Upgrading to System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch) version 1802

[anyweb]

Introduction

Today (in Seattle WA) Thursday the 22nd of March, 2018, System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch) version 1802 was released. You can read the official announcement here and for a detailed list of what's new, please see the following blog post.

The white elephant above is based upon an original graphic which I found here, thanks Djam !

Understanding the different SCCM releases

There are two main branches of Configuration Manager currently available, Current Branch and Technical Preview. System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch) is designed for use in production environments, for managing anything from relatively small to very very large Enterprises, whereas System Center Configuration Manager (Technical Preview) is for lab testing environments only and is limited to 10 clients.

The Technical Preview releases are released monthly, and contain the latest and greatest features that are being trialed in the product, and usually these new features are the result of feedback from uservoice. Current Branch releases on the other hand are released only a few times per year and contain stable, tested features that are mature enough to release into production environments.

Note: You cannot upgrade from a Current Branch to Technical Preview or vice versa, they are two distinct different branches.

The following versions have been previously released since Microsoft moved to the Current Branch release cadence for Configuration Manager:

Source Microsoft.

A note about Baseline versions

Baseline versions are versions of Configuration Manager that you can use to perform a clean install of Configuration Manager or when upgrading a supported version of System Center Configuration Manager 2012 hierarchy to Current Branch. Baseline versions are available for download in the Microsoft Volume License Service Center. As System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch) version 1802 is now the new Baseline, you should it for all new installs (or applicable upgrades) until the next Baseline version is released.

Note: Even though 1802 is listed as a baseline version here, it is not yet available for download on MVLS (as of 2018/3/25). Usually it takes a few weeks to get the new build media in place, so until that happens you can continue to use the 1702 baseline media for new installs and supported upgrades.

Upgrading to 1802 Current Branch

In a previous post you used PowerShell scripts to install System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch) version 1702. This post will focus on upgrading from one current branch version to version 1802. This post assumes you are running a minimum version of 1702 of System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch). If you have a hierarchy containing a CAS and one or more Primaries, then you must upgrade the CAS first before upgrading the Primary site servers.

Note: Before upgrading, please review the following checklist to verify you are ready for the update.

Fast ring versus Slow ring

Do you want it now or later ? If you want it right now then you have the choice of getting the release immediately using a method called the fast ring. The fast ring method uses a PowerShell script which you download from Microsoft. After running the PowerShell script, the upgrade will show up in the ConfigMgr console.

Note: The fast ring method is usually only available for the first 2 weeks after a Current Branch release is released.

If however you decide to wait a couple of weeks after the release is publicly available, then the upgrade will be released to the slow ring and at that point it will show up in the ConfigMgr console for all Current Branch hierarchies without the need for running any PowerShell script.

If you want to use the Fast Ring, download the PowerShell script and run it to self-extract to FastRingScript_1802.

Once extracted, start an Administrative PowerShell command prompt in that folder and from there use the following command (where CM01 is the <SiteServer_Name | SiteServer_IP> of your CAS or standalone Primary site server).

.\EnableFastUpdateRing1802.ps1 CM01

Next, open the ConfigMgr console and find Updates and servicing in the Administration node. Click on Check for Updates in the ribbon, followed by Refresh. After a few minutes you should see that Configuration Manager 1802 is listed with a state of Available to download as shown below.

Note: If the upgrade does not show up in the console even after refreshing the view, you can restart the SMS_Executive component in Configuration Manager Service Manager in the Monitoring node of the console or alternatively restart the Configuration Manager server.

After some time the update will automatically start downloading at which point you can open the dmpdownloader.log using CMtrace to keep track of things.

Once it has completed downloading, the update pack will be listed in the ConfigMgr console with a state of Ready to Install. You may need to click refresh in the ConfigMgr console to update the view.

Installing the Update pack

Right click on the update and choose Install Update Pack.

when the Wizard appears, make your choice for pre-requisites and click next.

review the features included in this update pack , and make selections if you wish, you can always add them later in the Console.

Note: You'll also notice lots of Pre-Release features that are greyed out, to turn them on see the steps after upgrading the console the bottom of this guide.

Before clicking next at the Client update settings please see this post

accept the EULA and configure the software assurance expiration date

and continue through until the wizard is complete.

Monitoring the update

In the console, the update pack state will change to Installing (refresh the console view to see this).

Clicking on Show Status will give you detailed info about the state the Installation is in, there are 5 distinct phases in the top pane:

•     Download
•     Replication
•     Prerequisite Check
•     Installation
•     Post Installation

Selecting a phase will highlight what state the update is in, including what (if any) problems it has.

Logs, logs and more logs.

During the upgrade you should monitor the following log files available in <drvletter>:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Logs, you can use CMTrace to do so.

• CMUpdate.log
• Hman.log

These logs will detail the installation of the update pack.

you should also pay close attention to the following log files present in the root of C:\.

•     CompMgrProv.Log
•     ConfigMgrPrereq.log
•     ConfigMgrSetup.log

After the update is complete, click Refresh in the console and you'll be reminded to update the ConfigMgr Console via a popup, the new version is 5.1802.1082.1700. Make sure to update your console as you cannot use the new features until you do.

The observant among you will notice a change to the Console versioning. The new console version is 5.1802.1082.1700 versus the old console version (in my lab) which was 5.00.8577.1100. The new Console versioning works as follows:

• Major
• Minor
• Build
• Revision

So that translates to...

