Can't get NAV 2015 and 2016 to work side by side in Management Console

Question

I have installed the 2015 version and then the 2016 version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Everything works fine besides the Management Console.

When I install NAV 2015, I get version 8 of the Management Console. When I install NAV 2016, it replaces the old (version 8.0) Management Console for NAV 2015 with Management Console 9.0 for NAV 2016.

The problem here is that I can't manage the version 8.0 instances for NAV 2015, only 9.0 instances for NAV 2016 in Management Console.

How can I manage my 8.0 Instances/server for NAV 2015? Is it possible to somehow separate the installation of Management console 8.0 from 9.0??

I'm talking about the administration tool. This is the error I get:

^{(Click image to enlarge)}

Answer 1

From the same article of the steps below [1], it is possible to arrive to a second site [2], where Waldo gives a power shell script for a one click solution.

References

1. NAV 2016 installation overwrites NAV 2015 Administration Tool
2. Fix NAV2015 Administration Shell after NAV 2016 installation

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Some words more

The reason that NAV 2015 Administration Tool is actually starting NAV 2016 is because of a registry entry.

You can read in [1]

The NAV 2015 and NAV 2016 Administration Tool both point to this registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MMC\SnapIns\FX:{BA484C42-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE}

Always in [1] it is proposed a solution in two main steps, modifying the problematic registry key and the relative reference in a file (Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server.msc).
The proposed steps are reported below and implemented in a script available in a second site [2].
The logic is to modify the key for the version 8.0 instead of the 9.0 and to write the consequent patches relative to the key itself, the NAV/90 in NAV/80, and 9.0.0.0 in 8.0.0.0.

Steps

1. With the registry editor, find the key and export it to a file.
   Then Modify the exported file

   Search for all occurences of C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\90 and change it to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\80

   Search for Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.ManagementUI, Version=9.0.0.0 and change it to Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.ManagementUI, Version=8.0.0.0

   Change all occurences of BA484C42-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE to BA484C41-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE. (Only changed 8th character here, you can even choose to replace the complete GUID).

   and import again the modified file into the registry (double clicking...)

2. Run a text editor as Administrator and open the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\80\RoleTailored Client\Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server.msc
   There

   Change all occurences of BA484C42-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE to BA484C41-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE
   Notice this is the same GUID as changed in step 1. There are 4 occurences. Then save the file and exit.

Answer 2

This is a known issue.

The reason that NAV 2015 Administration Tool is actually starting NAV 2016 is because of a registry entry.

You can read in [1]

The NAV 2015 and NAV 2016 Administration Tool both point to this registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MMC\SnapIns\FX:{BA484C42-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE}

For a solution follow the steps of [1].

Steps

1. With the registry editor, find the key and export it to a file.
   Then Modify the exported file

   Search for all occurences of C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\90 and change it to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\80

   Search for Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.ManagementUI, Version=9.0.0.0 and change it to Microsoft.Dynamics.Nav.ManagementUI, Version=8.0.0.0

   Change all occurences of BA484C42-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE to BA484C41-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE. (Only changed 8th character here, you can even choose to replace the complete GUID).

   and import again the modified file into the registry (double clicking...)

2. Run a text editor as Administrator and open the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\80\RoleTailored Client\Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server.msc
   There

   Change all occurences of BA484C42-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE to BA484C41-ED9A-4bc1-925F-23E64E686FCE
   Notice this is the same GUID as changed in step 1. There are 4 occurences. Then save the file and exit.

   References:

   1. fix nav2015 administration shell after nav 2016 installation