Upgrade to May 2025 failed

[Lauri]

I just tried upgrading to May 2025 from Feb 2024 and it failed. This happened when I tried to upgrade from Feb 2024 to May 2024 a year ago. I updated to Postgres 12.5 over a year ago using the Qlik updater software. Here's a screenshot of today's log files from the upgrade attempt. 

It's concerning that there's a log for Postgres 125 AND for 14... and then there's a rollback log for 14.

Any suggestions?

[Lech_Miszkiewicz]

Hi @howdash - I agree with you, however there is no point spending time and writing the same thing again and again as Qlik support article already points out all the things you mentioned. Once you write such article you would have to maintain it or it will only be valid for particular verrsion only which in the future will create more confusion than good I think. 

at the end it is your choice but I would not waste my time on it if I were you.

cheers

[Lauri]

Thanks very much, @howdash and @Lech_Miszkiewicz . That's a really nice analysis you did, Mikhail. Lech, I clearly remember doing the 12.5 msi removal, but that was a year ago, so who knows what actually happened. (We all have heard how unreliable eye witnesses are about crimes after 72 hours...)

As I reread the QPI instructions today, I see that postgres14 should have been installed at C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\14 but mine is in C:\Program Files\Qlik\Sense\Repository\PostgreSQL\14.

The question now is, do I have an option to correct the Postgres installation?

[howdash]

Thanks 😊 I saw a whole lot of people struggling to use the QPI tool so I figured it'd be worth to run some tests and share results to find out exactly how to use the tool before running it on my servers.

Regarding Postgres install directory, the directory you mentioned, this one:

C:\Program Files\Qlik\Sense\Repository\PostgreSQL\14

That's the default, bundled PostgreSQL installation directory. That directory is automatically deleted when Qlik Sense Repository Database (QSRD) service is uninstalled. The fact that you still have that directory present implies that you might still have the QSRD service installed.

Full disclosure, I haven't tested a scenario of upgrading Qlik Sense after running the QPI tool and not uninstalling the QSRD service.

Hypothetically, confirming that you have the new version of PostgreSQL being operated by a service named postgres-x64-14, like this:

Then confirming that you still also have the original Qlik Sense Repository Database service present, like this:

If that's the case, then uninstalling the old QSRD service should fix the issue and allow you to successfully upgrade Qlik Sense.

And, for reference, once the QPI tool is ran and the old QSRD service is uninstalled, you should see the postgresql-x64-14 service plus this set of Qlik Sense services:

But, again, I only dealt with scenarios where QSRD is uninstalled right after the QPI tool is ran, so I'm not sure what's going to happen if the QSRD service is uninstalled after a year of QPI tool upgrading PostgreSQL. I think it makes sense that uninstalling QSRD and reinstalling PostgreSQL binaries will fix the issue and lead to a successful upgrade process, but that's just my best guess.

And step 16 of the Upgrading and unbundling the Qlik Sense Repository Database using the Qlik PostgreSQL Installer documentation shows how to get the QSRD uninstalled after running the QPI tool and installing the new PostgreSQL server and the new postgresql-x64-14 service.

[Lauri]

Thanks, @howdash . That all makes sense, but I agree with you -- it's a lot of assumptions and maybes! And to add to the mystery, I don't have postgres-x64-14 running as a service even though I clearly remember having it and removing the Qlik native service. I now believe that when I subsequently upgraded Qlik to Feb 2024, I did something wrong that replaced the standalone postgres with the Qlik native one. (I'm impressed that it worked out; our QS has been working fine since then.)

I don't want to waste more time trying to upgrade. We'll evaluate moving to the Cloud this winter. Hopefully the migration path is clean, given our weird setup.

[howdash]

On the off chance that you will need to go through the process of upgrading bundled PostgreSQL server using the QPI tool, I decided to put together a guide for it.

It's a much more visual version of the one that Qlik Support put together with tips and explanations answering some questions that I had when I was using the tool to upgrade and unbundle PostgreSQL on my servers.

Here's the link to the article:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/upgrade-bundled-postgresql-using-qpi-tool-howdashllc-ubewe

To Lech's point, I'll do my best to keep it up to date and in sync with official Qlik article. Hope it helps!

[Lauri]

Nice article! Note that at the top you say there are 4 parts but then you list only 3. 

One situation you might address: In part 3, step 9, what do I do if the folder has not been removed?

[howdash]

Good catch and thanks! I've updated the article.

Regarding the C:\Program Files\Qlik\Sense\Repository\PostgreSQL folder, that is a great question. I just spun up a new server. I'll get Qlik Sense installed and run the QPI tool on it. I'll see if I can recreate the issue and I'll share what I'll find.

[Lauri]

You do have 4 parts -- part 2 is "Review and Confirm Successful Upgrade and Unbundling." 🙂

[Lech_Miszkiewicz]

Hi @Lauri 

I would not give up that quick 😄 . You dont have to remember if certain things were done. You can just go through all those steps now and see for yourself if binaries are found, if certain paths are corrected, what services are running there in background etc...

Lastly, if you are sure you are doing all by the book and that still does not work why dont you open support ticket with Qlik or if you have Qlik Partner you can contact they likely will have even more hands on experience with those kinds of things as skilled partners keep on dealing with such issues on daily basis (or at least they should). 

good luck

cheers

[Lauri]

The solution to successfully installing QS Nov 2025 for me was here:

https://community.qlik.com/t5/Official-Support-Articles/Qlik-Sense-Enterprise-on-Windows-Upgrade-Fai...