Netcool Tips

 Applying Fixpack 2/3 to ITNM 3.8 on Linux/UNIX machine can be painful if you don't have X installed.

The TIP component is delivered as a eWas application,hence eWas Updater must be installed before you can apply Fixpack2/3 to any system that contains TIP.

After unpacking eWas Updater and invoking the install script, nothing happens and the script returns to command prompt with no error message.

the eWas Updater installation logfile can be found in ~/updilogs,below is what I've got from a failed install:

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[netcool@dlvtip01 updilogs]$ cat /log.txt
(Apr 21, 2010 10:20:55 AM), Install, com.installshield.wizard.StandardWizardListener, wrn, could not initialize interface swing - trying awt
(Apr 21, 2010 10:20:55 AM), Install, com.installshield.wizard.StandardWizardListener, err, could not initialize interface awt
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Both swing and awt are Java APIs that provide GUI for Java programs, those errors mean  the Updater installer failed because it can't initialize GUI mode.

After googling around I find following bug:
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IZ74192: E-WAS UPDATE INSTALLER ON FP2/FP3 DOES NOT HAVE CONSOLE INSTALL OPTION. IT ONLY HAS GUI MODE, (X11MODE)
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the APAR is closed and it is stated that the fix will be available in next interim fix.

However, I couldn't wait that long, after reading the E-WAS documentation I find  that the Updater provides a silent mode, maybe that will address my issue.

the example response file come with the Updater is well commented, after minal modification the response file is ready:

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[netcool@dlvtip01 UpdateInstaller]$ cat responsfile|grep -v "^#"
-OPT silentInstallLicenseAcceptance="true"
-OPT allowNonRootSilentInstall="true"
-OPT disableOSPrereqChecking="true"
-OPT installLocation="/home/netcool/IBM/WebSphere/UpdateInstaller"
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I started the Updater Installer in silent mode this time:

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./install -options "/opt/IBM/tivrepos/itnm38_fp3/wsupdater/UpdaterInstaller/responsfile" -silent
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this time the installation is fine. Happy fixpacking :)

I've attached a working response file that can be used on unix/linux install:

response.txt