IBM Update Installer for WebSphere Software - Problem updating IBM HTTP Server 6.1

One of my colleagues had some fun and games upgrading IHS yesterday, using the IBM Update Installer for WebSphere Software.

He was trying to update IHS 6.1 to the latest Fixpack 45 level.

This is what he saw in the Update Installer logs: -

(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, Selected Maintenance Package Path: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/UpdateInstaller/maintenance/Fixcentral-6.1.0-WS-IHS-LinuxX64-FP0000045.pak
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, ********************************************************************************
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, Information for the current install/uninstall operation.
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, ********************************************************************************
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, Current Operation: install
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, Product Location: /opt/IBM/HTTPServer
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, Product Name: null
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, Prereq Check Messages:
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:51 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, Maintenance Package Path: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/UpdateInstaller/maintenance/Fixcentral-6.1.0-WS-IHS-LinuxX64-FP0000045.pak
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:52 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.SettleNIFRegistryAction, msg1, Current install/uninstall process failed.
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:52 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.SetExitCodeAction, msg1, CWUPI0000I: EXITCODE=1
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:52 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, For more information on installing components, see the following trace file:
/opt/IBM/HTTPServer/logs/update/unknown/updatetrace.log.gz
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:52 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogFileAction, msg1, For more information on running configuration commands, see the following trace file:
/opt/IBM/HTTPServer/logs/update/unknown/updateconfig.log.gz
(Sep 3, 2013 10:04:52 AM), Install, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.ISMPLogSuccessMessageAction, msg1, INSTCONFFAILED

When he looked at the more detailed log - /opt/IBM/HTTPServer/logs/update/unknown/updatetrace.log.gz - he saw more of the same: -

2013.09.03 10:04:50.568 EDT I IBM Update Installer for WebSphere Software 7.0.0.15

2013.09.03 10:04:50.614 EDT NIFRegistryPlugin.getNIFRegistryURI()
Use normal algorithm to get nifregistry path.
2013.09.03 10:04:50.614 EDT NIFRegistryPlugin.getNIFRegistryURI()
NIFRegistryPath: /opt/.ibm/.nif/.nifregistry
2013.09.03 10:04:50.615 EDT NIFRegistryPlugin.getNIFRegistryURI()
NIFRegistryURI: file:///opt/.ibm/.nif/.nifregistry
2013.09.03 10:04:50.682 EDT NIFRegistryPlugin.doesNIFRegistryFileExist()
NIFRegistry file exists under location: file:///opt/.ibm/.nif/.nifregistry
2013.09.03 10:04:50.682 EDT NIFRegistryPlugin.doesNIFRegistryFileExist()
NIFRegistry file exists under location: file:///opt/.ibm/.nif/.nifregistry
2013.09.03 10:04:51.201 EDT I Scanning metadata under the target location ......
/opt/IBM/HTTPServer
2013.09.03 10:04:51.272 EDT I Selected Maintenance Directory / Packages:/opt/IBM/WebSphere/UpdateInstaller/maintenance/Fixcentral-6.1.0-WS-IHS-LinuxX64-FP0000045.pak
2013.09.03 10:04:51.425 EDT I Fixcentral-6.1.0-WS-IHS-LinuxX64-FP0000045.pak is installed.
2013.09.03 10:04:51.426 EDT I No maintenance package is selected.
2013.09.03 10:04:51.442 EDT I ********************************************************************************
2013.09.03 10:04:51.444 EDT I Selected Maintenance Package Path: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/UpdateInstaller/maintenance/Fixcentral-6.1.0-WS-IHS-LinuxX64-FP0000045.pak
2013.09.03 10:04:51.546 EDT I ********************************************************************************
2013.09.03 10:04:51.549 EDT I Information for the current install/uninstall operation.
2013.09.03 10:04:51.550 EDT I ********************************************************************************
2013.09.03 10:04:51.551 EDT I Current Operation: install
2013.09.03 10:04:51.552 EDT I Product Location: /opt/IBM/HTTPServer
2013.09.03 10:04:51.554 EDT I Product Name: null
2013.09.03 10:04:51.556 EDT I Prereq Check Messages:
2013.09.03 10:04:51.559 EDT I Maintenance Package Path: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/UpdateInstaller/maintenance/Fixcentral-6.1.0-WS-IHS-LinuxX64-FP0000045.pak
2013.09.03 10:04:52.332 EDT I Current install/uninstall process failed.
2013.09.03 10:04:52.335 EDT SettleNIFRegistryAction.execute()
Current install/uninstall process failed.
2013.09.03 10:04:52.337 EDT I CWUPI0000I: EXITCODE=1
2013.09.03 10:04:52.346 EDT I For more information on installing components, see the following trace file:
/opt/IBM/HTTPServer/logs/update/unknown/updatetrace.log.gz
2013.09.03 10:04:52.348 EDT I For more information on running configuration commands, see the following trace file:
/opt/IBM/HTTPServer/logs/update/unknown/updateconfig.log.gz
2013.09.03 10:04:52.348 EDT I INSTCONFFAILED

again with nothing overly obvious.

Noting that he was using version 7.0.0.15 of the IBM Update Installer for WebSphere Software, I suggested that he consider updating the Update Installer itself.

This he did, downloading the most recent version - IBM Update Installer V7.0.0.29 for WebSphere Software for Linux - and tried again.

This time, it worked.

It's not obvious why it failed, but the moral of the story is …. update your Update Installer before updating your WebSphere software products :-)

PS Of course, with IHS 8 ( and all of the WAS 8 family ), updates are now handled by IBM Installation Manager, so the story is slightly different.