Stuck at Thingworx Foundation install on RHEL

[avillanueva]

Trying to get a simple dev instance install on my RHEL 9 system. Installer keeps failing at the "cinc-client -z --config". I have ready through the following article which discuss this at length. 

https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS329897?source=search (note this does say SQLServer and I am using postgres)

I do have JAVA_HOME setup properly and running OpenJDK 21

openjdk version "21.0.7" 2025-04-15 LTS
OpenJDK Runtime Environment Corretto-21.0.7.6.1 (build 21.0.7+6-LTS)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM Corretto-21.0.7.6.1 (build 21.0.7+6-LTS, mixed mode, sharing)

I am not using a complex DB password with special characters initially. Not using SSL as this is simple dev system. I tried my own folder AND /opt folder with no change. I did have to preinstall CINC so cinc-18.5.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm was loaded first and this appears ok from my past installs. 

Here is where I might not be following things exactly but if I knew was the issue was, I can work to solve it. The log file that it generates when running cinc-client gets deleted along with the whole installation folder before I have a chance to view it. How am I supposed to find the true error?

<thingworx_installation_folder>\installer\logs\foundation-YYYYMMDDhhmmss.log

Running less that ideal resources: Yes, I know this but if that is not the issue, ok to run with less, this is dev.

RHEL 9.2 - Yes, I think 9.7.0 requires 9.4. Again, I have another installed running in 9.2 so if its not the issue, ok to vary here. 

SELinux - Running in permissive mode so this should not be an issue.

Anything else that could be the cause? Any way I can capture these logs before installer deletes them?

[Constantine]

Hello,

To preserve a log file you can watch the directory via inotifywait, and when it gets created, just create a hard link to it (ln $logfile backup.txt, note no -s).

/ Constantine

[avillanueva]

Thank you that was very helpful trick to capture the logs. It did confirm a suspicion that this was SELinux related. Pointed me to this article which described the error that was reported: https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS386968?source=search 

I made that modification and reran now with some new error message. Reminds me of my post from a few months ago.

Tomcat failed to start on ThingWorx Install 9.7. Installer bailed and removed ThingWorx 

Same issues different day. We need better support for SELinux, better documentation and better installers. 

[Constantine]

Just curious -- why do you use installer? On RHEL you can use container goodness.

[PEHOWE]

Hello @avillanueva ,
Here are some other articles which may assist:

• CS243755 - Critical issues Installing ThingWorx PostgreSQL in SELinux enabled - in CentOS, Fedora and selinux
• CS343186 - Tomcat failed to start in RHEL system with error "SELinux is preventing (jsvc) from execute access on the file jsvc."
• CS271629 - Configuring the open file descriptor limits (ulimit) settings for ThingWorx Platform running on Linux

If you have a support agreement with PTC, open a case, there may be more that can be done.

Regards,

Pehowe

[avillanueva]

I see you're with PTC. Please pass this along internally...:"Firstly, ThingWorx Do Not recommend to deploy in SELinux enabled machines", this was written in the article. I have to disagree as your customers are being required to run with SELinux for security. PTC needs to support it and work out all the pitfalls. 

[PEHOWE]

Hello @avillanueva ,

The install process can be complex. I will share your recommendation with project management.
Have you tried doing a manual install.  The Manual install process allows for more adjustment due to operating system differences. 

Regards,

Pehowe

[avillanueva]

I am going to be trying that next. Installs really should not be. From what I can tell, this is a relatively simple application install but made overly complex.

[PEHOWE]

Hello @avillanueva ,
The manual install process is well described. 
In the Online Help documentation the steps start at: Install Java, Apache Tomcat, and ThingWorx

Should get you started. Please let me know if you have any questions

Regards,

Pehowe