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I'm trying to determine if the CU+GDR updates installs the CU in addition to the GDR.

I think I understand the differences between CUs and the GDR security fixes. And the different paths you can go down, CU or GDR.

However, for SQL Server 2019 this site https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates shows

SQL Server 2019

GDR (15.0.2125.1 - October 2024)

CU28 for 2019 (15.0.4385.2 - August 2024)

CU28 + GDR (15.0.4395.2 - October 2024)

The KB for 15.0.4395.2 shows KB5046060 - Description of the security update for SQL Server 2019 CU28: October 8, 2024 "To apply this update, you must have SQL Server 2019 or any SQL Server 2019 CU release through this SQL Server 2019 CU28 GDR installed." So it can be installed on top of any previous CUs.

Also, this does not list the fixes in CU28, only the GDR fixes.

After installing 15.0.4390.2 my version shows Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (RTM-CU28-GDR) (KB5042749) - 15.0.4390.2

(different to the 15.0.4395.2 updates, but this is the September CU28+GDR KB5042749 - Description of the security update for SQL Server 2019 CU28: September 10, 2024)

But it does indicate that CU28 has been installed.

But, CU28 has never been installed individually. Previous CUs have been installed. And if I try and install CU28 after CU28+GDR it says no updates are required.

So my question is 'Does CU28+GDR update install CU 28 as well as the GDR security update?'

If it doesn't, the version information is very misleading. And do I have to uninstall CU28+GDR to install CU28?

Thanks for your help.

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  • There’s no need to uninstall CU28+GDR to install CU28. CU28+GDR package has already done everything CU28 would do, plus it includes the critical security updates from GDR. Commented Oct 9, 2024 at 8:46
  • Thanks for the confirmation Commented Oct 9, 2024 at 12:56

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I'm trying to determine if the CU+GDR updates installs the CU in addition to the GDR.

Yes. CU+GDR means CU and GDR.

GDR (15.0.2125.1 - this is a GDR update for RTM, only applicable if you've never installed any cumulative updates.

CU28 for 2019 (15.0.4385.2 - this is CU28, which includes all the fixes from all prior CUs. It does not include the most recent GDR.

CU28 + GDR (15.0.4395.2 is exactly that: it includes all the fixes up to CU28 in addition to the GDR. You don't have to uninstall CU28 + GDR to get CU28: you already have it.

Generally (with maybe one or two historical exceptions), within a given train (RTM or CU), a higher build number includes all the fixes from lower build numbers within that train.

The CU28 KB article doesn't list the fixes in CU27, or CU26, or CU25... but the update still includes all of those fixes. It is meant to be understood that cumulative is an active and accurate word, and that each CU includes all the fixes from all prior CUs. Personally, I'd prefer if each new CU carried forward the list of fixes from previous CUs, so you don't have to go scour 28 different KB articles to discover specific (types of) fixes. But, that's not how it works today.

See this blog post about CU vs. GDR and this blog post describing SQL Server release acronyms.

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