Uninstalling interim fixes, cumulative fixes, and fix packs: WAS ND

Uninstalling interim fixes, cumulative fixes, and fix packs

This topic describes the proper procedure for using the update installer application to uninstall an interim fix, a cumulative fix, or a fix pack. The update installer program is also known as the updateInstaller program or the Update installation wizard.

Overview

You cannot uninstall product updates correctly without the proper authorizations. Use the update installer program as the root user on a Linux or UNIX platform, or as the administrator on a Windows platform.

Fix packs are also known as fixpacks, FixPaks and program temporary fixes, or PTFs.

Removing an interim fix, a cumulative fix, or a fix pack requires setting the JAVA_HOME environment variable for the update installer. The update installer performs the task by running the setupCmdLine or setupClient command script. It is possible that the update installer cannot set the JAVA_HOME environment variable. If the update installer throws an error because it cannot set the Java environment, set the JAVA_HOME variable yourself. Then use the update installer to remove an interim fix, a cumulative fix, or a fix pack using either its wizard interface, the updateWizard command or its silent, command-line interface, the updateSilent command.

The update installer application can also install interim fixes, cumulative fixes, and fix packs, as described in Installing interim fixes, cumulative fixes, and fix packs.

Installation roots

The variable install_root represents the root directory for WebSphere Application Server. By default, this varies per product and operating system:

Base WebSphere Application Server product:

AIX platforms: /usr/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer

Linux platforms: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer

HP-UX and Solaris platforms: /opt/IBM/WebSphere/AppServer

Windows platforms: drive\Program Files\WebSphere\AppServer

Network Deployment product:

AIX platforms: /usr/WebSphere/DeploymentManager

Linux platforms: /opt/WebSphere/DeploymentManager

HP-UX and Solaris platforms: /opt/WebSphere/DeploymentManager

Windows platforms: drive\Program Files\WebSphere\DeploymentManager

WebSphere Business Integration Server Foundation product that extends the base product:

AIX platforms: /usr/WebSphere/AppServer

Linux platforms: /opt/WebSphere/AppServer

HP-UX and Solaris platforms: /opt/WebSphere/AppServer

Windows platforms: drive\Program Files\WebSphere\AppServer

WebSphere Business Integration Server Foundation product that extends the Network Deployment product

AIX platforms: /usr/WebSphere/DeploymentManager

Linux platforms: /opt/WebSphere/DeploymentManager

HP-UX and Solaris platforms: /opt/WebSphere/DeploymentManager

Windows platforms: drive\Program Files\WebSphere\DeploymentManager

Command name

updateSilent.sh, updateSilent.bat, updateWixard.sh, and updateWizard.bat, command-line interfaces to the installer.jar file.

Prerequisite environment setting

The JAVA_HOME environment setting must point to the IBM SDK for WebSphere Application Server products. Source the appropriate command:

. install_root/bin/setupCmdLine.sh (Source the command on UNIX platforms. There is a space between the period and the installation root directory.)

source install_root/bin/setupCmdLine.sh (Source the command on Linux platforms.)

install_root\bin\setupCmdLine.bat (Windows platforms only)

Location of log and backup files

The update installer program records processing results in log files in the install_root/logs/update directory. Backup files created during the installation of fixes and fix packs are in the install_root/properties/version/backup directory. The files are required to uninstall an interim fix or fix pack.

Syntax and panel examples

Using the updateWizard interface to remove interim fixes

See updateWizard examples for interim fixes for more information.

Using the updateWizard interface to remove cumulative fixes and fix packs

See updateWizard examples for cumulative fixes and fix packs for more information.

Using the updateSilent interface to remove interim fixes

See updateSilent examples for interim fixes for more information.

Using the updateSilent interface to remove cumulative fixes and fix packs

See updateSilent examples for cumulative fixes and fix packs for more information.

Overview of the removal procedure

Use the update installer to uninstall a cumulative fix or a fix pack.
Use the update installer to uninstall an interim fix that you installed with the update installer.

If you have installed interim fixes for the IBM HTTP Server feature from the IBM Support site for IBM HTTP Server , or if you have installed interim fixes for the embedded messaging feature from the WebSphere MQ Service download site , the update installer program cannot uninstall interim fixes for these feature components before installing a cumulative fix or a fix pack that might include service for the features. The update installer program does uninstall interim fixes for all of the other components. If the interim fixes for the IBM HTTP Server feature and the embedded messaging feature are not uninstalled for some reason, installing a cumulative fix or a fix pack to the IBM HTTP Server feature or to the embedded messaging feature might fail, or the updated features might fail when you begin using them.

