Installing packages

You can use IBM® Installation Manager to install packages. A package can be a product, a group of components, or a single component that is designed for Installation Manager to install.

Before you begin

Before you can install a package, Installation Manager must be able to access the repository that contains the package to install. If you have a Passport Advantage account, you can install packages from the IBM Passport Advantage site. See Installing packages from IBM Passport Advantage for more information.

If you are installing fixes or updates or extensions, the product to be updated or extended must be closed before the package is installed.

About this task

The installation steps in this topic cover a typical installation scenario. You can use Installation Manager to install various and customized packages. During an installation session, you might see Installation Manager pages and windows that are not described in this topic. For example, additional Installation Manager pages might be displayed to accept preferences for features of a specific package that you are installing. If you require additional assistance with these custom installation pages, refer to the documentation that is provided with the package.

You can run Installation Manager in silent mode to install, update, and uninstall packages. For information about installing silently, see Installation road maps.

You can install updates at the same time that you install the base package.

To install a package:

Procedure

  1. From the Start page, click Install. Installation Manager searches its defined repositories for available packages.
  2. If a new version of Installation Manager is found, you might be prompted to confirm that you want to install it before you continue. Click Yes to proceed. Installation Manager automatically installs the new version, restarts, and resumes.
  3. The Install page of Installation Manager lists all the packages that were found in the repositories that Installation Manager searched. If two versions of a package are discovered, only the most recent version of the package is displayed. To display all versions of any package that Installation Manager finds, select Show all versions. Click a package version to display its description in the Details pane. If additional information about the package is available, a More info link is included at the end of the description text. To fully understand the package that you are installing, review all information before you install the package.
  4. To search for fixes, updates, and extensions (which add features to existing packages) to the available packages, click Check for Other Versions and Extensions. Installation Manager searches for updates in the default update repositories for the packages.
    • For Installation Manager to search the default repository for the installed packages, the preference Search service repositories during installation and updates must be selected. This preference is selected by default and is located on the Repositories preference page.
      Note: If this preference is not checked, the Update wizard does not check the service repositories for package updates.
    • Typically, Internet access is required.
    If updates for a package are found, then they are displayed in the Packages list on the Install Packages page after their corresponding package. By default, only the latest version of each package is displayed.
  5. Select the packages and any updates to the packages that you want to install. Updates that have a dependency relationship are automatically selected and cleared together. Click Next to continue.
    Important: If you choose to install multiple packages at the same time, they must be compatible and installed into the same package group. If the packages you select are not compatible, Installation Manager displays an error message. The error message informs you of the packages that must be installed separately into a different package group.
  6. On the Licenses page, read the license agreements for the selected packages. Click Next to continue.
  7. On the Location page, type the path for the shared resources directory in the Shared Resources Directory field. The shared resources directory contains resources that can be shared by multiple package groups. Click Next to continue.
    Attention: You can specify the shared resources directory only the first time that you install a package. For best results, select the drive that has the most available space to ensure adequate space for the shared resources of future packages. You cannot change the location of the shared resources directory unless you uninstall all packages.
  8. On the Location page, either choose an existing package group to install the packages into, or create a new one. A package group is a directory in which packages share resources with other packages in the same group. (Some packages might not be able to share a package group, in which case the option to use an existing package group is unavailable.) The first time that you install a package, you must create a package group. To create a package group:
    1. Click Create a new package group.
    2. Type the path for the installation directory for the package group. The name for the package group is created automatically.
    3. Click Next to continue.
  9. On the next Location page, select the translations to install for packages in the package group. The corresponding language translations for the user interface and documentation are installed. Choices apply to all packages that are installed in this package group. You have the option to select languages only the first time that you install a package to a package group. You can install other language translations for all the packages in a package group with the Modify wizard. Click Next to continue.
  10. On the Features page, select the package features that you want to install.
    1. Optional: To see the dependency relationships between features, select Show Dependencies.
    2. Optional: Click a feature to view its brief description under Details.
    3. Select or clear features in the packages. Installation Manager automatically enforces any dependencies with other features and display updated download size and disk space requirements for the installation. To restore the default features that are selected for the packages, click Restore default.
    4. When you are finished selecting features, click Next to continue.
  11. On the Help System page, select a method for accessing help content.
    • Select Access help from the Web if you want to access help content on the Web. This method has the smallest installation footprint and the most up-to-date information.
    • Select Download help and access the content locally if you want to work disconnected from the Internet with periodic updates.
    • Select Access help from a server on your intranet if you need to work behind a firewall with administrative updates.
  12. On the Summary page, review your choices before installing the packages.
  13. When you are satisfied with your installation choices, click Install to install the packages. When the installation process is complete, a message confirms the success of the process.
  14. Examine the installation log (optional) and start the package.
    1. Click View log file to open the installation log file for the current session in a new window. You must close the Installation Log window to continue.
    2. In the Install wizard, select the package to start when you exit.
    3. Click Finish to start the selected package. The Install wizard closes and you return to the Start page of Installation Manager.