Resumable upgrade component coverage for SQL Server 2022 failed in-place upgrade recovery

Question

SQL Server 2022 introduces a resumable upgrade capability for certain components during an in-place upgrade, yet Microsoft states that a full instance upgrade still requires backup-based recovery if it fails. The goal is to define the exact scope of components that support resumable upgrade and understand whether this feature can reduce the need for a complete system database restore after a partial failure.
Constraints include the lack of a publicly enumerated component list in the current documentation and the requirement that any recovery must return the instance to its pre-upgrade version and build number. The repair action (setup.exe /ACTION=Repair) only addresses corrupted binaries and does not revert schema changes made to system databases during the upgrade process.

Which specific components or features are eligible for resumable upgrade in SQL Server 2022?
Can a resumable upgrade be paused and rolled back without uninstalling the instance and restoring master, model, and msdb from pre-upgrade backups?
How does resumable upgrade interact with Always On availability group databases during a rolling upgrade scenario?

Tasadduq Burney · Answer

SQL Server 2022 resumable upgrade currently guarantees support only for the Database Engine; no official component list is published, so other features are speculative.
Confirmed facts: The Database Engine can be paused during an in‑place upgrade, and the upgrade logs indicate a “Paused” state for this component. Repair (setup.exe /ACTION=Repair) only fixes binary files and does not revert schema changes made to master, model, or msdb.
Likely explanation (speculative): Components such as SSIS, SSRS, SSAS, or client tools may also be upgradeable, but their eligibility has never been enumerated in the public documentation, so any claim about them is unverified.
Steps to verify and recover:

Consult the SQL Server 2022 Release Notes under the “Resumable Upgrade” section to confirm which components are listed as supported.
Run the upgrade with setup.exe /ACTION=Upgrade and monitor the upgrade logs; if the process pauses after the Database Engine component, the feature is active for that part.
Ensure a complete backup of master, model, and msdb databases before starting the upgrade, as these system databases must be restored to return the instance to its pre‑upgrade state.
If the upgrade fails, use setup.exe /ACTION=Repair to fix corrupted binaries, then restore the system‑database backups to achieve a full rollback.
In an Always On Availability Group rolling upgrade, upgrade the primary replica first; resumable upgrade does not change the required sequence, and a partial rollback of the AG is not supported.

To determine whether additional components were being upgraded when the failure occurred, please provide the specific component names or the upgrade log excerpt that shows which features were active at the point of failure.

Resumable upgrade component coverage for SQL Server 2022 failed in-place upgrade recovery

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