EPiServer released EPiServer CMS 5 about 2 years ago but I was still surprised today when I noticed that it’s impossible to install EPiServer 4.x using the normal online installation with the installation manager provided by EPiServer.

Avantime has been working with EPiServer for over 6 years and some clients has been with us since then. Many clients has already upgraded their existing sites to CMS 5 but there are still quite a few on 4.x.

Today I helped my new colleague Erland setting up a new virtual machine for a customer on 4.61. When we got around to install EPiServer the provided manager from world.episerver.com for 4.61 first told us we should upgrade the installation manager. We ignored that but when we selected 4.61 and install the manager told us:

Selected version of EPiServer requires an updated EPiServer installer.

Ok, need to upgrade the installer? The link opened by the installation manager to the upgrade didn’t work but we downloaded the manager for 4.62. Still the manager told us there was an upgrade available, with the same version number as the one we were running!? We ignored that and tried to install EPiServer 4.61 but… “Selected version of EPiServer requires an updated EPiServer installer”. WTF?

After a bit of poking around I remembered the offline installation functionality, which actually worked. I’ve never used it before but it can successfully download the files and create a package for you. Install the new site using the offline installer and your newly created package. The only version that the installer will install without using the offline mode is EPiServer 4.62.

It’s a bit dissapointing that EPiServer has already forgotten that there are lots of customers on 4.x that still need to upgrade or update their sites. Shame on you EPiServer! There are probably plenty of you fellow developers that already have or will run into this problem, if you just did, aren’t you’re lucky you found my blog?

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