[Windows]

Program and data directory locations on Windows

The installation location for IBM® MQ program binary and data files on Windows depends on the IBM MQ version you are installing and whether this is the first time IBM MQ is being installed.

First-time installations

When you install IBM MQ for the first time, you can accept default installation locations. You can also select the custom installation option by choosing the location for the IBM MQ binary files and the location for the IBM MQ data and logs.

Before IBM MQ 8.0, if the default option was chosen, both the IBM MQ program binary and the data files were installed in the same directory. From IBM MQ 8.0, the default location for the program binary files is different from the default location for the data files.

Table 1. Default program and data directory locations on different versions of IBM MQ on Windows
IBM MQ Version IBM MQ program binary files installation location IBM MQ data files location
IBM WebSphere® MQ 7.1 and IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 Program and data files are in one location: C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ
IBM MQ 8.0 C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere MQ C:\ProgramData\IBM\MQ
IBM MQ 9.0 C:\Program Files\IBM\MQ C:\ProgramData\IBM\MQ

Subsequent installations and reinstallations

After the data directory is specified, during the installation process of any installation, it cannot be changed for subsequent installations. IBM MQ is only installed as a 64-bit version when it is installed on a 64-bit operating system.

For IBM MQ 9.0, the default data directory is C:\ProgramData\IBM\MQ, unless a version of the product was previously installed, in which case the new installation continues to use the existing data directory.

Existing IBM MQ 8.0 installation

Three upgrade paths are possible:
  • Uninstall IBM MQ 8.0 first and then install IBM MQ 9.0.
  • Upgrade IBM MQ 8.0 at the beginning of the IBM MQ 9.0 installation process, without first uninstalling the earlier version.
  • Install IBM MQ 9.0 alongside IBM MQ 8.0 then uninstall IBM MQ 8.0.

When IBM MQ 8.0 is installed, the product binary files are put by default into C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere MQ and the product data and logs are put by default into C:\ProgramData\IBM\MQ.

When you uninstall IBM MQ 8.0, information about the location of the data directory is left in the registry. After uninstalling IBM MQ 8.0 and before installing IBM MQ 9.0, you can run the ResetMQ.cmd script to tidy up files and data left behind by the uninstallation process.
Important: You should use this script with caution. ResetMQ.cmd can remove the existing queue manager configuration. For more information, see Clearing IBM MQ installation settings.
Installing IBM MQ 9.0 after uninstalling IBM MQ 8.0
After uninstalling IBM MQ 8.0, IBM MQ 9.0 is installed using the same installation name but using the IBM MQ 9.0 default program binary files location C:\Program Files\IBM\MQ. That is, the program files change location after the upgrade.
Optional: You can use the custom installation option to modify the installation path, including modifying it back to C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ.

The default data path is C:\ProgramData\IBM\MQ.

Upgrading IBM MQ 8.0 at the beginning of the IBM MQ 9.0 installation process

If you install IBM MQ 9.0 without uninstalling IBM MQ 8.0 and choose to upgrade the IBM MQ 8.0 installation, the new program binary files replace the IBM MQ 8.0 binary files so, by default, the new binary files are in C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ. The existing data path is kept so, by default, the data path is C:\ProgramData\IBM\MQ.

Installing IBM MQ 9.0 to coexist with IBM MQ 8.0

If you install IBM MQ 9.0 alongside IBM MQ 8.0, a unique path is chosen, which by default is C:\Program Files\IBM\MQ. The existing data path is kept so, by default, the data path is C:\ProgramData\IBM\MQ.

Existing IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 or IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1 installation

Three upgrade paths are possible:
  • Uninstall IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1 or 7.5 first, then install the latest version.
  • Upgrade IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1 or 7.5 at the beginning of the IBM MQ 9.0 installation process, without first uninstalling the earlier version.
  • Install IBM MQ 9.0 alongside IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1 or 7.5, then uninstall the earlier version.

When IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 or 7.1 is installed, both the program binary files and data are installed by default into C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ.

When you uninstall IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 or 7.1, information about the location of the data directory is left in the registry.

Installing IBM MQ 9.0 after uninstalling IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 or 7.1
After uninstalling IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 or 7.1, IBM MQ 9.0 is installed using the same installation name but using the IBM MQ 9.0 default program binary files location of C:\Program Files\IBM\MQ. That is, the program files move from the Windows 32-bit program location to the Windows 64-bit program location.
Optional: You can use the custom installation option to modify the installation path, including modifying it back to C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ.
Upgrading IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 or 7.1 at the beginning of the IBM MQ 9.0 installation process

If you install IBM MQ 9.0 without uninstalling IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1 or 7.5 and choose to upgrade the IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1 or 7.5 installation, the new program binary files replace the IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1 or 7.5 binary files so, by default, the new binary files are in C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ. The existing data path is kept so, by default, the data path is also C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ.

Installing IBM MQ 9.0 to coexist with IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 or 7.1

If you install IBM MQ 9.0 alongside IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 or 7.1, a unique path is chosen, which by default is C:\Program Files\IBM\MQ. The existing data path is kept so, by default, the data path is C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ.

Existing IBM WebSphere MQ 7.0.1 installation

If you are migrating to IBM MQ 9.0 from IBM WebSphere MQ 7.0.1, you must first migrate to an interim version. See Migration paths.

For IBM WebSphere MQ 7.0.1, the interim version you use can only be IBM MQ 8.0. For information about specifying program and data directories when upgrading to IBM MQ 8.0, see Windows: Program and data directory locations in the IBM MQ 8.0 product documentation.