Installing Hotfixes – Please use the Update Installer

Greetings, Dynamics community!  We've all been there.  You are trying to resolve a problem in your production Dynamics AX deployment.  You discover a hotfix in LCS that should resolve the issue.  You also discover that there are hundreds of axmodel files that are included in the hotfix.

The clock is ticking and the pressure is on, so instead of running the update installer (AXUpdate.exe), you sift through the axmodel files and identify the code that you believe will fix your issue.  Now you apply the code into your environment, and suddenly you encounter new errors.

Using the method described above, even though it might appear that you're saving a lot of time, it is fraught with risk.  For example, you might accidentally miss a dependency; please see screenshot above.  Or, there might be an associated kernel hotfix that should have also been installed.  The only way a kernel hotfix is installed is to run the update installer.  This is really the only supported method when installing hotfixes - please run the update installer!  It will save you time in the long-run and will help maintain the stability of your system.  For a detailed description on how to install hotfixes and updates, please visit this link.

Thank you!