6
Silent and Non-Interactive Installation

This chapter describes the silent and non-interactive installation of Oracle9i Application Server (Oracle9iAS). It contains the following sections:

6.1 Introduction

Oracle9iAS features two methods of installation other than manually using the Oracle Universal Installer:

6.1.1 Silent Installation

Silent installation of Oracle9iAS is accomplished by supplying the Oracle Universal Installer with a response file and specifying the -silent flag. The installer uses the variables and values contained in this text file to provide answers to all of the installer user prompts. You include responses for all of the installer prompts in the response file. Silent installation does not display graphical output.

If this is a first time installation of Oracle9iAS, you will also need to manually create three files before starting. These files are used by Oracle Universal Installer during the installation. File creation is described in Section 6.3, "Creating Files for Silent and Non-Interactive Installation".

Following installation of Oracle9iAS, you will need to run the root.sh script. The root.sh script detects settings of environmental variables and allows you to enter the full path of the local bin directory.

Use silent installation of Oracle9iAS when there are similar installations on more than one computer. Additionally, use silent install when performing the Oracle9iAS installation from a remote location using the command line. Silent installation eliminates the need to monitor the Oracle9iAS installation because there is no graphical output and no input by the user.

See Also:

Section 2.5.3.2, "DISPLAY" for more information about remote installation.

6.1.2 Non-Interactive Installation

Non-interactive installation of Oracle9iAS is also accomplished by supplying the Oracle Universal Installer with a response file but without specifying the -silent flag. The installer uses the variables and values contained in this text file to provide answers to some or all of the installer user prompts. There is graphical output and if you have not provided responses to all of the installer prompts, you may need to enter information during the installation.

You will need to run the root.sh script during the installation process. The root.sh script detects settings of environmental variables and allows you to enter the full path of the local bin directory.

6.2 Requirements

For a complete list of installation requirements, refer to Chapter 2, "Getting Started".

6.3 Creating Files for Silent and Non-Interactive Installation

If the oraInst.loc, emtab, and oratab files do not exist on your computer, you need to create them before starting the silent installation of Oracle9iAS. These three files are typically stored in the directories listed in Table 2-13. They are used by the Oracle Universal Installer during the silent installation.

The following sections show you how to create the three files.

6.3.1 oraInst.loc file creation

As the root user, create the oraInst.loc file in the appropriate directory as listed in Table 2-13. Make sure the file has read and write permission for the oracle user group. The oracle user group is the group performing the installation. The inventory_loc is the location for inventory files. If inventory_loc is not located in your $ORACLE_HOME directory, ensure that the directory where it is located has read and write permission for the oracle user group.

Make sure the oraInst.loc file contains the following lines:

inst_group=oracle_user_group
inventory_loc=ORACLE_HOME

For example, if your ORACLE_HOME is /private2/oracle/ias, the content of the file is:

inst_group=oracle user group
inventory_loc=/private2/oracle/ias

6.3.2 emtab file creation

Create the emtab file in the appropriate directory as listed in Table 2-13. Make sure that the file has read and write permission for the oracle user's group.

Make sure the emtab file contains the following line:

DEFAULT=ORACLE_HOME

For example if your ORACLE_HOME is /private2/oracle/ias, the content of the file is:

DEFAULT=/private2/oracle/ias

6.3.3 oratab file creation

Create the oratab file in the appropriate directory as listed in Table 2-13. Make sure that the file is empty and has read and write permission for the oracle user's group.

6.4 Selecting a Response File

There are multiple Oracle Universal Installer response files depending on your choice of Oracle9iAS installation. These files are included on the Oracle9iAS, Release 2 (9.0.2) CD-ROM. You must edit the response file to suit your installation, silent or non-interactive.