If you reinstall all of the interim fixes for either feature that are more current than the cumulative fix or the fix pack, there is no problem.

You can also choose to have the update installer skip applying cumulative fix or fix pack updates to IBM HTTP Server or embedded messaging if you do not require the updates. You can skip these updates and still apply updates to the rest of the product.

Rules for removing fixes within a cell

One requirement governs applying an interim fix or fix pack to a cell, to ensure the continued, smooth interaction of the various WebSphere Application Server nodes:
Requirement 1: The Network Deployment product must be at the highest fix level within the cell.

For example, you cannot use the addNode command to add a V5.1 base WebSphere Application Server node to a V5.0.2 deployment manager cell.

There is no limitation on the fix level of a base Application Server V5 node within its cell, if the fix level of the base node is the same as or lower than that of the deployment manager. There is also no limit on the number of different V5.x fix levels that can coexist or interoperate within a cell, so long as the fix level for each base node is the same as or lower than that of the deployment manager. V5.0.x base nodes can comprise V5.1 deployment manager cells.

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 an interim fix or fix pack.
You can also use the silent update installer application to:

View interim fix information. See Viewing information about interim fixes.

View cumulative fix or fix pack information. See Viewing information about cumulative fixes and fix packs.

Updating cluster members

Refer to the following tip for information about updating cluster members:
Installation tip

Operating platform Tip in Platform-specific tips for installing and migrating
All platforms Updating all cluster members to the same service level.

Although the tip is about installing interim fixes and fix packs, the same principle applies to uninstalling interim fixes and fix packs. All clusters must be at the same service level.

Avoiding application errors after uninstalling an interim fix, a cumulative fix, or a fix pack

Generally speaking, if an application uses functions that are provided by a particular fix and you remove the fix, the application can throw an error. If you remove a fix, retest your applications to verify that there are no errors. Redeploy any applications that throw an error because of the missing fix.
For example, suppose that you install Fix Pack 1 on V5.1.0 of the base Application Server product. You then use Web services to create a stock quote service, StockQuote. The wsdl2java utility when run in the deployer role creates a ServiceLocator class in the emitted code that extends the AgnosticService class. The AgnosticService class is new as of V5.1.1.

If you uninstall the fix pack, the application is using a new Web services class that V5.1.0 does not support. The application throws the following error:

java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Error while defining class: com.ibm.ws.wsfvt.test.stockquote.StockQuoteServiceLocator This error indicates that the class: com.ibm.ws.webservices.multiprotocol.AgnosticService could not be located while defining the class: com.ibm.ws.wsfvt.test.stockquote.StockQuoteServiceLocator

Redeploy the application on the V5.1.0 Application Server to emit code that does not use the new V5.1.1 Web services class.

Overview

Always uninstall the highest level interim fix, cumulative fix, or fix pack before uninstalling other interim fixes or fix packs.

Stop all Java processes that use the IBM Software Developer Kit (SDK) that WebSphere Application Server provides.Before installing or uninstalling interim fixes, cumulative fixes, and fix packs on a machine, stop all Java processes on the machine that use the IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition that WebSphere Application Server provides.
WebSphere Application Server processes include:

Application Server processes

All servers, such as the IBMHttpServer process, that belong to serviceable features. Features with servers include the IBM HTTP Server and the embedded messaging feature.

The nodeagent process on a base node when the node is federated into a deployment manager cell

The dmgr process for the deployment manager server

The jmsserver on a base node when the node is part of a cell and the embedded messaging server and client feature is installed

Stop all Java processes, if necessary, with the killall -9 java command or by using the task manager on a Windows platform. If you do install or uninstall an interim fix, a cumulative fix, or a fix pack while a WebSphere Application Server-related Java process runs, IBM does not guarantee that the product can continue to run successfully, or without error.

Remove the WebSphere MQ tray icon if it is present on a Windows system.On a Windows platform, remove the WebSphere MQ tray icon if it is present. The WebSphere MQ tray icon in the lower right corner indicates that a WebSphere MQ process (amqmtbrn.exe) is running. Right click the tray icon and click Hide to remove it.

Remove the interim fix, the cumulative fix, or the fix pack from a deployment manager node, as described in Removing a fix from a Network Deployment node.

Remove the interim fix, the cumulative fix, or the fix pack on a base node, as described in Removing a fix from a base node.

Results

You can successfully remove interim fixes and fix packs from WebSphere Application Server products.

What to do next
Return to Installing interim fixes, cumulative fixes, and fix packs to continue.

Installing interim fixes, cumulative fixes, and fix packs