ColdFusion 2023 Installer Failure

[Jason27589686yuaq]

I'm attempting to run the ColdFusion_2023_GUI_WWEJ_win64.exe Windows installer on a 2019 server that currently has ColdFusion 2018 installed.  The plan is to upgrade to CF 2023.

Everytime that I run the installer, it ultimately fails with an error.  It unpacks 100% of the contents of the installer to the user profile temp folder and begins to launch the install wizard.

The green status bar gets about 70 - 80% and then it throws a fatal error:

These are the error details:

java.lang.ClassCastException: class java.lang.String cannot be cast to class java.lang.Integer (java.lang.String and java.lang.Integer are in module java.base of loader 'bootstrap')
at com.zerog.ia.installer.LifeCycleManager.getEnable8dot3(Unknown Source)
at com.zerog.ia.installer.LifeCycleManager.a6(Unknown Source)
at com.zerog.ia.installer.LifeCycleManager.executeApplication(Unknown Source)
at com.zerog.ia.installer.Main.main(Unknown Source)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:77)
at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:568)
at com.zerog.lax.LAX.launch(Unknown Source)
at com.zerog.lax.LAX.main(Unknown Source)

I've tried running the installer with the current CF2018 enabled,  disabled, with A/V client completely disabled, and re-downloaded the installer in case it was somehow corrupted.  Each time it throws the exact same error at the same point.  Any help or insight would be appreciated.

[Charlie Arehart]

Jason, I don't have a solution but until someone else may offer it, here are some thoughts.

1) First, this is not some common problem. I've not yet seen one with those specifics (and I help people install it weekly), nor do I find anyone discussing the same online...and I didn't limit my search to cf. As you may know, the cf installer is actually installanywhere, used by many apps. 

2) I'd be surprised if the install of cf2018 has any connection, whether it's running or not. But I understand why you may wonder. 

3) And good that you tried to download the installer again, but there are indeed multiple places to find it, at Adobe or cfmlrepo.com. Maybe another would work, but I also doubt it's about the installer.

4) Some will want you to know that there is indeed an alternative to the cf installer. You may have noticed there's a zip install option, and it's documented well by Adobe. That said, it's not always the right option for everyone.

5) Instead, I would wonder if the problem may have something to do with the Java version you may be running. To be clear, the cf installer comes with an embedded java, which should be Java 17--which is what cf2023 runs atop.

So here's a question: on this machine where you're trying to install cf2023, please go to the command line and do "java - version".  What does it report, if it works at all? (It may not, if no one installed a separate java. But let's see what you find.)

Or again perhaps someone else will offer something more helpful. 

[BKBK]

As Charlie has mentioned, ColdFusion uses a third-party application, InstallAnywhere, for installation. The error you are seeing is from InstallAnywhere. As you can see, the same error occurs in the following 3 completely different applications:

https://community.flexera.com/t5/InstallAnywhere-Forum/InstallAnywhere-fails-to-launch-with-Fatal-Ap...

https://support.industry.siemens.com/forum/gu/en/posts/problems-with-update-8-3-to-8-4/316376/?page=...

https://community.microfocus.com/devops-cloud/alm-qc/f/discussions/525951/alm-17-installation-gettin...

Here then are some steps to solve the InstallAnywhere problem:

1.  Delete the CF2023 installer, ColdFusion_2023_GUI_WWEJ_win64.exe, and every other copy you had downloaded earlier.
2.  (Optional) Restart Windows.
3.  Temporarily disable your firewall and anti-virus software (and all security software) . You will have to re-enable them after successfully installing CF2023.
4.   Re-download the installer ColdFusion_2023_GUI_WWEJ_win64.exe, using a different browser this time. Before you do, clear the browser's cache.
5.   The error could be due to a corrupt file associated with InstallAnywhere located in a Temp folder on the local machine. So, to correct the error, clear all files in the local Temp folders:
       -  C:\Temp
       -  C:\Windows\Temp
       -  C:\WINNT\Temp
       -  C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Temp
       -  C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Temp

The above steps were inspired by these recommendations on solving any general problems with InstallAnywhere

[Jason27589686yuaq]

Thank you both Charlie and BKBK for your quick replies,

The last thing you mentioned Charlie about running "java -version" was insightful.  When I did, this is what I got:

  C:\ >java -version

  Error: opening registry key 'Software\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment'

  Error: could not find java.dll

  Error: Could not find Java SE Runtime Environment.

