2106205 - dipgntab failed with: "ERROR in initialization (can't get R/3-version)" or "ERROR in initialization (can't get SVERS-version)"

During a new or target system installation with sapinst, it failed in the step to run dipgntab with the following error:

dipgntab.log:

ERROR in initialization (can't get R/3-version)

or

sapinst_dev.log:

...

WARNING    <timestamp>

           CJSlibModule::writeWarning_impl()
Execution of the command "/usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/run/dipgntab -rwr40
-srctt DDNTT -srctf DDNTF -dsttt DDNTT -dsttf DDNTF -ttonly TT"
finished with return code 255. Output:
ERROR in initialization (can't get R/3-version)
ERROR in initialization (can't get R/3-version)

or

...

ERROR      <timestamp> [sixxcstepexecute.cpp:901]
FCO-00011  The step adjustNametab with step key |NW_ABAP_OneHost|ind|ind|ind|ind|0|0|NW_Onehost_System|ind|ind|ind|ind|onehost|0|NW_CreateDBandLoad|ind|ind|ind|ind|createdbandload|0|NW_Postload|ind|ind|ind|ind|postload|0|NW_Postload_<DB type>|ind|ind|ind|ind|mss|0|adjustNametab was executed with status ERROR ( Last error reported by the step: Process call "/usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/run/dipgntab -rwr40 -srctt DDNTT -srctf DDNTF -dsttt DDNTT -dsttf DDNTF -ttonly TT' exits with error code 255. For details see log file(s) dipgntab.log.)

New or target System installation of AS ABAP or AS ABAP+Java

KBA , BC-INS-SWPM , Installation with Software Provisioning Manager , Problem