Troubleshooting ITM OS agent on Windows

One of the most common tasks a Tivoli admin has to do is installing an OS agent (TEMA) on a server.
From my experience, it's a reasonably trouble free task, with few gotchas.
First, I'm talking mostly about local installation.
Second, the solutions mostly modify the registry - care must be used when doing so and obviously, I take no responsibility for any problems :)
Here's my list of common problems/solutions :

1. Install from a local disk, not a network drive - i.e. no \\ in the installation directory.
   
   
2. Simple directory names.
   The most common problems I've had are after installing Java and GSKit, the installation suddenly quits with no warning.
   This is either because:
   1. The TEMP/TMP environment variables point to a "complex" directory - i.e. one with spaces or is longer than 8 characters.
   2. The installation directory is a "complex" directory
   3. The target directory is a "complex" directory
   This is because the installation program is looking for the 8.3 format of the file (not C:\Program Files, but C:\PROGRA~1). When the registry setting HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Filesystem/NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation is set to 0, then windows will create both filenames. If it doesn't exist, or is set to 1, then only the complex name is found and the installation fails.
   Another way of checking is running a dir /x command in a DOS box.
   <Caution>
   You must reboot the server for the new setting to be active. I find it's easier to just use simple directory names. The TEMP/TMP environment variables are changed in the Advanced settings of System Properties.
   IBM link : Setup program suddenly terminates after JRE and GSKit installation
   
3. Cannot install because a reboot is pending.
   Often when I try to install ITM on a server that hasn't been rebooted in a long time, I'll get that error.
   A reboot will solve the problem, but from then on you'll have a tough time convincing people that ITM doesn't require a reboot!
   The registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\PendingFileRenameOperations (PendingFileRename for Windows 2000) holds the list of filenames which have been marked as changed and are waiting for a reboot. Check them, if they're harmless (I often see adobe files) then just remove them from the registry (export them to a backup file first) and run the installation again. Import the files back to the registry if you like.
   
   Note: Since ITM6.1 Fixpack 5 Interim Fix 2, the setup ignores most of the files so this should occur less.
   IBM Link: Windows agent reboot pending to rename locked files
   
   
4. GSKit errors in general
   GSKit is something required for ITM and it is installed by the setup program before the ITM agent itself.
   However, sometimes you'll encounter problems with GSKIT and you'll want to uninstall it. There is no built-in uninstallation for a damaged GSKit.
   Here is a step-by-step uninstall routine : http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21258721
   There's also a link to ITMRemoveAll in the link - a fast and dirty uninstall for ITM.  
   
   
5. Another option for GSKit problems is this:
   1. Manually copy Windows\InsGSKit\setup.iss to the desired hard-drive in a directory of choice. 
   2. Alter the szDir=C:\Candle\GSK7 statement to use the desired drive letter  (Since Candle management agent was running)
   3. From command line execute:  setup.exe ITM61 --logfile=D:\GSKitTemp\GSKit.log -z -s                
   -SMS -f1"D:\GSKitTemp\setup.iss"
   
   This will install the GSKit. Once it is completed run the setup.exe of the Agent media. This will install the agent successfully.
   

These are the most common problems I've had with installing ITM. They're all easily avoidable once you know about them - but are a bit voodoo-like if you don't.
Drop me a line / add a comment if you think there's something I've forgotten.
-- Robert