Administrator module not installed after installing Coldfusion 2021 update 18

[jose_9162]

I recently upgraded from Coldfusion 2021 Update 9 to Update 18. I used the package manager to install the update and now I'm getting the message"The Administrator module is not installed". This wasn't an issue on our test instance, but for whatever reason this happened in our production instance (lucky me). The service seems to be running. I just can't get back to the adminstrator site.

I tried running the "install administrator" command on CF_ROOT/bin/cfpm.bat but it gives me the following message: "The package adminstrator is not found in the repository."

[Charlie Arehart]

As a first diagnostic step, let us know what you get in reply to a cfpm listall command. 

[BKBK]

Today, it's the Administrator package. Tomorrow it could be some other package. Not an optimal way to start a migration.

I would suggest that you install all the packages. At least, to start with. 

On Windows, you could install all the packages as follows:

1. Open the Command Prompt (cmd) as Administrator;
2. Use the DOS cd command to navigate to  {CF2021_INSTANCE_DIR}/bin;
3. Type cfpm and press ENTER. You should get ColdFusion's package manager prompt cfpm;
4. Run the command install all

5.  Continue running the command install all till the result is either an irreversible error or ColdFusion tells you that "All the packages are already installed".

6. If the former, then share the error message with the forum. If the later, then restart ColdFusion in the usual way, and you're set to go.

[Charlie Arehart]

Suggesting someone should "install all" should at least be offered with a caution, as someone (that person or others involved in managing the server) may intentionally NOT want ALL packages.

And to be clear, the point of my suggestion was to help Jose, especially given that he'd reported that the the "install administrator" was failing.

By doing the "listall", my goal was to help him see if ANY packages were available. And if so, was the administrator one shown? And if not, what was shown?

I guess we differ here, where your response is tantamount to the old adage, "shoot first and ask questions later".  🙂

But more important, doing an install all would not help get his admin back, which is indeed his primary goal.  And to me, if THAT'S not there, it seems other things won't be there. I'm hoping by his reporting what he finds, we can then better sort out what's amiss.

I have guesses, but again I want to let the diagnostics guide us. Different strokes. 

[BKBK]

@Charlie Arehart , I did let it be known that my suggestion is "At least, to start with".

@jose_9162 , An advantage of install all is that it would install not only the Administrator package. It would also install any other missing packages, including the ones that the Administrator package depends on.

So just try the suggestion I've given, in spite of what Charlie says, and with due respect to him. In fact, I would suggest further that you try every suggestion you receive, including his. Then see what the results tell you.

In a way, all of software developement is "shoot first and ask questions later". The implementation is the shooting and the test is the asking of questions. 

[Charlie Arehart]

First, the cfpm (or admin) install of any given package would itself propose to install any dependent packages, so there's no need to "install all" just to get "ones that the Administrator package depends on." By the same token, if it can't "install administrator" on its own, it won't do it with "install all". 

So again the point of my listall suggestion was so that Jose could see what, if any, packages are available. It may point to a larger problem. 

Indeed to your last point, again I beg to differ. I liken troubleshooting more to medicine: diagnose then pursue treatment; or in justice, investigate then seek conviction. Instead, frontier justice (and medicine) had a tendency toward causing undue harm.

Same with many "prescriptions" offered for cf problems in forums and social media. And like in modern medicine, both doctors and patients seem to have a diminished willingness to take the time for diagnosis, wanting to reach for the pill.

So I strive to remind folks of the diagnostic possibilities whenever possible. It's what I do with folks each day in my troubleshooting consulting. And if I do prescribe a "medication" I'm careful also to discuss the likely side-effects. That's all I'm doing in my first reply to you above.

Granted, it makes for longer posts and perhaps slower resolution. I'm simply making the case that in most cases, it's warranted over "shooting first and asking questions later".

Anyway, how about we wait now to hear from Jose? Our stances have been made clear for anyone who cares to consider them. 🙂

[BKBK]

Charlie, I think you miss my point. The install all suggestion is not just for the Administrator package and its dependents. It is meant to install any other packages that, like the Administrator, might not have been installed.

This is a discussion and we're both making suggestions to Jose. There is no need to scrutinize my suggestion in detail even before Jose has had a look at both our contributions. Just make your point, and let me make mine. 

[Charlie Arehart]

I didn't miss your point. 

[BKBK]

I liken troubleshooting more to medicine: diagnose then pursue treatment; or in justice, investigate then seek conviction. Instead, frontier justice (and medicine) had a tendency toward causing undue harm.

Same with many "prescriptions" offered for cf problems in forums and social media. And like in modern medicine, both doctors and patients seem to have a diminished willingness to take the time for diagnosis, wanting to reach for the pill.

So I strive to remind folks of the diagnostic possibilities whenever possible. It's what I do with folks each day in my troubleshooting consulting. And if I do prescribe a "medication" I'm careful also to discuss the likely side-effects. That's all I'm doing in my first reply to you above.

Granted, it makes for longer posts and perhaps slower resolution. I'm simply making the case that in most cases, it's warranted over "shooting first and asking questions later".

By @Charlie Arehart

If only software development were that simple. 🙂

[Charlie Arehart]

Press your point if you must. But in fact we are NOT talking about software development. We're talking about system configuration, and system administration. Some may prefer a "point and shoot" approach in coding (let the computer  tell you if you got it wrong). I've suggested that as well when helping folks...to run code, where it's clear the worst result is a syntax error.

What we've been talking all along is not that. I stand by all I've said. You're of course free to do the same. Time will tell what's the most productive resolution for Jose. That's what matters, of course. 

[BKBK]

Just to say, the software development I am thinking about includes system configuration and system administration. It is a team effort and deals with complexity, from software conception to end-of-life. So the paradigms we've likened it to, so far - shooting, medical, judicial, etc. - are mere approximations anyway. 

Enough digression. To return to the issue at hand, you suggested cfpm listall and I suggested cfpm install all. Someone else may yet make a further suggestion. The forum is all the richer for the diversity of ideas. I hope Jose considers every suggestion he receives.

[jose_9162 · Accepted solution]

Hi guys, we were able to get it going after all. I had found another thread that addressed this issue and went with the solution there. In a nutshell, we did have to install missing packages. So both your suggestions were in the ball park. Luckily I was able to compare the packages from our test environment since the update was installed successfully there and just installed what was missing on Prod.  Sorry for the late reply on this. Thanks for the help.

[BKBK]

Hi @jose_9162 , Thanks for the update. Glad you hear you've resolved the issue. 

All is well that ends well.