updateInstaller logs a NoClassDefFoundError while applying fix pack or interim fix to WebSphere Application Server version 5
 Technote (troubleshooting)
 
Problem(Abstract)
The updateInstaller fails to install a fix pack or interim fix.
The updateInstaller logs report a NoClassDefFoundError in addition to an AccessDeniedException.
 
Cause
A NoClassDefFoundError in combination with an AccessDeniedException during a fix pack or interim fix installation can occur because:
  • The extfile.jar included with updateInstaller is not in the lib directory.
  • The updateSilent.sh or updateWizard.sh scripts are moved from their original installation location.


Next entry name: /lib/activity.jar
entry path: /usr/WebSphere/DeploymentManager//lib/activity.jar
Error 114 -- NoClassDefFoundError during process :                
com/ibm/ws/io/exception/AccessDeniedException                      
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError:                                    
com/ibm/ws/io/exception/AccessDeniedException                      

In this case, the failing component was activity.jar, which is typically the first component installed during a fix pack installation on a base installation.

Error 114 -- NoClassDefFoundError can be due to a variety of reasons. However, if both Error 114 and AccessDeniedException appear in the same context, the reason is most likely due to the cause described in this technote.
 
Resolving the problem
The problem occurs because the updateInstaller is unable to find the extfile.jar file.

As is the case with the WebSphere® Application Server product, the updateInstaller utility expects all files to be in the proper locations. If the files for the updateInstaller are extracted improperly, they might not end up in the correct locations. The updateInstaller appears to work, but then fails during some operations.

The solution is to make sure you are using the latest version of the updateInstaller, then re-extract the updateInstaller utility files from the package provided by ibm.com.

On Windows® platforms, you can choose to use a third-party zip file extractor or use the jar utility provided in the WebSphere JDK™ to extract the files from the updateInstaller zip files available on ibm.com. If you use a third-party zip file extractor, be sure the appropriate options are selected to extract the files to their subdirectories.

On Unix® platforms, you must extract the updateInstaller files using the jar utility provided in the WebSphere JDK. Refer to the technote referenced at the bottom of this article for details on how to use the jar command.

It is important that the updateSilent.sh and updateWizard.sh (.bat file extension for Windows platforms) remain in the root directory of the updateInstaller. Those scripts cannot be moved and executed from any other location. For example, if the updateInstaller has been extracted to the /usr/WebSphere/AppServer/update directory, then the updateSilent.sh and updateWizard.sh files must reside in the /usr/WebSphere/AppServer/update directory.

For example, here is a directory listing of the updateInstaller files for updateInstaller build version 5.0.2.1 on AIX®. This is not an exhaustive list, but it is a good guide of what the updateInstaller file structure should look like after it is extracted.

. ("root" directory for updateInstaller):
docs
earLauncher
installer.jar
lib
patcher
updateSilent.sh
updateWizard.sh
utils
version.properties

./docs:
readme_updateinstaller.html
readme_updateinstaller.pdf
readme_updateinstaller.txt
readme_was50_fp1.html
readme_was50_fp2.html

./earLauncher:
launcher.exe

./lib:
aix
extfile.jar

./lib/aix:
libUnixFileUtils.so

./patcher:
installEE50.sh
patch.sh
patch.txt
patcher.jar

./utils:
clean_up_was501.sh

 
Related information
Using the "jar" command to extract updateInstaller
Download latest version of updateInstaller utility
 
 
Cross Reference information
Segment Product Component Platform Version Edition
Application Servers Runtimes for Java Technology Java SDK
 
Historical Number
21228 033 000
 
 


Document Information


Product categories: Software > Application Servers > Distributed Application & Web Servers > WebSphere Application Server > Install
Operating system(s): Windows
Software version: 5.1
Software edition:
Reference #: 1137927
IBM Group: Software Group
Modified date: Mar 25, 2005