Handling Product Updates
Product updates for PSQL are compressed, self-extracting .zip (SEZ) archives. Files in these archives are used to update, or patch, an existing PSQL installation.
This section covers the following topics:
Installing a Product Update
When you run the .exe file for a product update, it asks you to choose a location for the extracted update files (default is %temp% folder) and whether to launch the update executable (default is yes).
When one of the update executables is launched, it verifies the bitness of the installed PSQL and launches the appropriate Microsoft patch package (.msp).
Example: Installing a Product Update Silently
Update_PSQL_Client.exe /s /v"/qn /l*v \"%temp%\PSQL_v12_Client_silent_update.log\""
Removing a Product Update
On Windows systems, in most cases a PSQL product update can be “rolled back” by uninstalling it. This removal restores PSQL binaries to their versions before the product update. (See the note in this section about unremovable patches.)
To uninstall a product update for PSQL from the command line, you need the following:
Either of the following commands can remove a product update:
*Note: In certain cases, a PSQL patch cannot be removed. A warning message states “Uninstallation of the patch package is not supported,” which also is entered in the installation log file if you create one. If the patch must be removed, first uninstall PSQL entirely and then reinstall the version you need, along with the appropriate patches.
Windows Vista does not list PSQL updates in Software Explorer (Add/Remove Programs) when you select Show Updates. This PSQL feature ensures that you are prompted to elevate to Administrator when uninstalling or modifying the PSQL installation.
Special Considerations for Silent (or Basic UI) Installation
Two types of installations cannot launch other installations automatically:
In both these cases, unlike an installation executed from the installer executable UI, the installation does not ensure that all needed patches are applied. When you install silently or in Basic UI mode, you may need to apply these patches independently to make sure the product is complete.
The next two topics give examples of such independent updates:
Product Patch Before an Upgrade
An upgrade moves the product version from a previous release to the current release, such as v11.31 to v12.00. You may need to apply a patch before you upgrade the release. Patches are provided as .msp files. See the release notes for the current release, which lists any required patches. Be sure to install these first before upgrading.
For example, an optional patch is available for upgrading from PSQL v10 to PSQL v10.10. Install this patch if you want to keep personalized settings applied in PSQL v10. The patch may be available only from the PSQL website, so you must download the .msp file to apply it.
Use the following command to silently install the optional patch:
Product_type_platform.msp /qn /l*v "%temp%\product_beforeupdate.log"
where:
Product is the product, and type and platform are the product type and the platform on which the product runs. For example, PSQLv11Patch_Client_x86.msp is the PSQL v11 Client on a 32-bit platform.
Product Patch for a Current Release
The current release may require a patch after the silent installation. If a patch is required, you can find its .msp file in the installation media in the ~\Redist\Data folder.
Install any .msp file in that folder to complete installation of the current release. For example, the following command silently installs a patch for the v11 PSQL Server on a 64-bit platform:
path_to_installation_media\Redist\Data\PSQLv11Patch_Server_x64.msp /qn /l*v "%temp%\PSQLv11_InstalledPatch.log"