Troubleshooting
Problem
Installation of WebSphere Application Server V6.1 or V7.0 does not complete successfully. Collect the diagnostic information described in this article to send to IBM Support.
Resolving The Problem
If you have already contacted support, continue on to the component-specific MustGather information. Otherwise, click: MustGather: Read first for all WebSphere Application Server products.
| Minimum data needed for MustGather |
If an issue requires immediate assistance, IBM Support can start problem diagnosis with a minimal set of data. However, whenever possible, IBM Support prefers the full MustGather data, which is sufficient to address nearly all profile-related issues.
These 2 minimum MustGather items will help IBM Support triage the issue. If you cannot perform the full MustGather when requested, then compress these files into an archive and send them to IBM Support:
- All files from the following directory:
install_root/logs - For WebSphere Application Server V7.0, collect all files from the following directory:
user_home/waslogs - For WebSphere Application Server V6.1, collect all files from the following 2 directories:
user_home/waslogs
tmp/niflogs
| This is in the target WebSphere directory; if this does not exist, then tell us. |
| Install specific MustGather information |
Verify that all installation prerequisites have been met for the version of WebSphere Application Server that you are installing.
Note: References below to install_root are used to indicate the base installation directory into which WebSphere Application Server is installed. For example, these are the default directories for installation on supported operating systems:
- AIX:
/usr/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer - HP-UX, Linux, or Solaris:
/opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer - Windows:
c:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer
| Logs and other information to collect and send to IBM support |
- If the installer is able to create the install_root directory, then gather all files and directories which exist in the following directory:
install_root/log - Installation logs for problems where installer fails to start, or crashes:
- If the installer seems to instantly abort, or if it does not get far enough to create the install_root/logs directory, then check the current user's home directory for a subdirectory named waslogs, ihslogs, or plglogs. Also, for V6.1 only, check the system temporary directory for a subdirectory named niflogs. Gather all the files from those subdirectories.
Hint: If you need more information to help locate the system temporary directory or the user's home directory, refer to the hints section below in this same document.
- If the installer fails to start up and you cannot find any logs at all, then try invoking the installer with this option. Use this parameter in front of all the other options on the command-line:
-is:javaconsole - The .nifregistry file:
Gather the .nifregistry file, if it exists. For details, refer to the section below which explains how to locate the .nifregistry file.
Hint: The .nifregistry file is useful for situations where the installer claims that the product cannot be installed to a specific directory because it already exists in that directory.
- The response file:
If you are using silent install mode, provide a copy of the response file you are using. If you are using the graphical installation wizard, then skip this step.
- A description of the error:
In cases where the installer visibly displays an error, copy and paste the error text, or try to describe the error. If the error is difficult to describe, then provide a screen capture of the error.
Hint for Windows-based systems: For best results when sending a screen capture from a Windows-based system, paste the captured image into Microsoft Paint and save the image as a JPG file. When possible, avoid sending BMP images or Microsoft Word documents with images in them.
- Modifications to the installation image files, including maintenance.xml:
Some WebSphere documentation encourages modifying the installation image in order to address certain installation images. If the installation image is altered, it is important for us to know what was altered. If a small set of files was altered, send us the files.
Some technotes suggest replacing a file called "maintenance.xml" inside the WebSphere Application Server installation image to address warning messages regarding prerequisites. If that file was modified, send a copy of the new maintenance.xml file as well as the old maintenance.xml file.
- Additional questions:
If you have time, answer the questions in the section below. The questions should only take a few minutes to answer. Those questions are especially helpful in situations where the installer won't even start up, or if you are unsure that you are following the correct installation instructions.
- How to send the data:
When possible, compress the data into a single archive, such as a .zip or .tar.gz file. For more details, follow instructions to send diagnostic information to IBM support.
| This might produce additional messages to help determine the cause of the failure. For additional hints using this parameter, see the hints section below. |
| Questions for installation issues |
Help IBM Support understand your application server environment by answering the questions below.