Based on the error, I followed some of the suggestions here (https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6362037/java-error-opening-registry-key) which involve remove java exe files from Windows\System32, Windows\SysWOW64, and/or C:\ProgramData\Oracle.  These did not resolve the issue though.

Installing the JDK 17.0.12 resolved the error:

However, this does not resolve the error that I'm getting when attempting to run the ColdFusion_2023_GUI_WWEJ_win64.exe installer.  I did follow the suggested steps in BKBK's response with regards to the installer.

[BKBK]

Two more suggestions:

1.  Contact cfinstal[at]adobe.com about the problem. There might be a problem with the current version of InstallAnywhere used by ColdFusion 2023. If so, you would get help from the Adone team.
2.  In the meantime, follow Charlie's third suggestion, in case you haven't yet done so. That is, go to CFMLRepo, locate the installer for ColdFusion 2023 Update 5, download and install it.

[Jason27589686yuaq]

BKBK,

I did download installers from the CFMLRepo google drive site.  I got both the one under the "original release" folder and the one under the "Update 5" folder.  They both throw the exact same fatal application error at the same point in the installer.  

I will try the email address you provided to see if they can offer any additional guidance.

Thanks!

[BKBK]

Just as well you stumbled on this issue. I think there is a silver lining to this cloud. From the variety of installers that have failed, I now think that the issue probably has nothing to do with the CF2023 installer or with InstallAnywhere. It seems to me that the issue is caused by something in your Windows environment. The question is, what could that be?   

Some things to try:

1.  Check your Windows server to ensure that there are no remnants of ColdFusion 2023 from a previous installation attempt. If there are, delete them. Then try installing ColdFusion 2023. If this doesn't help, proceed to step 2.

2.  While looking into this issue online, I came across the environment variable JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS. The value to use for Windows Server 2019 is "-Dos.name=Windows Server 2016" (including the quotes). Apparently, it helps in solving certain issues with installers. 

Should you need a suggestion on how to set this environment variable, then proceed as follows:

(a) Right-click on This PC and select Properties.

(b) Click on Advanced system settings, then on Environment Variables. You should get an interface consisting of two sections: User Variables and System Variables.

(c) Do this step twice, once for each section: click on New.  Enter JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS as the Variable name and "-Dos.name=Windows Server 2016" as the Variable value. Remember to add the quotes

Then press successively on the OK buttons, till all the user-interfaces are closed.

Now, try to install ColdFusion 2023. If this doesn't help, proceed to step 3.

3.  As a last resort, restart Windows. Then temporarily disable the firewall and other security settings before attempting to install ColdFusion 2023. 

[Jason27589686yuaq]

BKBK,

Trust me, this has been having scratching my head for a while now. 

The server that I have been attempting to run the installer on is a development server.  The goal being to install in development, then integration server, and then production server.  I have tested the installer on all 3 and they all produce the same error.  They are all Server 2019.

I do have ColdFusion 2018 also running on another server in our infrastructure which will need to also be upgraded to CF2023.  It is running Server 2016 and when I run the installer, the install wizard fully loads without the error to the Introduction page of the install wizard, awaiting user input.

That said, I have tried step 1 and step 2 from your recommendations and I'm still getting the same behavior/error!

I'm running out of time today for option 3, but hope to give it a go come tomorrow morning.

Thanks again!

[Jason27589686yuaq]

BKBK,

Just an update.  I tried option 3, disabling the AV and the Windows firewall and I'm still getting the same error.   I've tried the recommendations from Adobe support also and now trying to coordinate a future screen share session.  

