version.
      Tip
      To find the version number and release date of an update rollup without installing it, see the following:
      On the update rollup download page on the Microsoft Download Center, the version number is displayed next to Version under the Quick Details area. Similarly, the date the update rollup was released is next to Date Published.

    Below is a table that includes a few of the past update rollup builds and release dates.

    Build Number	Date Released	Rollup Version
    4.0.7333.1408	March 12, 2009	Rollup Update 3
    4.0.7333.1316	February 8, 2009	Rollup Update 2 (rerelease)
    4.0.7333.1312	January 15, 2009	Rollup Update 2
    4.0.7333.1113	November 24, 2008	Rollup Update 1
    4.0.7333.3	December 19, 2007	Microsoft Dynamics CRM original version