2415383 - Error occurred: null not allowed as link path for DerivedConfiguration.setLink() during System copy

During the installation phase of a system copy/migration of an AS Java system, Software Provisioning Manager (SWPM) fails with an error in "Performing initial Java engine configuration".

You start to analyze the problem according to SAP KBA

2142461 - How to start analysing issues in SWPM

The 'sapinst_dev.log' ends with an error similar to this:
"Last error reported by the step: Java EE Engine configuration error. DIAGNOSIS: See output of log file configtool.0.trc: '"

Open mentioned file 'configtool.0.trc' in a text editor of your choice and you will see this:

"com.sap.ASJ.cft.000075#BC-JAS-ADM-ADM-CFT#sap.com~tc~je~configtool#C0001EB16C6200000000000112A90E78###configtool########Thread[Thread-5,5,main]#Plain##
Critical error occurred while working with Configuration - instance is not created.
com.sap.engine.frame.core.configuration.ConfigurationException: Error occurred: null not allowed as link path for DerivedConfiguration.setLink()
 at com.sap.engine.core.configuration.impl.WriteAccessDerivedConfiguration.setLink(WriteAccessDerivedConfiguration.java:230)
 at com.sap.engine.configtool.batch.task.CreateNewInstanceTask.go(CreateNewInstanceTask.java:160)
 at com.sap.engine.configtool.batch.task.TasksManager.run(TasksManager.java:217)
 at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:763)"

Note that the text in bold must match!

• Unix based operating system
• Any RDBMS
• NetWeaver 7.1 or higher based AS Java system

installation, system copy, migration, return code 183, nw.configError, BatchInstall , KBA , BC-INS , Installation Tools (SAP Note 1669327) , Problem