Loading updates on Windows returns “history file missing”

This can happen when the history file is corrupt or has not been updated correctly from a previous release. This error can also appear using DBUPDATE.

Installing Reality from a local file structure is known to cause this problem, although it doesn’t always. As this is unreliable always install following the Installation Guide – i.e. from a mounted .iso or a physical DVD media. The actual problem seems to be caused by InstallAnywhere reacting to changes in Windows and losing the path to the installation folder, hence the final part of the install does not work properly.

To recover this, access an Admin Command Prompt, e.g. use Windows Start, All Programs, Command Prompt and use right click option [Run as administrator].

First just run pdshist – if the pdshist version is 15.0, or if the pdshist record is not present, run the following:

Run the below to register the History Tool.

pdshist -a I -p "PDS History Tool" -v V15.1.0.0 -t PR -n name_of updater

Then run the below, to register Reality V15.1.

pdshist -a I -p Reality -v V15.1.0.0 -t PR -n name_of updater

Also refer to FAQ – History File Errors & Reality, updates or Overlays not loading

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