Skip to content

Installing Cygwin

Overview

Cygwin is a required component for running the EPMware Agent on Windows servers. It provides a Linux-like environment that allows the agent's shell scripts to execute properly on Windows systems.

Windows Only

Cygwin installation is only required for Windows servers. Linux servers can skip this section and proceed to Java Configuration.

Prerequisites

Before installing Cygwin:

  • [ ] Windows Administrator privileges
  • [ ] Internet connection for downloading packages
  • [ ] At least 1 GB of free disk space
  • [ ] Proxy server information (if applicable)

Download Cygwin

Step 1: Access Cygwin Website

  1. Navigate to www.cygwin.com
  2. Click on "Install Cygwin" link
  3. Choose the appropriate installer:
  4. setup-x86_64.exe for 64-bit Windows (recommended)
  5. setup-x86.exe for 32-bit Windows

Step 2: Save the Installer

  1. Download the setup file to your Desktop or Downloads folder
  2. Right-click the downloaded file and select "Properties"
  3. If blocked, check "Unblock" and click OK

Cygwin Download Page
Cygwin download page with installer options

Installation Process

Step 1: Run the Installer

  1. Right-click setup-x86_64.exe
  2. Select Run as administrator
  3. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt

Step 2: Installation Type

Select Install from Internet and click Next

Installation Type
Selecting installation type - Install from Internet

Step 3: Installation Directory

Configure the installation paths:

Setting Recommended Value Notes
Root Directory C:\cygwin64 Default location recommended
Install For All Users Ensures all users can access

Root Directory
Configuring Cygwin root directory

Custom Installation Path

If installing to a different drive, ensure the EPMware Agent configuration reflects the correct path.

Step 4: Local Package Directory

Specify where to store downloaded packages:

  • Recommended: C:\cygwin64\packages
  • Important: Do not use the Cygwin root folder

Package Directory
Setting local package directory

Step 5: Connection Method

Configure your internet connection:

  • Direct Connection: If connected directly to the internet
  • Use Proxy: If behind a corporate proxy server

For proxy configuration: 

Proxy Host: proxy.company.com
Port: 8080

Connection Method
Selecting connection method

Step 6: Download Site Selection

Choose a mirror site for downloading packages:

  1. Select any available mirror from the list
  2. Prefer sites with good connectivity to your location
  3. Click Next to proceed

Mirror Selection
Selecting a download mirror site

Step 7: Package Selection

For EPMware Agent, the default packages are sufficient:

  1. Keep "Category" view
  2. Leave all defaults selected
  3. Click Next to begin installation

Required Packages

The EPMware Agent requires only the base Cygwin packages. Additional packages are not necessary unless specified by your environment requirements.

Step 8: Installation Progress

The installer will: 1. Download selected packages 2. Install Cygwin base system 3. Create shortcuts and icons 4. Configure the environment

Installation Progress
Cygwin installation in progress

Step 9: Completion

  1. Select Create icon on Desktop (optional)
  2. Select Add icon to Start Menu (recommended)
  3. Click Finish

Post-Installation Verification

Verify Installation

  1. Open Windows Explorer
  2. Navigate to C:\cygwin64
  3. Verify the following directories exist:
  4. bin\
  5. etc\
  6. home\
  7. usr\
  8. var\

Test Cygwin Terminal

  1. Double-click the Cygwin Terminal icon on desktop

  2. The terminal should open with a prompt: 

    username@hostname ~
$

  3. Test basic commands: 

    # Check current directory
pwd

# List files
ls -la

# Check Cygwin version
uname -a

Cygwin Terminal
Cygwin terminal showing successful installation

User Configuration

Identify Cygwin User

The EPMware Agent will run under a specific Windows user. This user needs a Cygwin home directory:

  1. Open Cygwin Terminal
  2. Check current user: 
    whoami
  3. Verify home directory: 
    echo $HOME

Expected output: 

/home/Administrator

Create Service Account Home (Optional)

If using a service account:

  1. Open Cygwin Terminal as the service account
  2. Cygwin will automatically create the home directory
  3. Verify creation: 
    ls -la /home/

Environment Variables

PATH Configuration

Cygwin's bin directory should be in the system PATH:

  1. Open System Properties → Advanced → Environment Variables
  2. Edit the Path variable
  3. Add: C:\cygwin64\bin

Verify PATH

# In Windows Command Prompt
where bash
where ls

Expected output: 

C:\cygwin64\bin\bash.exe
C:\cygwin64\bin\ls.exe

Required Components for EPMware

Essential Binaries

Verify these commands are available:

# In Cygwin Terminal
which bash
which java
which zip
which unzip

File Permissions

Ensure proper permissions for the agent user:

# Check permissions
ls -la /home/$(whoami)

# Set correct permissions if needed
chmod 755 /home/$(whoami)

Troubleshooting Cygwin Installation

Common Issues

Issue Cause Solution
Setup fails to download Proxy/firewall blocking Configure proxy settings or try different mirror
"Permission denied" errors Incorrect user permissions Run installer as administrator
Missing home directory User hasn't logged into Cygwin Open Cygwin Terminal as that user
Commands not found PATH not configured Add Cygwin bin to system PATH

Reinstallation

If you need to reinstall Cygwin:

  1. Backup any important files from /home/ directories
  2. Uninstall Cygwin through Control Panel
  3. Delete the C:\cygwin64 directory
  4. Run the installer again

Cygwin Updates

To update Cygwin packages:

  1. Run the setup program again
  2. Select "Keep" for existing packages
  3. Update any packages marked with "New"

Security Considerations

File System Permissions

  • Cygwin inherits Windows NTFS permissions
  • Ensure only authorized users can access Cygwin directories
  • Protect the agent installation directory

Service Account Best Practices

  • Use a dedicated service account for the agent
  • Grant minimum necessary permissions
  • Avoid using domain administrator accounts

Special Considerations for EPMware

Multiple Agents

If running multiple agents on the same server:

  1. Use the same Cygwin installation
  2. Create separate home directories for each agent
  3. Configure unique properties for each instance

Server-Specific Requirements

For specific EPM applications:

  • HFM Servers: Ensure Cygwin user can access HFM utilities
  • Planning Servers: Verify access to Planning utilities
  • Essbase Servers: Check MaxL script execution capability

Validation Checklist

Before proceeding to agent installation:

  • [ ] Cygwin installed successfully
  • [ ] Terminal opens without errors
  • [ ] Home directory exists for agent user
  • [ ] Basic commands work (ls, pwd, etc.)
  • [ ] Java is accessible from Cygwin
  • [ ] zip/unzip commands are available

Installation Complete

Once Cygwin is installed and verified, proceed to Java Configuration to set up the Java environment.

Next Steps

  1. Configure Java - Set up Java environment
  2. Download Agent - Get EPMware Agent files
  3. Extract Files - Deploy agent components