"Deduplication Option is no longer licensed in this upgrade" message appears and prevents Backup Exec from being installed

Problem

Backup Exec upgrade pops up the following message "Deduplication Feature is no longer licensed in this upgrade. You may not remove this license during the upgrade. To continue either add an Entitlement ID for Deduplication Feature, upgrade as Trial or remove the option in the previous version, then continue the upgrade"

Error Message

The below messages may appear on the Review Licenses screen of Backup Exec Upgrade Menu -

Pop up Alert 1-
Deduplication Feature is no longer licensed in this upgrade. You may not remove this license during the upgrade. To continue either add an Entitlement ID for Deduplication Feature, upgrade as Trial or remove the option in the previous version, then continue the upgrade

NOTE: If Deduplication Storage exists then no need to uninstall the Deduplication Feature. Upgrade Backup Exec in Trial Mode

Pop up Alert 2 -
The Deduplication Feature cannot be installed during an upgrade unless it was also present prior to the upgrade. Finish the upgrade without this feature, then rerun the install to add this feature.

Cause

Scenario when the first message will appear during upgrade "Deduplication Feature is no longer licensed in this upgrade"  -

1. Backup Exec 16 with Vray or Custom Edition License is being upgraded to Backup Exec 20 license. A Deduplication Storage is configured.
Note : Vray or Custom Edition License includes Deduplication License so this message is unexpected.

2. Deduplication Feature was Licensed in Current Backup Exec version. During the upgrade the Deduplication License is not applied hence this message may pop up. A Deduplication Storage is configured.

Scenario for the second message "The Deduplication Feature cannot be installed during an upgrade unless it was also present prior to the upgrade"

1. If Backup Exec is Installed without the Deduplication Feature in the current version. During upgrade if a license is added that is inclusive of  Deduplication feature then this message may pop up.

Note: With the new Licensing changes in 20.x and 21, Backup Exec Bronze, Silver and Gold license includes Deduplication feature. An end user can run into this if he is upgrading from an earlier edition of Backup Exec which did not include Deduplication Feature but adds in any of the above licenses which includes it. Backup Exec does not allow to add in Deduplication Feature during upgrade and hence this message is seen.

2. The currently installed BE edition has the Deduplication feature installed, however the deduplication folder has NOT been configured. On upgrade the Deduplication feature license is provided and the feature is being selected

Solution

Solution for Scenario 1 :

Choose the Trial option and complete the upgrade :

After the Trial license has been installed, the V-Ray or Custom Edition License can then be added.

Solution for Scenario 2:

Remove the Entitlement ID for the Deduplication Feature and complete the upgrade. Then re-install the Deduplication Feature from Installation and Licensing inside the Backup Exec UI. Click on Show Removed Entitlement ID's and then click on the Deduplication Feature ID. Then click next and complete. Doing this does not affect the status of any Deduplication Feature storage devices or the jobs configured to use them. However, the devices will not be usable until after the Deduplication Feature has been re-enabled.

Backup Exec 20, 21, and Backup Exec 22.