Uninstalling maintenance packages

You can use the Update Installer for WebSphere Software to uninstall interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs. The Update Installer for WebSphere Software is also known as the update installer program, the updateInstaller program, and the Update Installation Wizard.

Before you begin

Use the proper authorizations to successfully uninstall product updates. Use the update installer program as the root user on a Linux or UNIX platform, or as the Administrator on a Windows platform.

The Update Installer Wizard is an InstallShield for Multiplatforms Wizard that runs with either a graphical user interface or in silent mode with a response file.

Important: For information about known problems, see the topic Update command - known problems and workarounds in the WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, version 6.0, information center.
Important: Throughout this topic, certain directory paths are shown only in Linux and UNIX format for simplicity. The equivalent Windows paths are identical except for the direction of the slashes.
The following descriptions contain reference information about uninstalling interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs on WebSphere Process Server:
Overview of the uninstallation procedure
To uninstall a maintenance package:
  1. Use the update installer to install the maintenance package, which creates a backup file in the install_root/properties/version/update/backup directory. IBM does not support user modifications to backup files.
  2. Use the update installer program to remove the maintenance package as described in this topic.
Viewing the fix level of the node
You can use the versionInfo command in the install_root/bin directory to display the exact fix and version level of the product. However, do not use the versionInfo command while installing or uninstalling a maintenance package.

Do not launch multiple copies of the Update Installer Wizard at one time: Concurrent launches of the update installer program are not supported. Performing more than one update at the same time can produce unpredictable results, which might include a failed or faulty installation.

Required information

The graphical interface requires the following information that you must supply:
Table 1. Information required when uninstalling a maintenance package
Field Valid values Description
File path of the installation root directory of the WebSphere product and the Update Installer Identify the installation root directory for IBM WebSphere Process Server. The Update Installer application defaults to select the product in its parent directory.
File name of the maintenance package to uninstall. Select a maintenance package to uninstall from the install_root/properties/version/ update/backup directory. The default maintenance package is the package with the latest date stamp and time stamp in the install_root /properties/version/ update/backup directory.

Why and when to perform this task

The following procedure describes how to uninstall a maintenance package.

Steps for this task

  1. Log on as root on a Linux or UNIX operating system, or as a member of the Administrator group on a Windows system.
    Icon indicating AIX platforms On AIX platforms: In addition, verify that the umask setting is 0022. To verify the umask setting, issue the following command:
    umask
    To set the umask setting to 0022, issue the following command:
    umask 0022
    Icon indicating HP-UX platforms Icon indicating Linux platforms Icon indicating Solaris platforms On HP-UX, Linux and Solaris platforms: In addition, verify that the umask setting is 022. To verify the umask setting, issue the following command:
    umask
    To set the umask setting to 022, issue the following command:
    umask 022
  2. Change directories to the updateinstaller directory in the installation root directory.
    For example, change directories to one of the following directories (common default directories for the WebSphere Process Server product are shown):
    • Icon indicating AIX platforms On AIX platforms: /usr/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/updateinstaller or /usr/IBM/WebSphere/ProcServer/updateinstaller
    • Icon indicating HP-UX platforms Icon indicating Solaris platforms On HP-UX and Solaris platforms: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/updateinstaller or /opt/IBM/WebSphere/ProcServer/updateinstaller
    • Icon indicating Linux platforms On Linux platforms: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer/updateinstaller or /opt/ibm/WebSphere/ProcServer/updateinstaller
    • Icon indicating Windows platforms On Windows platforms: C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\updateinstaller or C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\ProcServer\updateinstaller
  3. Icon indicating Windows platforms On Windows platforms: Use the Windows Services panel to stop all services for WebSphere Process Server and WebSphere Application Server processes.
  4. Stop all Java processes that use the IBM Software Developer Kit (SDK).

    Before uninstalling interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs on a machine, stop all Java processes on the machine that use the IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition.

    WebSphere Process Server processes include:
    • Process server processes
    • The nodeagent process on a node when the node is federated into a deployment manager cell
    • The dmgr process for the deployment manager server

    Stop all Java processes, if necessary. If you uninstall a maintenance package while a WebSphere Process Server-related Java process runs, IBM does not guarantee that the product can continue to run successfully, or without error.

  5. Determine if you are removing a maintenance package that updated the IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition. If so, you can clone the IBM SDK from the parent product to the Update Installer Wizard directory. Cloning the SDK copies the install_root/java/jre directory to the install_root/updateinstaller/java/jre directory.
    The Update Installer for WebSphere Software searches known locations for a suitable IBM SDK to use. In order, the Update Installer Wizard looks for a valid Java Virtual Machine (JVM) in the following locations:
    1. The install_root/updateinstaller/java/jre directory (when updating the product SDK)
    2. The install_root/java/jre directory (preferred SDK to use)
    3. Icon indicating Linux platforms Icon indicating UNIX platforms On Linux and UNIX platforms: The directory identified by one of the following environment variables on a Linux or UNIX system:
      1. JAVA_HOME
      2. JAVAHOME
      3. JRE_HOME
      4. JREHOME

      When no JVM is present in one of the first two locations, set one of the environment variables to point the Update Installer Wizard to a valid JVM.

    The preferred SDK for starting the Update Installer Wizard is the SDK in the parent product. Always use the product SDK when possible.

    Important: To uninstall a fix pack or interim fix for the IBM SDK in the parent product, do not start the Update Installer Wizard using the product SDK that you intend to update. Using the SDK locks the SDK and prevents the update. Copy the SDK from the install_root/java/jre directory to the install_root/updateinstaller/java/jre directory. The Update Installer Wizard uses the SDK in the install_root/updateinstaller/java/jre directory if it is present.
    Alternatively, copy the IBM SDK from the parent product to a temporary location and use the -is:javahome ISMP parameter to identify the location as you run the update installer command:
    update -is:javahome="my_fully_qualified_temp_SDK_location"
  6. Use the update installer to uninstall the maintenance package.

    Uninstall the interim fix on each application server node in a cell before uninstalling the maintenance package from the process server node.

    Issue this command to uninstall the maintenance package with the most recent date stamp and time stamp using the graphical user interface:
    update -W update.type="uninstall"

    To view tables that show all of the options available when using the update command to uninstall maintenance packages, see update command.

Result

This procedure results in uninstalling maintenance packages to update WebSphere software.

What to do next

After uninstalling maintenance packages, you can continue to use the WebSphere software.


Last updated: Tue 31 Oct 2006 09:53:28

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