OK, I’m running Windows 2000. I also use Limewire, which on install prompts me to download and install the Java 2 Runtime Environment. No biggie, except it sets itself as my default Java Machine for web browsing. I don’t like this because it seems to spawn a bunch of extra processes. I’ll be surfing websites that apparently require Java and i’ll get two and three java icons in my system tray. Really annoying since they don’t have a option to kill them without using the task manager.
The short story is, that I decided to set Windows to use Microsoft Virtual Machine by default, and just use Java 2 for Limewire. However, its seems that somehow, perhaps through my tinkering in the registry one time, or just due to a few repeated installs of Java 2, that my current Virtual Machine was corrupted or deleted.
The reason I think that, is because anytime I hit a webpage that requires me to have Virtual Machine it prompts me to download it. Then I’ll get sent to a Microsoft webpage that immediately tells me to click and activate Windows Update to d/l VM. I run Windows Update and it doesn’t indicate that VM is missing, and as such I can’t d/l it. All the articles I saw in the knowledge base instruct you to use the updater to install VM, nothing on how to install it if the updater didn’t help.
So, I admit to knowing next to nothing about Java, the differences between the two softwares, and what the hell it would even add to the websites that claim to require it, but this issue is annoying.
First, does my presumption fit? Did my VM get messed up? How could I test it? Can I fully uninstall it so that the updater will reinstall it? Should I instead choose Java 2 and focus on fixing its problem (though I fear I’d still run into some spot where I should be sure VM works too)?
OK, so why would I see several Java 2 RTE icons appearing in my system tray as I web surf? And why would that stop once I switched my default java virtual machine setting to Microsoft VM in the Windows settings?
I just repaired IE as suggested, but it never gave any indication that it did or didn’t repair the MVM. I’ll have to surf around and see if I get any of those alerts that I still don’t have VM. However I’ll have no idea by just looking if I’m running it or not.
Could someoneexplain what these two apparently different programs do for the casual user?
Well, apparently the IE repair trick didn;t help, I’m still getting prompted to d/l Java Virtual Machine by IE. And I’m still unable to do so, I’m hoping one of you experts can help. Thanks in advance.
OK, so far I’ve still been unable to figure this out. I’ve exhausted my ideas.
I uninstalled Internet Explorer and reinstalled it, with not luck. I’ve searched Microsofts knowledge base and it saysthat you cannot uninstall Virtual Machine. The only was to install Virtual Machine is by using th eUpdater, and it doesn’t seem to see me as lacking it.
Here’s what I’ve deduced. It seems that IE 6 thinks that my MVM is missing, because it always prompts me to d/l it. However as soon as I close the dialoge box, all the java on the page runs just fine. My guess is that MVM is installed and running fine, however IE doesn’t seem to recognize it.
I aways test it on CBS.sportsline.com, since thats the one place where I can reliably make the dialoge box apear. Could it just be that that one page is the problem on their side and not my computer? ESPN.com doesn’t cuase it that I recall, and I’d guess they have java on there somewhere.
I’ve searched for answers on google and haven’t been able to find anything helpful. Everything just points me to the windows updater to try and d/l it. I saw something that suggested is I install IE and choose “custom install” I could specify that it install MVM, but the new updater just installs IE without any interaction from me, perhaps its due to something with Win2K or the recent changes to IE 6 or the windows updater, making those pervious suggestions moot.
I’m still praying that one of you can help me solve thsi nightmare. It isn’t preventing me from doing anything but its is becoming my bane, and the most frustrating thing I’ve had to deal with in years.
Sun’s VM is the “official” Java VM, so it may be compatible with more programs. Microsoft’s VM includes some extensions, which sparked a lot of criticism when they introduced it, but it means programs that use the Microsoft VM can take advantage of some Windows features that would otherwise be inaccessible.
[nontechnical explanation]
The purpose of Java is to be able to write a program once, compile it once, and then run it without modification on any computer. One of the reasons you can’t run Mac programs on a PC is that they use different processors, so the code to add two numbers might be 04 on a Mac and 12 on a PC. One processor can’t understand code written for the other.
To get around this problem, instead of compiling Java programs into code that runs on a specific processor, Sun invented a “virtual machine”, a processor that doesn’t really exist. The Java compiler produces “bytecode” for this virtual processor.
You use a Java VM to execute compiled Java programs. The VM either converts Java bytecode to code for your actual processor and runs it natively, or simply interprets the code pretending to be a processor. That’s why Java programs are slightly slower than native programs.