• Major = 5
• Minor = 1802
• Build =  1082
• Revision = 1700

Click OK to upgrade your ConfigMgr console, and after all is done you’ll see the 1802 version listed in the console.

and clicking on about shows you

Enabling Pre-release features

If you want to use the Pre-Release features, then select the Administration node, select Site Configuration, Sites, Hierarchy Settings, and place a check mark in Consent to use Pre-Release features.

After that, select Updates and Servicing, click on the Update Pack, select Features and in the right pane of the ConfigMgr console you'll be able to turn pre-release features on or off by right clicking and choosing   Turn on or Turn off.

Summary

This release is packed with great features and new functionality and proves that the SCCM as a Service (SAAS) model is working. Not only is it working but quick adoption by Enterprises large and small is proof indeed that they like and trust the direction that ConfigMgr is evolving towards. If you are not on Twitter yet then get on it, and Tweet a thank you to David James (@Djammmer) and his Team for the amazing work they do.

Recommended reading

• System Center: Configuration Manager -  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/configurationmgr/
• Checklist for updating to SCCM 1802 - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/manage/checklist-for-installing-update-1802
• What's new In System Center Configuration Manager (Current Branch) 1802 - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/plan-design/changes/whats-new-in-version-1802
• Co-Management for Windows 10 devices - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/clients/manage/co-management-overview
• Log files in System Center Configuration Manager - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/plan-design/hierarchy/log-files

 

 

[Master3214]

Do you know if there is a Bug Fix list somewhere?   We got 2 problems with 1710 (update1 and update2).  I hope they fixed them too with this release.

Thank you

Edited March 23, 2018 by Master3214
Typo

[anyweb]

There is this what's new page, but i'm not sure about the bug fixes, what issues did you have exactly ?

[Master3214]

#1 - OSD stuck after a reboot, when installing Packages.

The Workwaround was to add a 3 minutes Timeout 

(Pause step is a run command line:  timeout /t 181 /nobreak)

Got the fix from :   https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/c0ef57c6-cabc-4b4e-b54e-b2d380b78b16/osd-failures-after-upgrade-to-1710-when-setting-up-machines-with-language-packs?forum=ConfigMgrCBGeneral

 

#2 - Tasks sequence dissapeared from SCCM console

From the SCCM Console , Selecting a Task Sequence, then clicking on the References TAB.   Choose one software in the list, right click and select View Content Status.    Go back to the task sequence.  The tasks sequences (In fact, all tasks in the same folder) dissapeared.  (No Item Found).    If I hit F5 to refresh, I got this error message : The requested object information could not be retrieved.  Refresh the Configuration Manager console to verify that another administrator has not moved or deleted the object, or that the role-based administration security scopes or security roles for the object or current user have not changed.

If I close and Open the SCCM Console again, everything is OK, until I do the same thing again.

 

Thank  you

[Master3214]

4 hours ago, Master3214 said:

#2 - Tasks sequence dissapeared from SCCM console

From the SCCM Console , Selecting a Task Sequence, then clicking on the References TAB.   Choose one software in the list, right click and select View Content Status.    Go back to the task sequence.  The tasks sequences (In fact, all tasks in the same folder) dissapeared.  (No Item Found).    If I hit F5 to refresh, I got this error message : The requested object information could not be retrieved.  Refresh the Configuration Manager console to verify that another administrator has not moved or deleted the object, or that the role-based administration security scopes or security roles for the object or current user have not changed.

If I close and Open the SCCM Console again, everything is OK, until I do the same thing again.

 

Thank  you

Problem #2 is still present with 1802.    We'll test later to see if #1 has been fixed.

 

Thank you

[anyweb]

i'm asking Microsoft PG for comment...

[RiDER07]

1802 failed to download and breaks 1706 and 1710 download along the way.

Would you mind having a look at my logs?  I have checked and everything looks fine.  No errors.  It kept downloading in a loop.  Look at the time stamp in some of the screenshot.

 

dmpdownloader.log

dmpdownloader.lo_

Edited March 24, 2018 by RiDER07
enabling notifications

[Cordell]

Niall, this is the first time an in console update  has failed for me. Updating single Primary Site from 1710 to 1802. I ran the Prerequisite checks and all was good. I then started the installation and all seemed to be good up to failing on the step Upgrade ConfigMgr Database. cmupdate.log showed the generic message Failed to apply update changes 0x87d20b15. Looking further up in the log, I found the line SQL MESSAGE: sp_RenewInvGroupViews - Creating inventory views EXEC sp_RenewInvGroupViews and then right after that

[SQL Server]Invalid column name 'DeviceHardwareData00'. : v_HS_MDM_DEVDETAIL_EXT01 and ERROR: Failed to renew inventory views and rbac functions.

I am including my cmupdate.log in hopes that you could have a quick look through it . . . (the update was started last night) Thanks!

(Note: SQL compat level=110, Login Properties for NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM has sysadmin Server Role)

CMUpdate.log

[anyweb]

hi Cordell

do you have any custom tables added in SQL for the CM database ?

cheers

niall

[anyweb]

what i can see in your log Cordell are the following errors..

*** [08001][-2146893051][Microsoft]

A network-related or instance-specific error has occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. Server is not found or not accessible. Check if instance name is correct and if SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. For more information see SQL Server Books Online.


[Click and drag to move]

*** Failed to connect to the SQL Server, connection type: SMS ACCESS.

*** [28000][18456][Microsoft][SQL Server Native Client 11.0][SQL Server]Login failed for user 'NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM'.

*** [42000][4060][Microsoft][SQL Server Native Client 11.0][SQL Server]Cannot open database "CM_P03" requested by the login. The login failed.

...

ERROR: Failed to renew inventory views and rbac functions

Failed to update database.

 

so until you fix the login issues it won't upgrade, is the DB local or remote ?