Ask Doctor Search: Sometimes an error message is only a clue

Volume 5 Number 4 - Summer 2008

A customer writes:

We are installing FAST ESP 5.2 on Red Hat GNU/Linux Kernel version 2.6.9-55.ELsmp. But the install fails as per the logs below. The java version is "1.5.0_15" and it seems to be supported, but we see errors in the logs.

Can you help us out with some clue as to what could be wrong with our installation process?

Dr Search replies:

Well, like the good techie that he is, Dr Search first browsed the logs. I'll provide an excerpt, but your hint - unavailable to Dr Search at the time - the solution has already been presented.

Jun 19, 2008 5:35:04 PM), Fast-installer, no.fast.ds.installer.action.HostTestAction, dbg, 
Testing if the host "localhost” has Java installed
    no.fast.ds.installer.action.HostTestAction, dbg, 
Testing if the host "localhost” has Java installed
...
Command: /bin/sh -c /usr/java/jdk1.5.0_15/jre/bin/java -version
Work dir: /home/fast/install/.
Return value: 0
Stdout: 
Stderr: java version "1.5.0_15"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_15-b04)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 1.5.0_15-b04, mixed mode)
Environment:
 default
(Jun 19, 2008 5:35:04 PM), Fast-installer, no.fast.ds.installer.action.HostTestAction, dbg, 
Supported Java version found on host.
(Jun 19, 2008 5:35:04 PM), Fast-installer, com.installshield.product.actions.UninstallerJVMResolution, msg1, 
Unable to find platform specific JVM resolution information. Could not resolve JVM

So the (Java-based) installer ran fine and was quite happy with the JVM it found. Yet a few seconds later, the log shows that it would not resolve the JVM. Hmmm...

At first the doctor thought it might be happening because the install was on a system referred to only as localhost. There's a reverse DNS that occurs during the install: could that be the problem?

To make a long story short, after one or two emails, the reader discovered the problem; one which the doctor would still be puzzling over left to his own devices.

It turns out that the install was on a 64-bit system (notice the output from the Java '-version' command:

   Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 1.5.0_15-b04, mixed mode)

FAST will not install properly on a 64 bit system; so here we have the answer. Dr Search has learned: sometimes an error is only a clue.