AX 2012 R3 Cumulative Update 8 - FAQ

With the recently announced release of Cumulative Update 8 for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 (6.3.1000.309) with KB2998197, there are several key changes in how the CU package is delivered and installed on local environments. The most notable difference is that the update installer is downloaded first and does not actually contain any Dynamics AX product changes.  The fixes and enhancements are downloaded as part of running the update installer. Some of the common questions you might have as a result of this change are:

  1. My environment does not allow me to download the package from Lifecycle Services (LCS) website. Where is the "offline package"?

    A) The full package can be applied with a new AX 2012 R3 install when using the slipstream process. You will need to log in to LCS and download the CU8 package one time and save it as a custom update package locally.  This update package can be copied to any location for use in "offline" mode. This is listed in the Installation Guide (step 7 on page 7): 

    "Optional: On the Save updates page, click Save custom update package. You can then reuse the installation package that you have created on another computer in your environment.
    After the custom update package has been created, you can open the location where it is stored."

  2. Why are there two version numbers for CU8?

    A) When installing CU8 on an existing install, the granular models are installed individually. The specific package that indicates all application fixes included in CU8 is from a specific build: 6.3.1000.473.

  3. Why are there over 1500 new models installed on my system when I view installed models from the Help > About screen?

    A) CU8 is a collection of all previously released fixes, regulatory updates, and feature enhancements. Each one of these changes is captured in its own individual model with the goal of having lighter dependencies between fixes, as compared to the AX 2012 R2 product today.

  4. What is “slipstreaming” and why should I use it?

    A) Slipstreaming is well-defined in the Installation Guide on page 4:

    "If you are installing Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 for the first time, you can use the Setup wizard and the slipstreaming process to install CU 8 together with the rest of the product. When updates are slipstreamed, Setup automatically detects and applies them.

  5. Is Visual Studio 2013 required with CU8?

    A) Yes. If you need to open a Visual Studio project such as a report design or other C# project, Visual Studio 2013 is required.