SAP Basis Tech Supports

Symptom
A Support Package included in the upgrade requires a higher patch level for the new kernel in <PUTDIR>/exe or <PUTDIR>/exenew.
After the “General checks” module, you get a request in the file <PUTDIR>/log/CHECKS.LOG to replace the kernel in <PUTDIR>/exe. with a higher patch level.
Other terms
Upgrade, PREPARE, BIND_PATH
Support Package, KERNEL version, TOOLVERSION_EXE, patch level
Reason and Prerequisites
The phase TOOLVERSION_EXE prompts you to replace the kernel in PUTDIR/exe with a kernel that has a higher patch level.
In the case of source release 3.1I, a request for a higher patch level cannot be determined automatically. Therefore, your are always asked to refer to this note.
In this case, use Note 587896 (for Enterprise 4.70 Extension Set 1.10 Source Release 1) or Note 637683 (for Enterprise 4.70 Extension Set 2.00) to check whether the Support Packages you have included require a higher kernel patch level and then proceed as described below.
As of SAPup Version 7.00, there is a directory <DIR_PUT>/exenew next to <DIR_PUT>/exe. In this case, also replace <DIR_PUT>/exenew.
Solution
1. On SAP Service Marketplace, go to the target product/release of your upgrade.
Go to the “Binary Patches” for your operating system platform.
In the database-independent part, there is the archive
SAPEXE_<Patchlevel>.SAR. In the database-dependent part, there is the archive
SAPEXEDB_<Patchlevel>.SAR. Download these archives.
2. Unpack the archives to <DIR_PUT>/exe or <PUTDIR>/exenew as follows:
UNIX:
cd <DIR_PUT>/exe ODER cd <PUTDIR>/exenew
SAPCAR -xvf <ARCHIVE_PATH>/SAPEXE_<patch-level>.CAR
SAPCAR -xvf <ARCHIVE_PATH>/SAPEXEDB_<patch-level>.CAR
Windows:
Close the SAP management console, if it is running.
Stop the service SAP<SID>_<number of shadow instance>.
To do so, start the “Services” from the “Administration tools”
and choose “stop” in the context menu of the specified service (right click).

cd <DIR_PUT>\exe OR cd <PUTDIR>\exenew
SAPCAR -xvf <ARCHIVE_PATH>\SAPEXE_<patch-level>.CAR
SAPCAR -xvf <ARCHIVE_PATH>\SAPEXEDB_<patch-level>.CAR
Start the service SAP<SID>_<number of shadow instance> again.

In each case, replace <DIR_PUT> with your upgrade directory and
<ARCHIVE_PATH> with the path that you have used when downloading the archives.

3. Repeat the module “General checks”.
<PUTDIR>/log/CHECKS.LOG now contains the note that the required patch level exists and no upgrade is required.

In the case of an upgrade that does not involve a basis change, the kernel in /usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/run used by the system may already have a higher patch level than the kernel requested here. <PUTDIR>/log/CHECKS.LOG also states that the kernel in /usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/run will not be exchanged.
In spite of this, you must proceed as described here because only the kernel from SAP Service Marketplace has been tested and released for operating the shadow system. SAP does not support the use of the active kernel from /usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/run to operate the shadow system.