Java updating problems

[Woozie]

For the past week I've been unable to keep my java updated. A few days ago I was trying to use something online and was told that I didn't have Java. I had this problem in firefox, palemoon, chrome, and IE on both of my computers. Updating java fixed this problem. I'm now having it again (in all four browsers on both computers).

I'm trying to figure out how to get java to update automatically. After searching online, I found that I was supposed to go control panel > programs > java and do things with the "update" tab. However, I do not have an update tab. I googled this problem and found the following instructions:

On my home and office computer, the update tab was missing in my Sun Java 1.6 Control Panel applet. At the office, I found it was disabled in the registry.

Steps to find it*:

1. Start, Run, type regedit, OK

2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > JavaSoft > Java Update > Policy

3. I have a DWORD value titled “EnableJavaUpdate” with the value of “0″ (zero). I changed it to “1″ (one) and the update tab appeared.

At home, this registry entry wasn’t there. I could have tried adding it, but instead, I went to JAVA.com and installed the latest version, which added the update tab.

However, I do not have "Java Update" under JavaSoft when I follow these instructions.

With every computer I've had before, java has updated automatically. Is there a way to make it do so on these computers? I have windows 7 64bit on my laptop. My desktop is a Windows Vista 32 bit. Java updated just fine on that computer until I reformatted a few months ago.

[The Stig]

Based on my experience I've noticed the following when it comes to Java:

1. No reason to update it unless something prompts you to; Java is a security risk itself anyway updated or not -- my clashes with shitty stuff (malware/virus/whatever the go to term is nowadays) usually involve java loading and then my PC fisted in the ass
2. Having it installed across multiple browsers is annoying at best, it comes in 2 flavours that's not easily noticable:

- Browser/Plugin version (your firefox version)
- "desktop" version (your IE and Chrome would use this one)

3. Java seems to update way too much to the point -- nowadays it seems only very niche programs use java. I rarely need to load it personally based on my own uses but of course I appreciate it's different for everyone.

I might be incorrect but I noticed the browser versions do not update automatically, it's a manual task; the desktop version however, will automatically update. A notification bubble would usually tell you it's "ready"

For your specific problem, it sounds very much like, it's fucked. If you can, try to wipe it clean of Java (uninstall each and everyone, and remove any registry entries on JavaSoft) and then reinstall to see if it'll fix it. I've personally not had this issue before but I encountered a similar one where it refused to update, at all (nothing is tied on my machine either to use it).

Optionally you can see if the process jusched.exe is running on startup ... I believe that's the thing that checks and keeps Java up to date.

You say you've tried to change/force the tab to appear via the registry and it didn't work. It makes me suspicious if anything is trying to prevent you from updating it at all.

[xerodok]

Make sure you don't have an application running in the background that is using Java. For example, some destkop UI software, other updaters, and java based programs constantly use/pool the Java service. This makes Java 'unable to update' because the files are being accessed. Java doesn't update that often, so you could just make a bare user on Windows to update it on a per need basis.