Known issues and limitations on AIX and Linux installations

The InstallAnywhere packages have some known issues and limitations.

General

Note: From service refresh 8, fix pack 20 onwards, InstallAnywhere (.bin and archive.bin) packages of IBM® SDK, Java™ Technology Edition are discontinued and interim fixes (ifixes) for earlier releases also are not supported. On Linux® systems, you can install the SDK from an RPM package or extractable tarballs. On AIX® systems, you can continue to use the installp packages or use the extractable tarballs.
  • On Linux, If you do not have the libstdc++.so.5 shared library on your system, the installation fails, producing a Java core dump. For more information, see Installing from an InstallAnywhere package (AIX and Linux only).
  • The installation package GUI does not support the Orca screen-reading program. You can use the unattended installation mode as an alternative to the GUI.
  • If you install the package, then attempt to install again in a different mode, for example console or silent, you might see the following error message: 
    Invocation of this Java Application has caused an InvocationTargetException.  This application will now exit
    You should not see this message if you installed by using the GUI mode and are running the installation program again in console mode. If you see this error on Linux, and are running the program to select the uninstall option (installable packages only), use the ./_uninstall/uninstall command instead, as described in Uninstalling an InstallAnywhere package (AIX and Linux only).

Installable packages (Linux only)

  • You cannot upgrade an existing IBM SDK by using the InstallAnywhere packages. To upgrade your IBM SDK you must first uninstall any previous versions.
  • You cannot install two different instances of the same version of the IBM SDK on the same system at the same time, even if you use different installation directories. For example, you cannot simultaneously have IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition, Version 8 in directory /previous, and an updated IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition, Version 8 installation in directory /current. The installation program checks the version number. If the program finds an existing package with the same version number, you are asked to uninstall the existing package.
  • If the package is installed, and you run the package installer again by using the GUI, you can select to uninstall the package. This uninstall option is not available in unattended mode. If you run the package installer again in unattended mode, the program runs but does not perform any actions.
  • If, after installation, you enter ./package.bin to start the program again, the program displays the following message: 
    ENTER THE NUMBER OF THE DESIRED CHOICE, OR PRESS <ENTER> TO ACCEPT THE DEFAULT:
    If you press Enter to accept the default, the program does not respond. Type a number, then press Enter.

Archive packages (AIX and Linux)

  • If you change the installation directory in a response file, and then run an unattended installation by using that response file, the installation program ignores the new installation directory and uses the default directory instead. If a previous installation exists in the default directory, it is overwritten.