Upgrade from 4.6C to ERP6.0 EHP4 NW7.01 fails on EHP_INCLUSION

Question

Hello dear friends at SDN forums,
We are performing an upgrade from a 4.6C Non Unicode source release to a SAP ERP 6.0 EHP4 based on NW 7 EHP1 Non Unicode.
Every phase has gone more or less fine until the current phase EHP_INCLUSION in SAP EHPI tool.
We are trying to specify the stack file manually, cosu00B4  SAP EHPI does not find it automatically via RFC against Solution Manager. I donu00B4t discard a possible missconfiguration in the RFC destination "BACK" configuration (the one that points from our target system to the Solution Manager), but thatu00B4s another story.
Anyway, that shoulnu00B4t be relevant for the trouble Iu00B4m expressing.
As we are on source release 4.6C  I must make use of the .txt stack file and not the .xml file, as per SAP notes.
The symptom: everytime I retry that EHP_INCLUSION phase, it complaints about "Sever errors detected. Error Code = -1. Reason: The stack configuration does not contain a product stack".
Iu00B4ll also paste here the contents of the EHP_INCLUSION.log trace file:
1 ETQ201 Entering upgrade-phase "EHP_INCLUSION" ("20100715150020")
2 ETQ367 Connect variables are set for standard instance access
4 ETQ399 System-nr = '00', GwService = 'sapgw00'
4 ETQ399 Environment variables:
4 ETQ399   dbs_ora_schema=SAPR3
4 ETQ399   auth_shadow_upgrade=0
4 ETQ380 computing toolpath for request "TP_DEFAULT"
4 ETQ382 translates to group "R3UP_TOOL_GROUP_OLD"
4 ETQ383 translates to path "D:\usr\sap\CES\SYS\exe\run"
4 ETQ383 translates to path "exe"
4 ETQ399 Set environment for standard connect:
4 ETQ399 ENV: dbs_ora_schema=SAPR3
4 ETQ399 ENV: auth_shadow_upgrade=0
4 ETQ399 Set RFC variables for standard connect:
4 ETQ399 System-nr = '00', GwService = 'sapgw00'
4 ETQ399 Set tool parameters for standard connect:
4 ETQ399   default TPPARAM: DEFAULT.TPP
1 ETQ200 Executing actual phase 'PREP_EXTENSION/EHP_INCLUSION'.
1 ETQ399 Phase arguments:
2 ETQ399 Arg[0] = 'ADDONEHP.DMP'
2 ETQ399 Arg[1] = 'NAVERSEHP.DMP'
2 ETQ399 Arg[2] = 'SPDA_EHP_INCLUSION.LOG'
2 ETQ399 Arg[3] = ''
2 ETQ730 Starting upload of all package files in "
dbapru001\sapmnt\trans\EPS\in"
4 ETQ010 Date & Time: 20100715150020
4 ETQ230 Starting RFC Login to: System = "CES", GwHost = "dbapru001", GwService = "sapgw00"
4 ETQ359 RFC Login to: System="CES", Nr="00", GwHost="dbapru001", GwService="sapgw00"
4 ETQ232 RFC Login succeeded
4 ETQ233 Calling function module "SPDA_PREPARE_PATCH" by RFC
4 ETQ234 Call of function module "SPDA_PREPARE_PATCH" by RFC succeeded
4 ETQ239 Logging off from SAP system
4 ETQ010 Date & Time: 20100715150024
2 ETQ732 Package descriptions uploaded successfully
4 ETQ399 EhP stack selection ...
4 ETQ399 Reading stack content ...
4 ETQ399 ... reading stack configuration file "C:\SMSDXML_CES.txt"
4 ETQ230 Starting RFC Login to: System = "CES", GwHost = "dbapru001", GwService = "sapgw00"
4 ETQ359 RFC Login to: System="CES", Nr="00", GwHost="dbapru001", GwService="sapgw00"
4 ETQ232 RFC Login succeeded
4 ETQ233 Calling function module "SPDA_GET_STACK_INFO" by RFC
2 ETQ399 Returned table ET_STACK_NCVERS:
2 ETQ399 Returned table ET_STACK_PACKAGES:
4 ETQ399 ... Error reading stack info (rc=-1, reason="The stack configuration does not contain a product stack")
That file was generated from Solman Mopz, was saved with a short path name just in case it could be problematic.
The Solman is on version NW 7 EHP1. Our 4.6C SPAM version is 50 (the latest available).
Iu00B4ve been fighting this issue for several days unsuccessfully, and it seems like thereu00B4s no documentation on it.
Iu00B4ve re-read SAP notes , master, EHP and upgrade guides several times, and also similar problems (but not exactly the same as mine) here at SDN forums.
Besides, now Iu00B4m having a problem to create customer messages to OSS which will last a few days (due an issue with our old installation number in SAP Service Marketplace). Thatu00B4s why Iu00B4m trying to obtain support from this forum, before we can obtain a response from SAP OSS.
Has anybody experienced something similar?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Javier

Answer 1

Hi FDK,
As far as I´m concerned, I promise I will write how we solved it when we get it.
The news are: at last we could create a customer message to SAP Support, and SAP has told us to:
1) Ensure that our Solution Manager is in a sufficiently high SP Stack level. In our case, as we have a Sol. Manager based on NW 7 EHP 1 with SP Stack level 20, they are asking us to apply SP Stack level 22 as first meassure.
2) In case we cannot afford to do the mentioned meassure immediately, then they suggest us another possibly working option: to downgrade our SPAM 4.6C from level 50 to 48. There is a SAP Note that explains how a reimport of a Support Package for SPAM can be done (and it seems like it´s even possible to downgrade the SPAM level, I didn´t know that):
SAP Note 684564: Re-importing a SPAM/SAINT update
So, now we are working on these suggestions. As the Solution Manager is really not "ours", but belongs to our SAP VAR (partner), we need to wait until they can schedule this technical task.
So, right now the immediate task I´m trying to perform is downgrading our  SPAM 4.6C from level 50 to 48.
But, I have a problem and have just let know it to SAP in the customer message: I have no way to get such level 48 of SPAM 46C. SAP always only hosts the last (or the 2 most recent as much) version of SPAM in the Software Download Center of SAP Service Marketplace. Thus, right now if you navigate in SAP Service Marketplace you´ll only find the 50 level version of SPAM 4.6C. I´m again waiting for SAP ´s response concerning this.
Best regards,
Javier