[Charlie Arehart]

Jason, while you await that, here are a couple of things to try. (None are as involved as some of those that BKBK found and offered.)

1) First, did you try simply running the installer as admin?

If you aren't logged in as THE administrator user, and unless you're in the admin group and saw the installer prompt you automatically to elevate your permissions), then try right-clicking the exe (viewed in Windows File Explorer) and choose to run it as admin. 

Does that change your result? 

2) Second, here's something that might offer us a bit more in the way of diagnostics. 

There's a little known (rarely mentioned) feature of Windows installers that are built with installanywhere (like cf is): once you start the exe (and after accepting the elevation to run as admin, if offered)., hold down the control key on your keyboard. Yes, even while it takes time to do the initial extraction.

Once the installer proceeds to really start, you should see a pop up command line window, in which will appear diagnostics from installanywhere. While most will seem obtuse, in your case what will be interesting to hear is what are the LAST lines before it errors. Maybe that will be a clue for us. 

You'll be able to use your mouse (or better, use ctrl-a) to select all the text and copy it to the clipboard (ctrl-c), before it closes automatically when the installer terminates.

Hope that's helpful. And if neither that not your potential screenshare with Adobe leave you still unresolved, I really suspect I could help. There's much that can't be conveyed easily in back and forth here, in both directions. I do such short-term screenshare consulting with people daily.  More on my rates, approach, satisfaction guarantee, and online calendar at carehart.org/consulting.

Either way, hope you get resolution soon. 

[Jason27589686yuaq]

Charlie,

Yes, Regarding item 1) I've tried running ColdFusion_2023_GUI_WWEJ_win64.exe multiple times by right-clicking and choosing "Run as administrator" with the same results.

Regarding item 2), I tried that and did get the diagnostic info you indicated.  Most of the output was what was in the installer log that gets deposited in the root of the C: drive.  However, the diagnostic info included new data regarding the actual command line that is being executed from the data extracted to the temp folder by the installer.

I'm looking over the new topic you posted below and will get back with the results.

[Charlie Arehart]

Thanks for the update. We will look forward also to what the "new data" was as provided by the debug feature. 🙂

BTW, I just edited your reply to make a link out of "the new topic you posted" (and added "below"), as some readers could wonder what you meant due to the threaded nature of these replies. 🙂 

[Jason27589686yuaq]

Below is what I described as the "new data" from following your debug feature of the InstallAnywhere installer:

company: Oracle Corporation
cwd: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\Windows
cmd: "C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\Windows\resource\jre\bin\java.exe" --add-opens java.base/jdk.internal.loader=ALL-UNNAMED -Dsun.java2d.uiScale.enabled=false -Xms268435456 -Xmx536870912 -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 -Dmrj.version=3.1 -classpath "C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\InstallerData\IAClasses.zip;C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\InstallerData\Execute.zip;C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\Windows\InstallerData\Execute.zip;C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\InstallerData\Resource1.zip;C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\Windows\InstallerData\Resource1.zip;C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\InstallerData;C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\I1726080053\Windows\InstallerData;" com.zerog.lax.LAX "C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/I1726080053/Windows/adobe_cf.lax" "C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/lax23CD.tmp"
Picked up JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS: "-Dos.name=Windows Server 2016"
LAX Version = 21.0

The part above is the "new data" everything below this is the same verbatim of what gets output to the log file that gets deposited in the root of the C: drive.

[Charlie Arehart · Accepted solution]

Jason, I had another thought: since the error is one that seems rather unique, and ESPECIALLY since the "details" from the installer error show the top line referring to a call to "getEnable8dot3", I wonder now....what do you see if you run this at your Windows command prompt (or Terminal):

reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\ /v NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation

 In my case, it returns a message indicating both that that value EXISTS in that FileSystem key AND that its TYPE is "REG_DWORD" and its "DATA" is "0x2". (This gets confusing to discuss, because what we might want to refer to as the "key" and a "value" are not the terms reg/regedit/the registry uses. Instead, a "key" is more like a folder, which CONTAINS one or more "values", and those have a name but their "value" is called their "data". Oy!)

