SCCM 1906 Step-by-Step Upgrade Guide

Microsoft has released a second SCCM version for 2019. Microsoft still uses the same standard naming versions. You can begin upgrading your SCCM Current Branch environment to the latest SCCM 1906 release. If you want to install the latest updates, this post is a complete step-by-step SCCM 1906 upgrade guide.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive SCCM installation guide, see our blog series which covers it all. You won’t be able to install SCCM 1906 if you are running SCCM 2012, 1902 is the latest baseline version. This means that if you’re downloading the source from Volume Licensing, 1902 will be the starting version of your new SCCM site.

To install SCCM 1906 as an update, you must have installed at least SCCM 1802,SCCM 1806 , SCCM 1810 or SCCM 1902

Keeping your infrastructure up to date is essential and recommended. You will benefit from the new features and fixes, which some of them can apply to your environment. It’s easier than ever to upgrade since Microsoft has implemented the servicing model directly from the console.

SCCM 1906 New Features and Fixes

SCCM 1906 includes an incredible amount of new features and enhancements in the site infrastructure, content management, client management, co-management, application management, operating system deployment, software updates, reporting, and configuration manager console. This release is packed with interesting feature to try.

You can consult the What’s new in version 1906 of System Center Configuration Manager Technet article for a full list of changes.

Here’s our list of favourite features. We’ll do blog posts on the most interesting feature in the coming weeks :

• Azure Active Directory user group discovery
• Readiness insights for desktop apps
• Add joins, additional operators and aggregators in CMPivot
• CMPivot standalone
• Delivery Optimization download data in client data sources dashboard
• Use your distribution point as an in-network cache server for Delivery Optimization
• Support for Windows Virtual Desktop
• Support Center OneTrace (Preview)
• Configure client cache minimum retention period
• Improvements to co-management auto-enrollment
• Multiple pilot groups for co-management workloads
• Application groups
• Install an application for a device
• Task sequence debugger
• Clear app content from client cache during task sequence
• Pre-cache driver packages and OS images
• More frequent countdown notifications for restarts
• Additional options for WSUS maintenance
• Configure the default maximum run time for software updates
• Drill through required updates
• Office 365 ProPlus upgrade readiness dashboard
• Role based access for folders

Support for SCCM Current Branch Versions

Ensure to apply this update before you fall into an unsupported SCCM version. Read about the support end date of the prior version of the following Technet article.

Windows and SQL Support

Before installing, make sure that you are running a supported Operating System and SQL version. Older SCCM version was giving a warning during Prerequisite check but 1906 is giving an error which prevents the installation from continuing.

SCCM 1906 supports only Windows 2012+ and SQL 2012 SP3+.

Before you Begin

Downloading and installing this update is done entirely from the console. There’s no download link, the update will appear on your console once the Service Connection Point is synchronized.

If you’re running a multi-tier hierarchy, start at the top-level site in the hierarchy. After the CAS upgrade, you can begin the upgrade of each child site. Complete the upgrade of each site before you begin to upgrade the next site. Until all sites in your hierarchy are upgraded, your hierarchy operates in a mixed version mode.

Before applying this update, we strongly recommend that you go through the upgrade checklist provided on Technet. Most importantly, initiate a site backup before you upgrade.

In this post, we will update a stand-alone primary site server, consoles, and clients. Before installing, check if your site is ready for the update:

• Open the SCCM console
• Go to Administration \ Updates and Servicing
• In the State column, ensure that the update Configuration Manager
  1906 is Available

• If it’s not available, right-click Updates and Servicing and select Check for Updates

• If the update is not downloading, click on the button Download on the upper node. The update state will change to Downloading
• You can follow the download in Dmpdownloader.log or by going to Monitoring / Updates and Servicing Status, right-click your Update Name and select Show Status
• The process will first download .CAB file and will extract the file in the EasyPayload folder in your SCCM installation directory.
• It can take up to 15 minutes to extract all files.

