When you install IBM WebSphere Application Server Version 6.1 on a machine that runs the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Version 6 operating system, you might encounter the following error message:

Failed : Your operating system failed the prerequisites check. 
A supported operating system was not detected. Support for your operating system might have been added after the release of the product. You can continue with the installation, but the installation might not succeed.

If you install the product silently, you might encounter the following error message: 

Process, com.ibm.ws.install.ni.ismp.actions.
MaintenancePrereqCheckAction, wrn, 
To disable operating system prerequisite checking, set option 
disableOSPrereqChecking to true, or refer to the "Operating 
System Prerequisite Checking" section in the sample response file.

This document explains how to address the issue without setting the disableOSPrereqChecking option value to true.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Version 6 is a newly supported operating system for WebSphere Application Server Version 6.1. The maintenance.xml file might not list Red Hat Enterprise Linux Version 6 as a supported operating system.

As a workaround for this problem, complete the steps in the following procedure.

Note: The prerequisite warning message might still display. The installation process for WebSphere Application Server uses a conservative method of prerequisite checking. It checks for certain levels of operating systems and does not recognize operating system levels that exceed the documented requirements. Even if your operating system level exceeds the minimum requirements, the WebSphere Application Server installer might display the prerequisite warning. The prerequisite warning message might display even if you use the instructions in this document to update the product files. WebSphere Application Server officially supports more recent operating system fix pack levels than the levels that are listed on the detailed system requirements pages.

You can use these steps to update WebSphere Application Server, Application Client for WebSphere Application Server, IBM HTTP Server, or the Web server plug-in.

1. Remove the temporary log directories that might have been created by previous installations. 
   
   
   If you do not remove the log files, you might encounter messages from previous installations. Remove the following directories:
   • user_home/waslogs
     
     
   • user_home/plglogs 
     
     
   • user_home/cltlogs 
     
     
   • user_home/ihslogs 
     
     
2. Copy the image to a temporary directory if you are installing WebSphere Application Server from a CD or DVD.
   
   
3. Make a backup copy of the maintenance.xml file.
   
   
   The following table lists the locations of the existing maintenance.xml files on your system.
   
   
   

   Installation type	Directory
   WebSphere Application Server	temp_directory/WAS/was.primary.pak/
   Application Client for WebSphere Application Server	temp_directory/AppClient/client.primary.pak/
   IBM HTTP Server	temp_directory/IHS/ihs.primary.pak/
   Web server plug-in	temp_directory/Plugin/plg.primary.pak/

   
   
4. Copy the appropriate maintenance.xml file from the following table and overwrite the original file in the temporary directory. To use these files, right-click the link for the edition name and select Save Link As.
   
   
   Note: The Product Edition column within the following table refers to the product edition for your WebSphere Application Server-related product and not the system processor type.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   Product name	Edition name
   WebSphere Application Server	IA32
   WebSphere Application Server	PPC32
   WebSphere Application Server	PPC64 for 64-bit WebSphere Application Server
   WebSphere Application Server	S390
   WebSphere Application Server	S390 64 for 64-bit WebSphere Application Server
   WebSphere Application Server	X86 64 for 64-bit WebSphere Application Server
   Application Client for WebSphere Application Server	IA32
   Application Client for WebSphere Application Server	PPC32
   IBM HTTP Server	IA32
   IBM HTTP Server	PPC32
   IBM HTTP Server	PPC64 for 64-bit IBM HTTP Server
   IBM HTTP Server	S390
   IBM HTTP Server	S390 64 for 64-bit IBM HTTP Server
   IBM HTTP Server	X86 64 for 64-bit IBM HTTP Server
   Web server plug-in	IA32
   Web server plug-in	PPC32
   Web server plug-in	PPC64 for 64-bit Web server plug-in
   Web server plug-in	S390
   Web server plug-in	S390 64 for 64-bit Web server plug-in
   Web server plug-in	X86 64 for 64-bit Web server plug-in

   
   
   
5. Start the installation interface or the silent installation process.
   
   
   
6. Update your WebSphere Application Server Version 6.1 installation to the Version 6.1 Fix Pack 35 or later so that you are at a supported level for the product that is being hosted on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Version 6 operating system.