- What operating system is the product being installed on, and what version of the operating system is it? Is this operating system using a 32-bit or 64-bit kernel? What processor architecture, e.g. Intel, PowerPC, SPARC?
Hint: For UNIX systems, you can provide the output of the uname -a command to answer this question.
- What version of WebSphere Application Server are you trying to install? Is the product 32-bit or 64-bit edition? Standalone, or bundled with another IBM product? Are any additional versions of WebSphere Application Server currently installed?
- How was the installation image obtained? Do you know the part number or file name of the image?
- Was the file extracted directly onto this system, or onto a networked (NFS or mapped network drive) filesystem?
- Are you trying to install using the graphical wizard ("GUI") mode or the silent installer mode? What command are you using to invoke the installer?
- For AIX, HP-UX, Linux, and Solaris operating systems, are you installing as a root user or non-root user? Also, indicate if the installation is performed using "sudo". For Windows operating systems, are you installing using a user with administrative authority?
- Are you attempting to create a profile during this installation? If so, what profile type is being created?
- Was the installation image modified from the original? For example, was a "maintenance.xml" file altered?
- What appears to go wrong when the installer fails?
- Does the installer not even start up?
- Are you able to make selections to initiate the installation process, and then it fails or hangs?
- Do you receive an error during the process?
| Additional information |
Hints for using the -is:javaconsole parameter
If the installer fails to start up and does not seem to produce a log, then an additional trace parameter may help produce more data. Add the following parameter in front of all the other parameters used to invoke the installer:
-is:javaconsole
- AIX, HP-UX, Linux, and Solaris:
Starting the installer in graphical mode:
./install -is:javaconsole >was.install.log.txt - Windows:
Starting the installer in graphical mode:
install -is:javaconsole >was.install.log.txt
| Starting the installer silently with your response file (note that this command is meant to show up on a single line): |
./install -is:javaconsole -silent -options myresponsefile.txt >was.install.log.txt |
| Starting the installer silently with your response file (note that this command is meant to show up on a single line): |
install -is:javaconsole -silent -options myresponsefile.txt >was.install.log.txt |
The .nifregistry file helps WebSphere utilities locate the WebSphere Application Server V6.1 and V7.0 installations present on a system. The file is located outside the directory to which the product is installed, and the location can vary depending on whether the product was installed as a root user or a non-root user.
If the product is being installed as the root user (or an administrative user on Windows), then the .nifregistry file is located in a specific place. (If you are installing as non-root (non-administrator), then skip to the next item.)
- AIX:
/usr/.ibm/.nif/.nifregistry - HP-UX, Linux, and Solaris:
/opt/.ibm/.nif/.nifregistry - Windows:
In the main Windows directory; typically:
C:\Windows\.nifregistry
Look for a subdirectory named .nif under the user's home directory. The .nifregistry file is located in that directory.
Hints for locating the system temporary directory
If the installation fails to start up, or if it crashes, logs for V6.1 may be written to a directory called niflogs and under the system temp directory. Here are some hints for locating the system temporary directory:
- For AIX, Linux, HP-UX, and Solaris:
The system temporary directory is typically /tmp or /var/tmp.
- For Windows:
The system temporary directory is typically the following:
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Local Settings\temp
| You might be able to locate the system temporary directory by entering %temp% into the address bar of a File Explorer window. |
If the installation fails to start up, logs for V6.1 and V7.0 may be written to a directory called waslogs under the system temp directory. Also, when the product is installed as a non-root user, the .nifregistry file can be placed in a subdirectory in the user's home directory. Here are some hints for locating the user's home directory:
- For AIX, Linux, HP-UX, and Solaris:
The user home directory can usually be accessed by changing to a directory named " ~ " (tilde character) on those operating systems. For example, cd ~
- For Windows:
The user home directory is typically the following:
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name
| Where user_name represents the name of the account logged on to the system. You can sometimes access the current user's home directory directly by entering %userroot% into a File Explorer address bar. |
Related Information
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Document Information
Modified date:
15 June 2018
UID
swg21255887