Trouble with running Java app in different browsers

I have an online app that is “a powerful Java Rich Internet Application (RIA) that runs on all popular Web browsers and all major computer platforms”. I open it in my browser through the URL. It’s basically set up like a spreadsheet with analyzed and sorted data, and with hyperlinks in it.

However, the app opens in Waterfox (the 64-bit version of Firefox), but not in Chrome, FF, or IE. In Chrome the Java logo comes up but it never loads, and in IE a just a blank grey webpage came up. Then in IE, I noticed the blue circle/bar symbol in the address box and turned off ActiveX filtering; now the Java logo comes up but doesn’t load. Even in Waterfox, the hyperlinks don’t work—when I click a link I get an error stating Firefox is already running and needs to be closed.

I’m running Windows 8.1. I’ve reinstalled the latest versions of 32- and 64-bit Java. I’ve updated my browsers. I’ve added the specific site to the exception list in the Java Control Panel—I have to agree to run this app in Waterfox, so I know the exception works. Also, when I go to the Java site to detect the Java version on my machine (http://www.java.com/en/download/installed.jsp?detect=jre&try=1), I get this in Waterfox, IE, and Chrome:

Verify Java Version
We are unable to verify if Java is currently installed and enabled in your browser.

What gives? Why does the Java app run in one browser (sorta) and not the others on my PC? I’ve open the app using the link on another computer and it runs fine. Any suggestions on diagnosing this?

Have you enabled the java plugin in Firefox and the rest? Recently, most major browsers have disabled java BY DEFAULT, and won’t necessarily prompt you when a site tries to run java.

In firefox, you have to go to the plugins page and set it to enable or prompt.

Waterfox is not the 64-bit version of Firefox; Firefox is the 64-bit version of Firefox. Waterfox, which I had never heard of until now, looks to be some third-party build for 64-bit operating systems for which Mozilla produces no official binaries. It has no official connection with Firefox.

They were enabled, AFAICT. I ended up calling the manufacturer of my laptop and they walked me through at system “refresh”…taking out the battery, holding down the power button for 30 seconds, holding F2 during reboot and the using other F keys to reset the original settings. This seems to have fixed it; I can now launch the app in all four browsers and I didn’t make any changes to my browsers settings.

I’m sure that’s correct and I wasn’t really clear. It’s interesting though if I’m in Firefox and close a session, I can restore it in Waterfox and I can’t use both at once. I’ve only had it a few days trying to fix this Java issue and I haven’t really noticed any real difference between FF and WF. Not sure if I’ll keep it, though. I had read on some interweb forums that 64-bit Firefox was buggy.

(Bolding mine.) Waterfox - Wikipedia

It’s been my experience with Windows XP and Windows 7, when installing/operating multiple browsers (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Opera, IE) that I have to “install” Java (and Adobe Flash for that matter) separately for each browser. I do not actually see separate installations. It appears that installing from one browser, for that browser, is not always seen by a different browser. An install from the second browser, for that browser, often goes much quicker than the first time. As I am not a Java/Windows geek I infer the second “install” really is the second browser seeing the first Java install and being allowed to piggyback on that installation. Got it?