Installing silently

Silently install the application server product. To configure the installation, change the options in the response file before you issue the installation command.

Before you begin

This topic describes installing silently on any supported operating system.

Before starting this installation, review the following topics.

Customize the response file to add your selections before attempting to install silently.

Use the response file to supply values to the installation wizard as the wizard runs in silent mode. The wizard does not display interactive panels when it runs in silent mode, but reads values from the response file instead.

Be precise when supplying values in the file: Customize the options response file precisely to let the installation program read the option values that the file contains. Incorrect specifications affect the silent interface of the installation wizard. For example, always enclose values in double quotation marks.

About this task

A silent installation uses the installation wizard to install the product in silent mode, without the graphical user interface. Instead of displaying a wizard interface, the silent installation causes the installation program to read all of your responses from a file that you provide. To specify nondefault options during a silent installation, you must use the response file. To install silently, you must accept the license agreement in the agreement option.

Perform the following procedure to edit the response file.

Procedure

  1. Log on to the operating system. If you are installing as a non-root or non-administrative user, then there are certain limitations.
    [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] In addition, select a umask that allows the owner to read/write to the files, and allows others to access them according to the prevailing system policy. For root, a umask of 022 is recommended. For non-root users, a umask of 002 or 022 could be used, depending on whether or not the users share the group. To verify the umask setting, issue the following command:
    umask
    To set the umask setting to 022, issue the following command:
    umask 022
    [Windows] When installing as an administrative user on a Windows® operating system, a Windows service is automatically created to autostart the application server. The installer user account must have the following advanced user rights:
    • Act as part of the operating system
    • Log on as a service
    For example, on some Windows operating systems, click Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Local Security Policy > Local Policies > User Rights Assignments to set the advanced options. See your Windows operating system documentation for more information.

    [Windows] If you plan to run the application server as a Windows service, do not install from a user ID that contains spaces. A user ID with spaces cannot be validated. Such a user ID is not allowed to continue the installation. To work around this restriction, install with a user ID that does not contain spaces.

  2. Access the root directory of your installation image on your hard disk, or insert the disk labeled WebSphere® Application Server into the disk drive.
    The application server product installer is spanned across multiple CDs. If you are installing the product from the CDs, then you must use the following procedure or the installation will not proceed:
    1. Copy both installation CDs into the same parent directory (for example, WebSphere7) on your hard disk.
    2. Name the directories DISC1 and DISC2 (for example, WebSphere7/DISC1 and WebSphere7/DISC2).
    3. If your system's language is not set to English, then set the language to English for the duration of the installation.
      Avoid trouble: If your language is set to something other than English, the installation will fail.gotcha
    4. Run the installer from the DISC1 directory after following the remaining instructions in this document.
    5. After you have completed the installation, reset your system's language to its previous setting if you had changed it during the installation.

    If you are installing from a DVD or a downloaded image, then you do not need to take any action because these images are not spanned.

  3. Locate the sample options response file. The file is named responsefile.base.txt in the WAS directory on the product image, CD-ROM, or DVD.
  4. Copy the file to preserve it in its original form. For example, copy and save it as myresponsefile.txt to a location on your hard drive.
  5. Edit the copy in your flat file editor of choice, on the target operating system. Read the directions within the response file to choose appropriate values that reflect parameters for your system. The response file contains a description of each option.
  6. Save the file.
  7. Issue the proper command to use your custom response file. For example, issue a command such as the following:
    • [AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] mnt_cdrom/WAS/install -options /tmp/WAS/myresponsefile.txt -silent
    • [Windows] "disk_drive:\WAS\install" -options "C:\temp\WAS\myresponsefile.txt" -silent

    [jul2010] For example, for a BASE, EXPRESS, or Network Deployment install, add -OPT profileType="none" in the response file. [jul2010]

    jul2010

    Although the installation process verifies that the minimum required version of the operating system is available, the installation process might not correctly flag a maintenance upgrade of that operating system version as being a supported configuration. If you have upgraded your supported operating system version to a higher maintenance level and you receive an error message indicating that the prerequisites have not been met, then you can uncomment the -OPT disableOSPrereqChecking="true" option in the response file to bypass operating system prerequisite checking. See the response file for more information.
    Avoid trouble: Although maintenance upgrades of the same major release are supported, subsequent major releases of the operating system might not be supported. Review the prerequisites on the WebSphere Application Server detailed system requirements web site if you have not already done so. gotcha
  8. After the installation, examine the logs for success.

Results

This procedure results in creating a customized response file and using the file to start a silent installation. The silent installation takes some time to complete.

Troubleshooting

If you customize the response file incorrectly, the installation wizard cannot install the product with the -options or -silent parameters.

Compare your options response file to the responsefile.base.txt file that is shipped with the product and make any necessary corrections. After correcting the file, reinstall.

Verify the success of the installer program by examining the app_server_root/logs/install/log.txt file to verify that there were no file system or other unusual errors while installing. If the app_server_root/logs/install directory does not exist, check the following locations for log files:
  • user_home/waslogs
  • user_home/niflogs/tmp/waslogs
See the "Troubleshooting Installation" topic for more information on other installation logs and log locations.

Verify or troubleshoot the installation if the app_server_root/logs/install/log.txt file or the app_server_root/logs/manageprofiles/pmt.log file does not contain a record of a problem, but problems exist. If the error happens early in the installation, look for the logs in the system temporary area. The installation program copies the logs from the system temporary area to the logs directory at the end of the installation.

If the profile_root directory does not exist, the pmt.log file is in the user_home directory. Issue the env command to display the user_home directory on operating systems such as AIX® or Linux®. See the environment variable settings on Windows system to display the value of the variable.

What to do next

After installing the product from the installation image, the next step is to check for available updates before you alter the configuration of the product. Read the "Installing maintenance packages" topic for more information.

After updating the product, create a profile if you have not yet done so. Use the Profile Management Tool or the manageprofiles command to create a profile.

[Windows] On Windows systems, use the Start menu to locate IBM® WebSphere and select appropriate menu options to display the First steps option for the profile that you intend to verify.

[AIX] [HP-UX] [Linux] [Solaris] The First steps console, firststeps.sh, is available in the profile_root/firststeps directory. A separate First steps console exists for each profile, except custom profiles. Use the First Steps console of each profile to verify the profile.

Use the installver program to compare the checksum of all installed files against the bill of materials that ships with the product, if you want to perform more installation verification. See Verifying checksums of installed files.

After verifying the product installation and starting the standalone application server, use the administrative console to deploy an existing application. See Fast paths for WebSphere Application Server for more information.




In this information ...


Related concepts
Related reference

IBM Redbooks, demos, education, and more

(Index)

Use IBM Suggests to retrieve related content from ibm.com and beyond, identified for your convenience.

This feature requires Internet access.

Task topic    

Terms of Use | Feedback

Last updated: Oct 21, 2010 12:05:26 PM CDT
http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/wsbroker/redirect?version=compass&product=was-base-dist&topic=tins_runsilent
File name: tins_runSilent.html