This is also the basic theory behind Microsoft’s .NET; however, .NET intermediate code is always converted to native code when you run it.
[/nte]
I ran into this exact issue this afternoon. The only difference was that I have XP, not 2K.
The problem is that MS is no longer allowing it’s VM to be d’ld as a seperate component.
(see this Explanation from Microsoft).
So - if you you have mistated your OS and you actually have XP, you must install XP SP 1 to install the virtual machine, then insure that a specific security update is installed. KB Article 299672 Addl install info
Now, if Win2K is your OS, there is a different solution, but it looks like you still need W2K SP4. Here is a KB article pertaining to W2K that explains how to install it. KB 304930 Silent JVM Install This really describes a silent install, but (hopefully) it will work for you.
Finally - to check to see if JVM is installed, and if so, what version, type jview at a command prompt. A error indicates it is not installed. Otherwise, the top line will have the version number.
I would recommend installing any applicable IE6 patches after doing this.
Mr2001, thanks that makes perfect sense. So whats the difference between Sun’s “Java 2 Runtime Environment” that Limewire made me download versus Sun’s “Java Virtual Machine”?
Urban Ranger, I think you’re missing what I’m saying. Sun’s Java Virtual Machine is installed on my computer. I already unselected those boxes because when I used it as my default VM for IE it kept spawning mutiple icons (presumably instances of itself) in my system tray. That was the initial reason for me turning it off and noticing the issue with Microsoft’s VM. I’ve been trying to determine a way to either fix and reinstall my current Microsoft VM, or to get IE to stop prompting me to reinstall something that it seems I already have (corrupted or not).
deathawk, thanks for the links. I’ll look into them now, and post back if they seem to be useful.
deathawk, I am indeed running Win2K. I’ve looked over your links and frankly its a little over my head. I’m not sure exactly how doing those hot fixes of Windows 2000 are going to solve my problem and the links don’t refer to MVM at all.
I see that it’s saying that I need to install a hotfix or a service pack to install/update MVM, but I’ve already got all of them installed and the Windows Updater won’t let me install them either. I suppose I could uninstall one of my hotfixes and reinstall it, but I have no idea which ones would reinstall MVM.
If you cannot locate this install executable, then you may be out of luck short of upgrading to XP SP1. JVM is no longer available as a seperate download from MS. Unfortunately I do not currently have access to a Win2K machine to determine where that exe is located - perhaps others here may have an idea.
Searched my HD for Msjavx86.exe and it returned no results. Any chance it’d be located on the Win2K CD by itself?
I’m not entirely clear on where to put the pathname in that command line entry once I find it. Or should I instead enter the folder where it exists an run it as is? If it is on the CD, do I need to do anything to direct it to install in the right location?
Possibly on the CD. It is also possible it is hidden in a .cab file somewhere. Just in case, as I know XP does this - when you searched, did the search exclude hidden/system files/folders?
Let’s try this approach: check your sys32 folder for javart.dll - that is the MS Java runtime. If it is there, see what the version is. If JVM is or was installed, there should be 3-4 other dlls with it. Are those there?
Related on this note: In Internet Options/Advanced - do you have the section for Microsoft Java VM options?
(trying to see if maybe it’s installed & corrupted vs. not installed)
Yup, I’m pretty sure java is installed. javart.dll is there, its version 5.0.3809.0. There are two other .dlls that are obviously with it too, there might be more but I’m not sure what they’d be.
I’m almost positive JVM is installed, and pretty sure it’s running fine, but for some reason IE seems to not see it on page load or something. Whenever I get the alert, all the parts of teh webpage seem to be displaying fine.
Anyways, I d/led the file from your link and installed it without any apparent trouble. However the problem still persisted, and one concern I had was that afterwards it never prompted me to d/l and install the patches on Windows Update. I’m not sure if that means that the patches I already downloaded were still applicable, or if the install .exe didn’t over write the existing installation. In any case, it didn’t fix the problem.
I do however think that I solved my issue in a roundabout, but simple way. Basically I’d given up and resigned myself to go back to coping with Sun’s Java VM. So I opened the interface and selected the option to browse IE using Sun’s JVM by default. The problem persisted with the damn systray, and on a whim I ried going back and testing MVM again. Magically, problem solved. Whatever was causing IE to not realize I have MVM installed was corrected when JVM reverted IE back to MVM. What a pain in the ass, but I’m glad it seems to be fixed.