Recently I was trying to install Rational Application Developer, a popular Java software development platform. During installation I got an error saying that integrated Websphere application server installation failed. The installation did continue and I was able to use RAD, but without the built in WAS server. But to do anything useful I needed WAS server!

I looked at the logs generated. The rad_install.log file under logs folder of RAD installation contained the following error,

(Jan 4, 2007 12:37:20 PM), Install, com.ibm.rational.cdi.common.CustomExec, err, Operation timed out: connect
(Jan 4, 2007 12:37:20 PM), Install, com.installshield.wizard.RunnableWizardBeanContext, err, java.lang.NullPointerException
STACK_TRACE: 5
java.lang.NullPointerException
at com.ibm.rational.cdi.common.CustomExec.parseConfigurationFile(CustomExec.java:444)
at com.ibm.rational.cdi.common.CustomExec.execute(CustomExec.java:294)
at com.installshield.wizard.RunnableWizardBeanContext.run(RunnableWizardBeanContext.java:21)

To resolve this I used the following hack. I still don’t know the root cause of the problem.

1. Uninstalled RAD.
2. Installed RAD again, but kept the install integrated WAS 6.0 button unchecked.
3. From the disk4 folder, I have manually installed WAS server. Selected custom install and then choose the directory for installation as [RAD directory]\runtimes\base_v6. The base_v6 folder was manually created.

When I started RAD again, voila! the integrated WAS server was enabled.

My Machine settings
Windows XP service pack 2 with all latest patches.
All hard disks were NTFS formatted.

References
IBM on the WAS issue in RAD
Similar problem listed on IBM forum without any solution