The adventures of reinstalling CRM 3.0 in 2008

Posted on May 16th, 2008 mitch  Print 5 comments

I have spent my last two weekends reinstalling CRM 3.0 at two separate customers because of hardware rebuilds or server reconfigurations.  I have no idea how many times I've installed CRM 3.0 but it is more than a handful so I've pretty much got it down to a science.

That being said, I have learned some new things about reinstalling CRM 3.0 that you probably wouldn't normally run into if you're only performing new, clean, installs.

One of the most important things that you need to keep in mind is the current state of your CRM server in relation to when you actually purchased the initial product and how you initially installed it. 

• Did you purchase volume-licenses and load it from CD or did you download the images from somewhere?
• When did you install it?  Early 2006, 2007, ???
• Have you been keeping up with the Hotfix Rollups, applying HR1 and HR2 as they shipped?
• Are you running Office/Outlook 2007?
• Are you running SQL Server 2005 SP2?

All of the above will effect how you reinstall CRM.

Step 1: Assemble your software

Before you do anything, download all of the software you need to perform the reinstallation.

CRM Server Software

I would recommend that you download the latest build of the CRM 3.0 CD from MSDN, to ensure that you have the absolute latest bits.  Only download CD1, which contains the server software.

CRM Client Software

Download the CRM client update (V3C).  This will give you bug fixes, Outlook 2007 support, and Hotfix Rollup 1 is included.

CRM Exchange Router

This update, while mostly deployed to support Exchange 2007, does fix issues with the Rule Deployment Wizard deploying rules to an Outlook 2007 client.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0-Exchange E-mail Router Update

CRM Hotfix Rollups

Download the Hotfix Rollups: Hotfix Rollup 2, and Hotfix Rollup 3.

SQL Reporting Services Hotfix: 935922

If you have installed SQL 2005 SP2, you will be unable to install CRM until you install the following hotfix: 935922.

This is a free hotfix, but you have to request it so you need to do this ahead of time.

Step 2: Re-Installation of the CRM Server Software

Your method of reinstallation will be dependent on your circumstances.  One of my installations required me to use the Redeployment Wizard, the other did not.  Regardless, you just need to get the existing CRM database into a state that we can successfully attach to it and complete the installation:

1. On your SQL Server, install SQL Server hotfix 935922

For CRM Small Business Edition ( SBE ), you need to chose a custom installation and make the following choices:

1. Do Not install the CRM Email Router and Rule Deployment Wizard.
2. Do Not install the CRM Client automatically.

Note: When you get to the prerequisite checks dialog, you will see a warning about the database version.  That message can be ignored since we will be installing the Hotfix Rollups to get the server software back to the same level as the database.

CRM Professional installs differently so you can proceed with the primary CRM server software installation.

After the server CD1 has been installed, complete the server(s) installation:

1. Install the CRM Email Router and Rule Deployment wizard
2. Install Hotfix Rollup 2.
3. Install Hotfix Rollup 3.

Step 3: CRM Client Software

If you have to reinstall the CRM Client software, you need to perform the following steps:

1. Install the V3C Client update.
2. Install Hotfix Rollup 2.
3. Install Hotfix Rollup 3.

In Summary

So why did you make me do all of this stuff?  Well, depending on when your server software was purchased or downloaded, it may be of a version that will actually not install because of updates that have been slipstreamed into the software build.

Let's think about this for a second: CRM 3.0 RTMed at the end of 2005.  That means there have been over two years worth of server updates, hotfixes, and service packs.  Plus, you may have upgraded your SQL from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2005.  Some of the early CRM 3.0 CD software will not install on an up-to-date Windows 2003 server because of the environmental checks.

Finally, as mentioned earlier, SQL Server 2005 SP2 has an issue with SRS that prevents CRM from being installed.  You're fine if you install SP2 AFTER you install CRM, but installing CRM after SP2 will fail.

Well, that's about it for today.  If I learn anything else, as always, I'll post it.

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