SCCM 1906 Upgrade Guide

Step 1 | SCCM 1906 Prerequisite Check

Before launching the update, we recommend launching the prerequisite check first. To see the prerequisite checklist, see the Microsoft Documentation

• Open the SCCM console
• Go to Administration \ Updates and Servicing
• Right-click the Configuration Manager 1906 update and select Run prerequisite check
• Nothing will happen, the prerequisite check runs in the background and all menu are unavailable during the check
• One way to see progress is by viewing C:\ConfigMgrPrereq.log

• You can also monitor prerequisite check by going to Monitoring / Update and Servicing Status, right-click your Update Name and select Show Status

• When completed the State column will show Prerequisite check passed

• Right-click the Configuration Manager 1906 update and select Install Update Pack

Step 2 | Launching the SCCM 1906 Update

We are now ready to launch the SCCM 1906 update. At this point, plan about 45 minutes to install the update.

• On the General tab, click Next

• On the Features tab, checkboxes on the features you want to enable during the update

• Don’t worry, if you don’t select one of the features now and want to enable it later, you’ll be able to so by using the console Administration \ Updates and Servicing \ Features

• In the Client Update Options, select the desired option for your client update
  • This option allows updating only clients member of a specific collection. Refer to our pre-production client deployment post for more details

• On the License Terms tab, accept the license terms and click Next

• On the Summary tab, review your choices, click Next and close the wizard on the Completion tab

The whole process took a minute but the installation begins on the back end.

• During installation, the State column changes to Installing

• We suggest you monitor the progress, by navigating to Monitoring / Updates and Servicing Status, right-click your Update Name and select Show Status

Unfortunately, the status is not updated in real-time. Use the Refresh button to update.

• Open the SCCM log SCCM Installation Directory\Logs\CMUpdate.log with CMTrace

• When completed, you’ll notice the message There are no pending update package to be processed in the log file
• Monitoring / Updates and Servicing Status, right-click your Update Name and select Show Status, the last step will be Installation Succeeded
• Refresh the Updates and Servicing node in Administration, the State column will be Installed

Updating the Outdated Consoles

As a previous update, the console has an auto-update feature. At the console opening, if you are not running the latest version, you will receive a warning and the update will start automatically.

• Since all updates operations were initiated from the console, we didn’t close it during the process. We received a warning message when clicking certain objects. You will have the same message when opening a new console

• Click OK, console restart and update will start automatically

• Wait for the process to complete. You can follow the progress in C:\ConfigMgrAdminUISetup.log and C:\ConfigMgrAdminUISetupVerbose.log. Once completed, the console will open and you’ll be running the latest version

Verification

Consoles

After setup is completed, verify the build number of the console. If the console upgrade was successful, the build number will be 8853 and the version is now Version 1906.

SCCM Servers

• Go to Administration \ Site Configuration \ Sites
• Right-click your site and select Properties
• Verify the Version and Build number

SCCM 1906 Clients

The client version will be updated to 5.00.8853.1006 (after updating, see the section below)

SCCM 1906 Client Package distribution

You’ll see that the 2 client packages are updated:

• Navigate to Software Library \ Application Management \ Packages

• Check if the update is successful, otherwise, select both packages and initiate a Distribute Content to your distribution points

Boot Images

Boot images will automatically update during setup. See our post on upgrade consideration in a large environment to avoid this if you have multiple distribution points.

• Go to Software Library / Operating Systems / Boot Images
• Select your boot image and check the last Content Status date. It should match your setup date

Updating the Clients

Our preferred way to update our clients is by using the Client Upgrade feature: (You can refer to our complete post documenting this feature)

• Open the SCCM Console
• Go to Administration / Site Configuration / Sites
• Click the Hierarchy Settings in the top ribbon
• Select Client Upgrade tab
• The Upgrade client automatically when the new client update is available to the checkbox is enabled
• Review your time frame and adjust it to your needs

Monitor SCCM Client Version Number

SCCM Reports Client Version

You can see our SCCM Client version reports to give detailed information about every client version in your environment. It’s the easiest way to track your client updates.

Collections

In conclusion, you can create a collection that targets clients without the latest client version because is very useful when it comes to monitoring a non-compliant client.

Here’s the query to achieve this: (You can also refer to our Set of Operational Collection Powershell Script which contains this collection)

select SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceID,SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceType,SMS_R_SYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_SYSTEM.SMSUniqueIdentifier,SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceDomainORWorkgroup,SMS_R_SYSTEM.Client from SMS_R_System where SMS_R_System.ClientVersion != '5.00.8853.1006'

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