SQL Server 2008 SP1 and Cumulative Updates Explained.....

NOTE: I've made a change to this blog post to account for the fact that actually 6 fixes in CU4 for 2008 RTM fixes DID made it into 2008 SP1.

One of our readers sent me the following questions I think you will find valuable when understanding our recently posted SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 and our cumulative updates.

Question:

Does SQL Server 2008 SP1 contain the hotfixes that were included in Cumulative Update 4. https://support.microsoft.com/kb/968369/ states only the hotfixes of CU 1/3 are included.

Answer:

Just a few. (how is that for non-definitive), SQL Server 2008 SP1 does contain some fixes in CU4 for SQL Server 2008 RTM (See table below) . Note the word RTM and how I worded this. When referencing a CU by name I would always say something like CUn for SQL Server 200X <x> Otherwise you won't know what the CU applies to . Because of our servicing commitments, we are required to product cumulative updates for multiple different releases . CU4 for 2008 RTM is strictly for customers on SQL Server 2008 RTM. If you have applied CU4 for 2008 RTM and the fix you required is NOT in the list below, DO NOT apply SQL Server 2008 SP1. You will lose the fixes you have applied for CU4 for 2008 RTM. If you are concerned about other fixes in CU4 for 2008 RTM that you now have applied and are unsure of the behavior, then do not apply SP1 for 2008. I have answer for you below though on what to do.

There are actually only 6 fixes from CU4 for SQL 2008 RTM that made it into 2008 SP1. I've listed the CU4 for 2008 RTM version of their KB articles here:

So if you applied CU4 for 2008 RTM due to one of the above fixes, then if you apply 2008 SP1, you will not lose a fix. But if you need any other fix in CU4 for 2008 RTM, you need to wait.

So what if you are one of these customer who needs the fixes in CU4 for 2008 RTM not in the list above but also want 2008 SP1? Well, we will produce a Cumulative Update for 2008 SP1, called CU1 for 2008 SP1, in the next few weeks. We generally try to produce a CU after a SP within a few weeks after the SP ships to get those fixes that didn't make the SP (called a roll-up hotfix build). Customers who have applied CU4 for 2008 RTM will now be able to apply 2008 SP1 and then apply CU1 for 2008 SP1. This will give them 2008 SP1 plus all the fixes in CU4 for 2008 RTM that didn't make it into 2008 SP1 (OK, I'm out of breath now<g>).

Question:

If CU4 for 2008 RTM is not included in 2008 SP1 should I run setup with both /PCUSource and /CUSource parameters ?

Answer:

the /PCUSource parameter is strictly for running setup as a slipstream as documented in the following blog post from Peter Saddow of the product team:

https://blogs.msdn.com/petersad/archive/2009/02/25/sql-server-2008-creating-a-merged-slisptream-drop.aspx

The /CUSource parameter can only be used for Cumulative Updates that are shipped AFTER 2008 SP1 and future service packs. CU4 for 2008 RTM is for RTM only and cannot be used for this purpose. In fact, no cumulative updates for 2008 RTM can use the slipstream process. But they can be used to fix SQL Server Setup Support fixes as documented at https://blogs.msdn.com/psssql/archive/2008/09/30/how-to-fix-your-sql-server-2008-setup-before-you-run-setup.aspx

Question:

How does SP1 influence the article "How to fix your SQL Server 2008 Setup before you run setup..."

https://blogs.msdn.com/psssql/archive/2008/09/30/how-to-fix-your-sql-server-2008-setup-before-you-run-setup.aspx

Answer:

2008 SP1 now includes a better way to fix setup "before you run setup", called slipstream setup. This is described in Peter Saddow's blog at https://blogs.msdn.com/petersad/archive/2009/02/25/sql-server-2008-creating-a-merged-slisptream-drop.aspx. I also have a post that describes my experience doing this at: https://blogs.msdn.com/psssql/archive/2009/03/17/how-to-fix-your-sql-server-2008-setup-before-you-run-setup-part-ii.aspx. I need to update my blog since it was based on 2008 SP1 CTP1. Peter's is fully updated for the final 2008 SP1 release. Also a KB article is forthcoming that documents the procedure.

Now, back to the question about the /CUSource parameter. When CU1 for 2008 SP1 ships, you will now be able to slipstream setup to include both 2008 SP1 and CU1 for 2008 SP1 together. The /CUSource parameter will be for the CU1 for 2008 SP1 build. It can also be used for any subsequent Cumulative Updates shipped after 2008 SP1 that are FOR SP1. When 2008 SP2 comes out, we start over and /PCUSource will be for 2008 SP2 and CU1 for 2008 SP2 (and so forth) will use the /CUSource field.

Bob Ward
Microsoft

Comments

• Anonymous
  April 09, 2009
  PingBack from http://microsoft-sharepoint.simplynetdev.com/sql-server-2008-sp1-and-cumulative-updates-explained/

• Anonymous
  April 09, 2009
  We are very proud to announce the release of the first service pack for SQL Server 2008. With the release

• Anonymous
  April 09, 2009
  Сразу же вслед за выходом SQL Server 2008 SP1, Майкрософт выпустила кумулятивное обновление 4...

• Anonymous
  April 10, 2009
  I saw some confusion around the availability of SP1 and CU4 on the web, therefore decided to put on a

• Anonymous
  April 14, 2009
  I have received a ton of private mail on this, hence rather than just pasting the same answer in I’m

• Anonymous
  April 15, 2009
  If you were among those who installed CU4 for SQL Server 2008, then installed SP1, you may not know that

• Anonymous
  April 17, 2009
  SQLServer2008SP以及累计更新包之间的关系还真的有点乱。SQLServer2008SP1刚刚发布，现在没几天出来一个CU1forSP1。目前的这个CU1是将之前SQL...

• Anonymous
  April 20, 2009
  After installation of SP1; 'backup compression default' has disappeared as a sp_configure setting

• Anonymous
  May 02, 2009
  De afgelopen periode was nogal een periode van veranderingen. Zo was er de bijna overname van Sun door

• Anonymous
  July 13, 2009
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  November 08, 2009
  Please have a look at these two connect items I filed this evening: https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=509152 https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=509148

• Anonymous
  October 29, 2010
  It is prompting "This self-extracting zip file is part of a multidisk zip file. Please insert the last disk of the set" what that means?

• Anonymous
  October 20, 2011
  If you are getting an error about a multidisk zip file, it is because the file did not fully download and is incomplete. Check the file size against the size listed on the download site. If they do not match, download it again.