To use a response file, copy the response file from the Oracle9iAS CD-ROM to your system. For example:

prompt> cd mount_point/Disk1/stage/Response/
prompt> cp oracle.iappserver.iapptop.j2ee.rsp /private/ora9ias/Response/

The Oracle9iAS, Release 2 (9.0.2) CD-ROM contains the following response files:

Oracle9iAS installation:
- J2EE and Web Cache (oracle.iappserver.iapptop.j2ee.rsp)
- Portal and Wireless (oracle.iappserver.iapptop.Portals.rsp)
- Business Intelligence and Forms (oracle.iappserver.iapptop.Business.rsp)
- Unified Messaging (oracle.iappserver.iapptop.UM.rsp)
Oracle9iAS Infrastructure installation

(oracle.iappserver.infrastructure.Infrastructure.rsp)
Oracle9iAS Developer Kits installation

(oracle.iappserver.devcorner.DevKit.rsp)

6.5 Editing the Response File

Using any text editor, edit the response file to include information specific for your system. The response file text identifies the information that you must provide.

You must specify values for variables in your response file. Each variable listed in the response file is associated with a comment. The comment identifies the variable type. For example:

string = "Sample Value"

Boolean = True or False

Number = 1000

StringList = {"StringValue 1", "String Value 2"}

Remove the comment from the variable values in the response file you want to use, before starting the Oracle9iAS installation.

The variables with values <Value Required> must be specified for silent installation.

6.6 Specifying a Response File

To make the installer use the response file at install time, follow the normal steps to launch the installer, but specify the location of the response file that you wish to use as a parameter when starting the installer:

prompt> ./runInstaller -responseFile absolute_path_and_filename

To perform a completely silent installation session, use the -silent parameter:

prompt> ./runInstaller -silent -responseFile absolute_path_and_filename

The success or failure of the non-interactive installation is logged in the installActions.log file and for silent installation in the silentInstall.log file. The log files are created in the oraInventory directory during installation.

See Also:

Note:

The installer will fail if you attempt a silent session without appropriately configuring a response file.

6.7 Running the root.sh Script

During silent and non-interactive installation, you must run the root.sh script either before or after installation of Oracle9iAS.

6.7.1 root.sh and Silent Installation

During silent installation of Oracle9iAS, you will not be prompted to run the root.sh script. You must run the root.sh script after silent installation.

Use the following steps to run the root.sh script.

Log on as the root user.
Run the root.sh script in the Oracle home directory.
```
prompt> ORACLE_HOME/root.sh
```
Exit the root account:
```
# exit
```

6.7.1.1 Oracle HTTP Server

During silent installation, Oracle Universal Installer will attempt to start Oracle HTTP Server. However, Oracle HTTP Server will not start until the root.sh script is run. Ignore any error messages generated due to the inability to start Oracle HTTP Server.

After running the root.sh script, restart Oracle HTTP Server using the following commands:

$ ORACLE_HOME/opmn/bin opmnctl stopall
$ ORACLE_HOME/opmn/bin opmnctl startall

6.7.1.2 Using Oracle HTTP Server On a Different Port

If you want to use Oracle HTTP Server on a port number that is less than 1024, you must complete the following steps:

Do not run the root.sh script.

Run the following script as the root user:

# ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin/root_sh_append.sh

The root_sh_append.sh script sets the necessary permission for the Oracle HTTP Server to be run on a port less than1024.

6.7.2 root.sh and Non-Interactive Installation

During non-interactive installation of Oracle9iAS, the installer prompts you to run the root.sh script.

Use the following steps to run the root.sh script.

Log on as the root user.
Run the root.sh script in the Oracle home directory.
```
prompt> Oracle_Home/root.sh
```
Exit the root account:
```
# exit
```
After you see the Finished running generic part of the root.sh script and Now product-specific root actions will be performed messages, wait for the prompt, then exit the root account to return to the Install screen.

The root.sh script detects:

Settings of ORACLE_OWNER, ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_SID environment variables
Full path of local bin directory. You can accept the default or change to a different local bin directory

6.8 Error Handling

Values for variables that are of the wrong context, format, or type are treated as if no value were specified. Variables that are outside any section are ignored.

If you attempt a silent or non-interactive installation with an incorrect or incomplete response file, or if the installer encounters an error, such as insufficient disk space, the installation will fail.

If you attempt a non-interactive installation without specifying a response file, the installation will fail.

The results of either your silent or non-interactive installation are recorded in the installation session log file.