Crowd crashes and throws an internal error

Scalia CB

After evaluating crowd we decided to buy the starter license.

After the starter license was introduced crowd asked to restart the service.

After restarting the service crowd started throwing an internal error and now it doesn't start, every time it continues throwing the same error:

System Error

A system error has occurred please contact your administrator.

If this problem continues to occur please contact Atlassian by opening a support request with the following information:

- A description of your problem and what you were doing at the time it occurred

- Cut & paste the error and system information found below

- Attach the application server log file (if possible).

Cause :

java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lorg/apache/tomcat/InstanceManager;

Stack Trace :

java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lorg/apache/tomcat/InstanceManager;

at java.lang.Class.getDeclaredFields0(Native Method)

at java.lang.Class.privateGetDeclaredFields(Class.java:2308)

at java.lang.Class.getDeclaredFields(Class.java:1760)

at org.apache.catalina.util.DefaultAnnotationProcessor.processAnnotations(DefaultAnnotationProcessor.java:181)

at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.getServlet(JspServletWrapper.java:153)

at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.service(JspServletWrapper.java:338)

at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.serviceJspFile(JspServlet.java:313)

at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.service(JspServlet.java:260)

at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:717)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:290)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.IteratingFilterChain.doFilter(IteratingFilterChain.java:46)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.doFilter(ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.java:77)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.doFilter(ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.java:63)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.opensymphony.webwork.dispatcher.FilterDispatcher.doFilter(FilterDispatcher.java:189)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.opensymphony.module.sitemesh.filter.PageFilter.parsePage(PageFilter.java:119)

at com.opensymphony.module.sitemesh.filter.PageFilter.doFilter(PageFilter.java:55)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.IteratingFilterChain.doFilter(IteratingFilterChain.java:46)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.doFilter(ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.java:77)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.doFilter(ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.java:63)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.opensymphony.webwork.dispatcher.ActionContextCleanUp.doFilter(ActionContextCleanUp.java:88)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:311)

at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:116)

at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:83)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:113)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:101)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:113)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:54)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:45)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:182)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:105)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:87)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:323)

at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:173)

at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:346)

at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:259)

at com.atlassian.crowd.console.filter.CrowdDelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(CrowdDelegatingFilterProxy.java:38)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.IteratingFilterChain.doFilter(IteratingFilterChain.java:46)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.doFilter(ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.java:77)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.doFilter(ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.java:63)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.atlassian.crowd.console.filter.LicenceFilter.doFilterInternal(LicenceFilter.java:56)

at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:76)

at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:346)

at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:259)

at com.atlassian.crowd.console.filter.CrowdDelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(CrowdDelegatingFilterProxy.java:38)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.atlassian.johnson.filters.AbstractJohnsonFilter.doFilter(AbstractJohnsonFilter.java:67)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:70)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.support.OpenSessionInViewFilter.doFilterInternal(OpenSessionInViewFilter.java:198)

at com.atlassian.crowd.console.filter.CrowdOpenSessionInViewFilter.doFilterInternal(CrowdOpenSessionInViewFilter.java:26)

at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:76)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.atlassian.gzipfilter.GzipFilter.doFilterInternal(GzipFilter.java:74)

at com.atlassian.gzipfilter.GzipFilter.doFilter(GzipFilter.java:51)

at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:346)

at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:259)

at com.atlassian.crowd.console.filter.CrowdDelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(CrowdDelegatingFilterProxy.java:38)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.IteratingFilterChain.doFilter(IteratingFilterChain.java:46)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.doFilter(ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.java:77)

at com.atlassian.plugin.servlet.filter.ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.doFilter(ServletFilterModuleContainerFilter.java:63)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at com.atlassian.core.filters.encoding.AbstractEncodingFilter.doFilter(AbstractEncodingFilter.java:41)

at com.atlassian.core.filters.AbstractHttpFilter.doFilter(AbstractHttpFilter.java:31)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)

at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)

at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:233)

at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:191)

at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:127)

at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:102)

at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:109)

at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:298)

at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.process(Http11Processor.java:859)

at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Protocol$Http11ConnectionHandler.process(Http11Protocol.java:588)

at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.run(JIoEndpoint.java:489)

at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)

Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.apache.tomcat.InstanceManager

at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1680)

at org.apache.catalina.loader.WebappClassLoader.loadClass(WebappClassLoader.java:1526)

at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JasperLoader.loadClass(JasperLoader.java:128)

at org.apache.jasper.servlet.JasperLoader.loadClass(JasperLoader.java:66)

... 106 more

Referer : http://(hidden)/

Build Information :

Version : 2.5.3 (Build:#585 - 04-12-2012)

Memory Information :

Total Memory : 181 MB

Free Memory : 100 MB

Used Memory : 81 MB

Request Information :

- Request URL : http://(hidden)/crowd/console/500.jsp

- Scheme : http

- Server : (hidden)

- Port : 80

- URI : /crowd/console/500.jsp

- Context Path : /crowd

- - Servlet Path : /console/500.jsp

- - Path Info : null

- - Query String :

Request Attributes :

- javax.servlet.forward.request_uri : /crowd/console/

- javax.servlet.forward.context_path : /crowd

- javax.servlet.forward.servlet_path : /console/index.jsp

- javax.servlet.forward.path_info : /console/500.jsp

- javax.servlet.error.status_code : 500

- javax.servlet.error.servlet_name : jsp

- __spring_security_session_mgmt_filter_applied : true

- com.atlassian.gzipfilter.GzipFilter_already_filtered : true

- __cleanup_counter : 0

- com.atlassian.johnson.filters.JohnsonFilter_already_filtered : true

- gzipMimeTypes : text/.*,application/x-javascript,application/javascript,application/xml,application/xhtml +xml

- javax.servlet.error.message :

- webwork.valueStack : com.opensymphony.xwork.util.OgnlValueStack@2bc8fd5c

- com.atlassian.gzipfilter.org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.RuleMatched : true

- __sitemesh__filterapplied : true

- __spring_security_filterSecurityInterceptor_filterApplied : true

- javax.servlet.error.exception : javax.servlet.ServletException: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Lorg/apache/tomcat/InstanceManager;

- javax.servlet.error.request_uri : /crowd/console/

Request Parameters:

JohnA_xb3t2l

It turns out that the cause of this issue was related to cached data, so anyone who comes across this Answer whilst searching for the above error should attempt the steps below:

1. Delete the <CROWD_INSTALL>/apache-tomcat/work/ folder (or <CATALINA_BASE/work if not using a Standalone install).
2. Verify the user running the CROWD application process has Read/Write permission to the <CROWD_INSTALL>/apache-tomcat/work directory.
3. Restart Crowd to rebuild the files.

The above steps only remove caches data and the files will all be restored at startup, so this is a safe procedure to attempt, and in the event that this solution doesn't work then you should contact Support so we can investigate for you.