"Action not available. To use this action, you must first select the old solution and then try again" message appears in Dynamics 365

This article provides a solution to an error that occurs when you select a solution in Dynamics 365 and then select the Apply Solution Upgrade button.

Applies to:   Microsoft Dynamics 365
Original KB number:   4457887

Symptoms

When you select a solution in Dynamics 365 and then select the Apply Solution Upgrade button, you receive the following error:

"Action not available.
To use this action, you must first select the old solution and then try again."

If you select Download Log File, the log file includes a reference to error code -2147187396.

Cause

This message appears if the solution you selected is the solution update and not the parent solution.

The Apply Solution Upgrade button is intended to be used when you've imported an update for another solution that is already installed. When importing the updated solution, there's a Stage for upgrade option that appears. If this checkbox is selected, the upgrade action isn't done during solution import. An Apply Solution Upgrade button appears at the end of the import process. If you didn't select this button, you can find the parent solution in the solution list and then select Apply Solution Upgrade.

Example: You previously imported a solution called SolutionA that was version 1.0.0.0. Later you import a newer version of SolutionA that is version 1.0.1.0. During the solution import, the Stage for upgrade option was selected. If you didn't select the Apply Solution Upgrade button that appeared at the end of the import process, you'll see SolutionA and also SolutionA_Upgrade in the All Solutions view. If you selected SolutionA_Upgrade and then selected Apply Solution Upgrade, you would see this error. Instead you need to select the parent solution (SolutionA) and then select Apply Solution Upgrade.

Resolution

Select the parent solution and then select Apply Solution Upgrade.