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The application paths must be updated when moving to a new drive after reinstalling. When the backed up data is restored the original drive letter and old directory location will prevent the restored databases from connecting.

To update the application path in the database, run the PushConfigUpdates.bat command line tool. Running PushConfigUpdates.bat also ensures that the application software and the restored databases are using the same database passwords and users to communicate.

More on PushConfigUpdates


Update Blackboard Learn properties

  1. Select Start > Run. Type CMD and select OK to launch the command window.
  2. Change directories by typing the following at the command prompt, and pressing the ENTER key.

    X:\> cd blackboard\tools\admin

  3. List the contents on the directory by typing dir at the command prompt and pressing the ENTER key.

    Example:

    blackboard_home\tools\admin\dir

  4. Find the PushConfigUpdates.bat file in the list, and then run the PushConfigUpdates batch file by typing the following command and pressing the ENTER key.

    PushConfigUpdates.bat

  5. The PushConfigUpdates.bat file will apply the new environment variables to the restored databases. This will update the drive paths in the databases to the ones listed in the configuration files created after the fresh install of Blackboard on the new drive.

    The PushConfigUpdates.bat file will take a period of time to run and may appear to have stalled. This is normal and the Administrator must wait until the file has finished.

  6. Reboot the server and login to test.

Update content management properties

Update the Blackboard CMS External Storage paths to reflect the new drive location on the new server.

  1. Select Start > Program Files > Microsoft SQL Server > SQL Enterprise Manager.
  2. Select the expanded Databases folder to expand to the CMS database.
  3. Highlight the CMS database.
  4. Select New Query to open Query Analyzer.
  5. Copy the following SQL statement for CMS into the query window and insert the new windows_storage_location. Select Run or press F5 to execute the script after loading it into the query window.

    UPDATE XY_STORAGE_LOCATIONS
    SET WINDOWS_STORAGE_LOCATION='blackboard_home\content\users'
    WHERE STORAGE_LOCATION_ID= '1001';
    UPDATE XY_STORAGE_LOCATIONS
    SET WINDOWS_STORAGE_LOCATION='blackboard_home\content\courses'
    WHERE STORAGE_LOCATION_ID= '1002';
    UPDATE XY_STORAGE_LOCATIONS
    SET WINDOWS_STORAGE_LOCATION='blackboard_home\content\orgs'
    WHERE STORAGE_LOCATION_ID= '1003';
    UPDATE XY_STORAGE_LOCATIONS
    SET WINDOWS_STORAGE_LOCATION='blackboard_home\content\institution'
    WHERE STORAGE_LOCATION_ID= '1004';
    UPDATE XY_STORAGE_LOCATIONS
    SET WINDOWS_STORAGE_LOCATION='blackboard_home\content\library'
    WHERE STORAGE_LOCATION_ID= '1005';

Where X: is the new destination path for the external storage locations. If drive mappings are being used for load balanced clients remember to enter the mapped drive letter not the physical drive.


Synchronize passwords

Run the blackboard\tools\admin\pushconfigupdates.bat command to update the content management db_user password in the restored databases. This will sync the database password between the application and the restored CMS database.

  1. Select Start > Run. Type CMD and select OK to launch the command window.
  2. Change directories by typing the following at the command prompt, and pressing the ENTER key.

    cd blackboard_home\apps\bbcms\bin

  3. Run the pushconfigupdate.bat file by typing the following command and pressing the ENTER key.

    pushconfigupdate.bat

  4. Login to the Blackboard web site to test the installation once the script is complete.
  5. Reboot the server or servers and test the system.