Patch SAP 2005 A sp1 to PL14 experience

Question

Good Morning, ( I hope some of you may find our patch experience helpful)
Yesterday (1/16/07) We patched our 2005 A SQL sp1 server to PL 14 from PL 4 running on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 and SQL Server 2005 (not SP1 yet). 
The documentation instructed us to install to PL 10 first then on to PL14.  We followed this instruction.
We could not get the "Install Interface" -Upgrade Server Tools --> Install or the Common Upgrade -->Install routines to work at all.
We attempted to manually upgrade each package --> ServerTools, DI API, SDK, CommonUpgrader as per the instructions in Upgrade.pdf for SQL 2005.  This routine did not work.
We Uninstalled each component separately (AddRemove tool in Windows) as noted on line 5 in the PatchReadme.pdf file, then reinstalled each component manually.  This method DID work. 
I think your documentation should be amended to add this method if the current printed method does not work for a particular installation.
Then we upgraded a Client which in turn Upgraded the Company database to PL 10.  Then we upgraded the rest of our clients.  All Successful.
Then we attempted to patch to PL 14.  Same issue as above with the "interface". 
Installing directly over PL 10 did not work and we had to uninstall and re-install each component separately and manually.
When installing UpgraderCommon to PL14, an error message box very near the end of the process (when running the "TmSp_CopyCompany" Stored Procedure) popped up stating:
[SQL ......][....][ ...    ] "Must declare the scalar variable @Cmd"
Click OK and then the Upgrader Routine "apparently" finished...??  Logging on to the compnay through a client gave no indication that the database had changed from PL10, eventhough the client upgraded to PL14.
I looked through the Patch files and found these two TmSp_CopyCompany.txt files relating to the "TmSp_CopyCompany" in these directories (where I had unzipped the Patch Files):
"F:\SAP Patches\Patch 14\Packages\Upgrader Common\Setup\Queries\Sp\1" and "F:\SAP Patches\Patch 14\Packages\Upgrader Common\Setup\Queries\Sp\4"
I changed the @cmd variable definition to @Cmd to match the two places in each text file's Stored Procedure where the @Cmd variable was called and re-ran the UpgraderCommon setup.exe.  This time the routine completed without the message box error.  You may want to make sure these files are edited for CASE sensitive SQL installations.
I opened the Company in a Client - updated the Client to PL 14, but did not get the "update your database" message this time either, so I didn't know if the database had been patched to PL 14.  The clients appear to connect to the company and the staff could get back to work, so I left the Patch in that condition.
Later, after hours, I looked at the SBO_COMMON database and found a database at 177 MB and a log file at 4.9gig!  I backed up the SBO-COMMON database, tried to shrink the database, then the log file only several times, setting the filesize to 500MB in an attempt to get the ldf file to shrink.  I restored from the backup and tried to shrink again... all to no avail!  All these methods were using the SQL 2005 manager interface-not direct SQL statments.
Finally, I deleted the SBO-COMMON database then ran the PL14 UpgraderCommon Setup.exe.  This created a new SBO-COMMON database (76MB data and 40MB log).  Much better.
I logged on to the company through a client, no indication of any changes were presented and the clients appear to be connecting and working properly at PL14.
According to HELP/ABOUT in the client (Version: SAP Business One 2005 A (6.80.318) SP:01 PL:14).
Question(s):  How can we know that the database version and the Client Version are patched to the same level?  or since it appears to be working now, it is ok? or will we see some issues in the future?
Does anyone know the effects of upgrading to the SQL server to SP1 ?

Answer 1

Hi,
looks like MSSQL Server 2005 uses wrong collation settings. This can be the reason for other unexpected issues with B1 as well.
How to solve that, just do a note search at <a href="http://service.sap.com">http://service.sap.com</a> or
a) if you are a customer ask your partner
b) if you are a partner have a look into an empowerment session at <a href="http://service.sap.com/smb">http://service.sap.com/smb</a> section self/help or ask SAP B1 support.
Q How can we know that the database version and the Client Version are patched to the same level? or since it appears to be working now, it is ok?
A As soon as Softwareversion does not hit DB version of SBO Common and Customer DB, you get an info during login into B1. If you are logged in sucessfully go to Help->About SAP B1 and find out your currently used Patchlevel
Q or will we see some issues in the future?
A see above issue collation settings MSSQL 2005
Q Does anyone know the effects of upgrading to the SQL server to SP1 ?
A There are no side effects known so far with MSSQL 2005 SP01
Hope this helps
Regards
Message was edited by:
        Mario Schoenberg