Anyway, does that command return anything for you? 🙂 And if so, is the data (or to us, value) 0x0, or 0x1, or 0x2 or 0x3?  If it's 1 or 3, that means someone disabled what's called 8.3 file naming on your system. More on that setting here. And perhaps THAT is affecting how the installanywhere software is working. That's just a guess.

I created this as its own topic rather than as a reply to the other discussion above here which has many replies, as it does really stand alone compared to the rest of what's discussed there.

[Jason27589686yuaq]

Charlie,

Let me start by saying that you are the MAN!!!!!  

So I ran the reg query and this was the result:

So yes, for some reason 8dot3 name creation was disabled on the server (the returned "1" value).  The other curious thing being that it was showing the Type as a string (REG_SZ) rather than a REG_DWORD.  

I backed up the registry hive, deleted the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation key and re-created it as a DWORD with the value of "2" and rebooted the server.  Ran the installer for about the 20th time and it successfully loaded without any errors!!!! 

I'm not sure why the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation key was modified previously, but it was set the same (disabled) on the integration and production servers too.  I checked several other servers in our infrastructure and they returned the default:

These are a set of our older web servers that have gone through in place upgrades and may carry some legacy config debt.

I truly appreciate you going the extra mile with helping to find the root cause of my issue!

Thanks again!!!

[BKBK]

 How glad I am to read that the issue has now been resolved. What a puzzle that was. Hats off to Charlie for discovering the '8dot3' registry fix. 

[Charlie Arehart]

Yes, wonderful to hear, Jason. Thanks for the update. Not only do I love to hear when a problem is solved, and even more when I can help, but especially when I can earn a "you're the man". 🙂

And yep, it just felt like one of those things that was environment-specific, and thankfully you shared that "detail" from the error, which I was just compelled today to chase after. I'm like a dog chasing a rabbit when it comes to gnarly system problems! Thankfully, since it's what I do for a living I do also love my work, helping several  different orgs each week.  And then like BKBK and Dave Watts and others here, we love to help here when we can.

Enjoy the move to CF2023. You'll find I have several presentations on that and CF2021 which could benefit you in your move, whether from a CF admin or coding perspective. More (titles, descriptions, PDFs, and youtube recording links) at carehart.org/presentations.

Oh, lastly, could you mark that reply of mine as the "answer", to help people know it's what solved things for you? (There are Adobe-internal reasons why it's more helpful for the author of the post to pick an answer rather than the author of a reply to mark their own as an answer.)

[toby007aust]

Hello

I'm doing some work with an educational institution in Sydney and a student managed to delete CF 2023 from the server.

I'm now trying to reinstall CF 2023 as the  students have an assignment to complete to finalise their learmning. I'm afraid I cannot find anything on teh Adobe site site to enable me to download CF 2023 to instal CF on the linux server.

The institution has a serial key for CF2023.

Any idea that can assist?

Thank you in advance

[BKBK]

@toby007aust , if you google coldfusion download, Google will provide you the download location.

[toby007aust]

hi there

I cant see anywhere where i can find ColdFusion 1013 Linux installer to download - if anyone can assist it would be very very much appreciated.

Regards

[toby007aust]

make that ColdFusion 2023 Linux Installer

[BKBK]

• Download the Zip installer for Linux from here: https://helpx.adobe.com/coldfusion/kb/coldfusion-downloads.html#download0 
• Send an e-mail to cfsup@adbobe.com, and request the Linux GUI installer for ColdFusion 2023.

[toby007aust]

Hello

I have tried going to the link you provided but they do not appear to be installer files for ColdFusion 2023 (Windows, Linux or Mac). Have sent an email to support but no reply.

Thanks

[BKBK]

If you follow the link you will see something like this: