Note: This article applies only to the Windows NT and Windows 2000 platforms. For assistance on silently installing IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) on non-Windows platforms, see the IBM WebSphere InfoCenter documentation.

InstallShield basics

WAS uses an InstallShield-based installation program. On your product CD, the installer program is found at X:\NT\setup.exe, where X is your CD-ROM drive. This program automatically runs in interactive mode when you put the CD into the CD-ROM drive. This same executable runs the silent install process.

To run the installer in silent mode, specify the following parameters on the command line:

X:\NT\setup <response file> -f2<log file> -s

The following is an example of running the WebSphere installer in silent mode, where D is your CD-ROM drive and C is your hard drive:

D:\NT\setup C:\Temp\was.iss -f2C:\Temp\setup.log -s

The -s flag indicates silent mode. The response file is a text file containing all of the information required by InstallShield to successfully complete the install without querying the user. The log file records the results of the installation. You should explicitly specify the log file location so that the program can easily locate it. Also, note that there is no space between the -f2 flag and the log file name.

Back to top

Creating custom response files

InstallShield response files allow you to prerecord responses to the queries presented during each step of an InstallShield-based installation. By convention, response files are named with an iss extension (for example, was.iss). Response files are composed of stanzas that roughly correspond to the individual screens shown during an interactive installation.

The following shows selected stanzas from an InstallShield response file for WAS:

Version Info, Do Not Modify
[InstallShield Silent]
Version=v5.00.000
File=Response File
; Application Name as it will
; appear in registry,
; Do not Modify
[Application]
Name=IBM Web Application Server
Version=3.5
Company=IBM
; Install directory, Required.
[SelectTargetDir]
szDir=c:\WebSphere\AppServer
Result=1
; Include Samples, Optional
; Set Result to 0 to exclude
[Samples]
Result=1

You can create a custom response file either by recording an interactive installation or by using a text editor. Recording is easiest. To run the installer program in recording mode, use the -r flag.

To run the installer in record mode, specify the following parameters on the command line:

X:\NT\setup -r -f1<response file>

The following is an example of running the WebSphere installer in record mode:

D:\NT\setup -r -f1C:\Temp\wascustom.iss

The -r flag indicates interactive record mode. In record mode, the response file is written rather than read. Every selection made during the interactive installation is recorded in the response file. The installation process can be repeated by running the installer in silent mode with the newly created response file.

You also may create a custom response file manually using a text editor. There is a custom response file template (X:\NT\Typical.iss) on the product CD. Simply make a copy of this file, and edit the appropriate stanzas as necessary for your environment. The template file is well commented to help you quickly understand each stanza. The InfoCenter documentation provides detailed explanations of each stanza. In any case, you will at least want to edit the [SelectTargetDir], [Security], and [Database] stanzas.

Back to top

Return codes and diagnosing errors

When running in silent mode, the image name for the InstallShield process looks similar to _INS5576._MP in the Windows Task Manager. Once the process is complete, you can find the results of the installation in the log file.

The following shows an InstallShield output log for WAS:

[InstallShield Silent]
Version=v5.00.000
File=Log File
[Application]
Name=WebSphere Application Server
Company=IBM
Lang=0009
[ResponseResult]
ResultCode=0

The log file contains descriptive information about the installation that ran as well as a [ResponseResult] stanza containing a ResultCode. A result code of 0 indicates successful installation. Result codes of -3 or -12 usually indicate an invalid response file, and -5 usually indicates that the response file could not be found. Other InstallShield result codes are summarized below:

 0  Install successful
-1  Install failed - general error
-2  Install failed - invalid mode
-3  Install failed - required data not in response file
-4  Install failed - lack of available memory
-5  Install failed - non-existent required file
-6  Install failed - inability to write to the response file
-7  Install failed - inability to write to the log file
-8  Install failed - invalid path name for the response file
-9  Install failed - invalid list type
-10 Install failed - invalid data type
-11 Install failed - unknown error during setup
-12 Install failed - disordered stanzas in response file
-51 Install failed - inability to create a specified folder
-52 Install failed - inability to access a specified file
-53 Install failed - invalid option selected

The WAS installer generates a more detailed install log in addition to the InstallShield log file. The default location for this log file is Y:\WebSphere\AppServer\logs\wssetup.log, where Y is the drive where you installed WebSphere. You can modify the location of this file by editing the [LogFilePath] custom response stanza. Often, the detailed install log indicates errors that are likely to hinder operation of the application server even though installation was successful (where a successful installation yields an InstallShield Result Code of 0). For example, if the authentication credentials supplied for the server are invalid, an error message is written to the detailed install log. Note that if the installation process itself fails before the target directory for the detailed install log is created, the detailed install log is written to the same directory as the InstallShield log file.

Back to top

Installing the IBM HTTP Server

It is simplest to install the IBM HTTP Server (IHS) component during the WAS installation. To do so, find the [HTTPServer] stanza in the WAS response file, and set Result=1. Follow the instructions in the comments of the template custom response file or the InfoCenter documentation to set the installation directory to a location other than the default.

If you want to install the IHS separately from the application server, you can run the IHS installation program directly. The IHS installer executable is on the product CD at X:\NT\HTTPD\setup.exe. Note that the command line syntax to invoke the IHS installer in silent mode is slightly different from the syntax for the WAS installer.

To run the IBM HTTP Server installer in silent mode, specify the following parameters on the command line:

X:\NT\HTTPD\setup -f1<response files> -f2<log file> -s

The following is an example of running the IBM HTTP Server installer in silent mode:

D:\NT\HTTPD\setup -f1C:\Temp\ihs.iss -f2C:\temp\ihssetup.log -s

Just as with WAS, you need to provide a custom response file to run the InstallShield program in silent mode. And, just as with WAS, a template response file is included on the product CD. You can find the template response file at X:\NT\HTTPD\Typical.iss. Copy this file to create a basis for your own response file. Be sure to update the [szAskDestPath-0] stanza so that the szDir property points to the target installation directory. Also, edit the [UserID-0] stanza and ensure that the properties szEdit1 and szEdit2 are respectively set to a valid user ID and password on the target system.

Back to top

Conclusion

Installing WAS silently using custom response files can save time and prevent mistakes in performing multiple installations. I hope this article has helped you to avoid many of the pitfalls that can make getting started with silent installations a bit tricky.

Resources

• IBM WebSphere InfoCenter documentation
  
  
• WebSphere Developer Domain
  
  

• Category: WebSphere
  
  
• IBM WebSphere Application Server, Advanced Edition V3.5 for Windows NT and Windows 2000
  
  
• IBM WebSphere Application Server, Standard Edition V3.5 for Windows NT and Windows 2000
  
  

About the author

Comments (Undergoing maintenance)

Back to top

Trademarks  |  My developerWorks terms and conditions

Table of contents

• InstallShield basics
• Creating custom response files
• Return codes and diagnosing errors
• Installing the IBM HTTP Server
• Conclusion
• Resources
• About the author
• Comments

Next steps from IBM

• Try: WebSphere Application Server
• Webcast: Using Rational Application Developer with WebSphere Application Server to increase productivity
• Briefing: Building SOA solutions and managing the service lifecycle
• Buy: WebSphere Application Server

My developerWorks community