How to verify or make sure all Java Files are installed and working

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jim Strenk
  • Start date Start date
J

Jim Strenk

Recently, I had a partial disk failure with part of the hard drive being
found defective. Some of the files I fear were JAVA related.

How do I go about making all JAVA files are installed and working properly?

Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated!
 
In "Jim Strenk"
How do I go about making all JAVA files are installed and working
properly?
Click to expand...

Download the current J2SE runtime from java.sun.com, uninstall what you
have and install the new stuff. Or, just install the new stuff; the old
stuff will simply be ignored and take up some space on your disk.
 
the old stuff will simply be ignored and take up some space on your disk.

It can take up a *GREAT DEAL* of space if previous, vulnerable versions
are not uninstalled from Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.
In fact, I've seen it gobble up more than 700 MBs when previous,
vulnerable versions of the Sun JRE/J2SE have *not* been uninstalled.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============
 
In news:[email protected] "MowGreen [MVP]"
It can take up a *GREAT DEAL* of space if previous, vulnerable
versions are not uninstalled from Add/Remove Programs in the Control
Panel.
Click to expand...

JRE 1.5.0_06 took up a bit over 70MB on my system.

Sure, I'd remove it myself, but if somebody was leery about doing so, he
could get away without it.
 
The older, vulnerable versions are *not* removed by Sun's installer.
Thus, if one had say "upgraded" Sun's Java say 6 times, there would be 6
packages still left over gobbling up disk space. Add the latest version
and that's over 700 MBs of HD space being wasted.
PLUS, who knows when malware writers will figure out how to use the Java
cache to run malware files from that location.
They already stash the files there ... give 'em enough time and they'll
figure out how to activate them, too.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============
 
In news:[email protected] "MowGreen [MVP]"
The older, vulnerable versions are *not* removed by Sun's installer.
Click to expand...

That's because lots of people have very good reason to have multiple
versions resident at one time.

Good housekeeping is up to the system's owner.
 
It's not good housekeeping that's the issue, it's security.
From a Sun Security Bulletin :

Security Vulnerabilities in the Java Runtime Environment may Allow an
Untrusted Applet to Elevate its Privileges
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/docu...availability,$20security"$20category:security

At the very bottom of the page it states :
Note: It is recommended that affected versions be removed from your system.
Click to expand...

Retaining older, vulnerable versions at the risk of security is
foolhardy at best, dumb at worst.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============
 
I removed updates 5 and 6 via the Add/Remove Programs from the Control
Panel. I did not see an entry for Java SE 2 itself. There are quite a few
folders dealing with Java throughout the C Drive.

What else can I safely remove/delete so as not to have security issues,
bloat or other problems?
 
Sun's Java has a folder in C:\Program Files, C:\WINDOWS\Sun, and stores
data, applets, and it's cache in
C:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Application Data\Sun

The installer is copied to C:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Local
Settings\Application Data\{xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
(The x's represent randomly generated numbers )

Other programs may install a version of Java needed to run them.
However, *usually* the latest version of Java will be more than
sufficient for the programs to run.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2006]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============
 
Thank you, MowGreen for your reply. I shall remove the data and folders
mentioned below prior to installation.
 
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