Server (app server, nodeagent and dmgr) fails to start with NoClassDefFoundError for WSLauncher
 Technote (troubleshooting)
 
Problem(Abstract)
The server fails to start with the following error found in the native_stderr.log:
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: com/ibm/ws/bootstrap/WSLauncher
 
Cause
The WSLauncher class can be found in the WebSphere bootstrap.jar file. The error message means that java cannot find the class in the classpath.

If we review the startServer.log with trace option we can see the classpath entry:
[[9/2/04 15:55:58:486 EDT] d25ee9a Win32ProcessI d create() : Creation params are: [executable:] C:\WebSphere50\AppServer\java/bin/java ... -classpath C:\WebSphere50\AppServer/properties;C:\WebSphere50\AppServer/properties;C:\WebSphere50\AppServer/lib/bootstrap.jar;C:\WebSphere50\AppServer/lib/j2ee.jar;C:\WebSphere50\AppServer/lib/lmproxy.jar;C:\WebSphere50\AppServer/lib/urlprotocols.jar ...

If we review the location of the bootstrap.jar, C:\WebSphere50\AppServer/lib/bootstrap.jar, we should not find the jar file.

 
Resolving the problem
The variables.xml located <WAS_HOME>/config/cells/<cellname>/nodes/<nodename> directory has the correct location of the WebSphere install. Below is an example entry:
<entries xmi:id="VariableSubstitutionEntry_1" symbolicName="WAS_INSTALL_ROOT" value="C:\WebSphere50\AppServer"/>
Correct this entry to point to the WebSphere install.
Note: if this is a Network Deployment cell the modification has to be done in the master config and then synchronize.
 
 
Cross Reference information
Segment Product Component Platform Version Edition
Application Servers Runtimes for Java Technology Java SDK
 
 


Document Information


Product categories: Software > Application Servers > Distributed Application & Web Servers > WebSphere Application Server > System Management/Repository
Operating system(s): Windows
Software version: 5.1.1.3
Software edition:
Reference #: 1202154
IBM Group: Software Group
Modified date: Mar 31, 2005