Hi
We have about 300++ users and plan to deploy Notes 14.0 ASAP.
Is there any way to upgrade from V9.0FP8 to 14.0FP4 (32 BIT to 64b BIT) silently on client workstations?
Or there is any other suitable alternative on it?
Thanks
Hi,
Hope you are doing well!
You can refer to the official HCL product documentation below for guidance on using Smart Upgrade:
Title: Using Notes® Smart Upgrade
https://help.hcl-software.com/domino/14.0.0/admin/upgr_usingnotessmartupgrade_c.html
Please note that while Smart Upgrade is supported for upgrading Notes clients, moving from a 32-bit to a 64-bit architecture is treated as a major change. As such, there are a few important considerations for a silent upgrade scenario.
Silent Upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit Notes:
When upgrading a single-user installation silently from Notes 9.0 32-bit to Notes 14.0 64-bit, the program and data directory paths may change by default. To retain the existing paths, you can use the following command:
/s /v"PROGDIRW64=<Current Program Directory Path> DATADIRW64=<Current Data Directory Path>
Replace <Current Program Directory Path> and <Current Data Directory Path> with your existing paths to maintain consistency across the environment.
For more details, please refer to the following technical documentation:
Title: Upgrading Notes client, program directory and data directory path get changed or moved.
https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0114991
Note: Test in a pilot group or single user to validate the command line and upgrade process before full-scale deployment.
Hope the above information will help in answering your concerns
Please mark this question as answered and helpful if this answered your query.
You can also refer the below Notes upgrade webinar
Webinar - HCL Notes Upgrade & Troubleshooting
https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0113333
Note: for your awareness, we have launched a new Digital Solutions Community site (https://developer.ds.hcl-software.com/) which includes our new product forums
The content for our legacy product forums will soon be migrated to this new site. If you haven’t yet done so, we encourage you to sign up on the site and engage with the community of experts for our products!!
Thank you
Hi
Mohamed Ali Abdul Gaffoor,
We understand that you are planning to upgrade from HCL Notes Client 9 to HCL Notes Client 14. We would like to share some important information regarding this upgrade:
Notes Client 9.0 FP8 is a 32-bit application, whereas Notes Client 14 is a 64-bit application.
This difference may have implications for your upgrade process, system compatibility, and user experience.
We strongly recommend reviewing the system requirements and best practices before proceeding. Please refer to the following resources:
Title : System Requirements for HCL Notes 14.0 and Fix Packs
URL --> https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0108739
Title : Webinar on Notes Upgrade and Troubleshooting
URL --> https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0113333
Title : Upgrade Instructions from Notes 9.0.x to 12.0.2 64-bit
URL --> https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0102196
Title : Known Issues During Upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit Notes Client
https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0113406
We hope the information provided above helps in resolving your issue.
Note: for your awareness, we have launched a new Digital Solutions Community site (https://developer.ds.hcl-software.com/) which includes our new product forums
The content for our legacy product forums will soon be migrated to this new site. If you haven’t yet done so, we encourage you to sign up on the site and engage with the community of experts for our products!!
Thank you
Hi @Mohamed Ali Abdul Gaffoor
*****************************************
For your awareness, we have launched a new Digital Solutions Community site (https://developer.ds.hcl-software.com/) which includes our new product forums.
The content for our legacy product forums will soon be migrated to this new site. If you haven’t yet done so, we encourage you to sign up on the site and engage with the community of experts for our products!
*****************************************
Upgrading HCL Notes from v9.0.1 FP8 (32-bit) to 14.0 FP4 (64-bit) across 300+ clients is fully possible — but it requires careful planning because:
--You're migrating from 32-bit to 64-bit, which is a major architecture change.
--The folder structure changes from IBM\Notes to HCL\Notes in newer versions.
Important Note: Backup User Data --> Before uninstalling, backup any important user data.
https://help.hcl-software.com/notes/9.0.1/app_important_files_to_backup_r.html
In multi-user environments, data under \Notes\Data is usually preserved, but it’s always recommended to verify this before a wide rollout.
Recommended Approaches :
1. Fresh Installation (Recommended clean migration).
This method installs HCL Notes 14.0 in a new folder structure for program and data paths under ~\HCL\Notes.
Steps:
a. Backup the existing Data folder and notes.ini
b. Use the Nice tool to cleanly uninstall the current 32-bit Notes client
c. Perform a fresh silent installation of Notes 14.0:
Notes_14.0_WIN64_EN.exe -s -a /s /v"/qn MULTIUSER=1 ALLUSERS=1 REBOOT=ReallySuppress"
2. Using SmartUpgrade (Keep existing IBM folder paths)
In case you want to use the SmartUpgrade, you can create below kit document.
Note : Optional arguments for attached kit can be change based on the type of existing installation.
Single user: -s -a /s /v"PROGDIRW64=<Program path> DATADIRW64=<Data path> /qn /norestart"
Multi-user: -s -a /s /v"SETMULTIUSER=1 /qn /norestart PROGDIRW64=<Program path>"
Change it according to current notes installation in your environment.
3. Upgrade using silently (Keep existing IBM folder paths)
Use this if you want to retain the existing program and data paths under ~\IBM\Notes.
Refer: https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0114991
a. Backup first: Backup the Data folder and notes.ini
b. Use the silent upgrade command based on installation type:
Single-User Install:
Notes_14.0_WIN64_EN.exe -s -a /s /v"PROGDIRW64=<Program path> DATADIRW64=<Data path> /qn /norestart"
Example:
Notes_14.0_WIN64_EN.exe -s -a /s /v"PROGDIRW64=C:\IBM\Notes DATADIRW64=C:\IBM\Notes\Data /qn /norestart"
Multi-User Installation :
Notes_14.0_WIN64_EN.exe -s -a /s /v"SETMULTIUSER=1 /qn /norestart PROGDIRW64=<Program path>"
Example:
Notes_14.0_WIN64_EN.exe -s -a /s /v"SETMULTIUSER=1 /qn /norestart PROGDIRW64=C:\IBM\Notes"
Optionally : Use TRANSFORMS (.mst) to customize install options like pre-defined locations, suppressing certain features, etc.
Refer: https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0116409
Test above information in test environment, before upgrading Notes client in production environment.
In case you are facing any challenge or difficulty to upgrade the Notes client, please raise case with HCL support team and we will be happy to assist you further.
Please mark this question as answered and helpful if this answered your query.
Thanks & Regards
Hemant Naik