Is java update notice in taskbar nonsense?

System: Windows Vista sp2, fully updated,
Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 10.0.2
Java RE currently installed is jre-7u1-windows-i586.exe since several weeks now.

A message comes up during every computer usage session telling me an update for Java is available. I go to Java site and find the "check java" link, and the test gives me a result telling me that Java is working correctly - no comment about any update being needed or available. More exploring through the Java site shows there is a latest "jre-6u31-windows-i586-s.exe", but this seems to be a lower version than what I currently have installed. This 6u31 thing is linked from the information about Java on the site for Windows XP,7,Vista. I'm just wondering if I am getting a faulty message about java update. I cannot find the page which had a big listing of many different versions of JavaRE for us to choose according to our operating system. No see the sense for why to install a 6u31 when I already have a 7u1 JavaRE which is reportedly working properly.

The other computer which uses Windows XP sp3 does not give me the Java update-available message; just the Vista machine does. These computers both have the same jre-7u1-windows-i586.exe installed.

Not sure what to choose or what to think. Is the update-available message on the Vista machine nonsense? The Sun Microsystems Java company did not yet give me a response about this question.
Anybody?

The latest Java Runtime is 7u3 so I would not consider it nonsense at all.



Please download and run Security Check from HERE, and save it to your Desktop.

* Double-click SecurityCheck.exe
* Follow the onscreen instructions inside of the black box.
* A Notepad document should open automatically called checkup.txt; please post the contents of that document.

cryptodan,

Thanks for the advice. I decided to take a different direction about this java update message. I opened the Java Control Panel through Control Panel, opened the Update tab, and removed the check-mark for "Check for Updates Automatically". My guess is, the update notification will not appear again. I can do the updating on my own, later.

I do not yet have the SecurityCheck.exe program you linked to. Who makes it, and what does it do, and would it be just as easily to remove once done as to download it? Installation needed before running it? Anyway, I have Norton 360 on my Vista computer, always fully updated.

You should not ignore Java Updates as Java can easily be exploitable.

This is what security check does:

I wouldn't recommend a tool that wasn't a great one and that I use personally:

Results of screen317's Security Check version 0.99.31
Windows 7 x64 (UAC is disabled!)
Internet Explorer 9
``````````````````````````````
Antivirus/Firewall Check:
WMI entry may not exist for antivirus; attempting automatic update.
```````````````````````````````
Anti-malware/Other Utilities Check:
VirusTotal Uploader 2.0
JavaFX 2.0.3
Java™ 7 Update 3
Adobe Reader X (10.1.2)
Mozilla Firefox (10.0.2)
Mozilla Thunderbird (8.0.)
````````````````````````````````
Process Check:
objlist.exe by Laurent
Windows Defender MSMpEng.exe
Microsoft Security Essentials msseces.exe
Microsoft Security Client Antimalware MsMpEng.exe
Microsoft Security Client Antimalware NisSrv.exe
``````````End of Log````````````


I would not put much faith into Norton, and in fact I would remove it and go with something that is more light weight like Avast, AVG, MSE, and others.

You could have clicked on Check for Updates while you had the Java Panel open. Only takes a few seconds to
download and install the update unless you are on dialup.

Since you have Firefox you can also check for needed security updates for the plugins thru Firefox. Simply click on
tools, addons, plugins and click on check for updates. Do the same for extensions.

You would be wise to especially update all Adobe products (flash, reader, etc) and Java. They are constantly being used by malware to
infect your computer.

My idea did not work the way I thought it would. So maybe I will try SecurityCheck.exe.

In every computer session: Flashing item in task bar with a Windows shield icon says, "Java Auto Updater is requesting your permission".
Opened this, and it is "User Account Control... If you started this program, continue,... Sun Microsystems..."
A task tray icon appeared soon afterwards. Nice normal Java update icon. Hover caption, "Java Update Available".
Clicked on Properties for this item and Java control panel displayed. I removed checkmark for "Check for updates Automatically".
Interesting - Opened Control Panel, opened Java Control Panel, and found the checkmark is again present in "Check for updates Automatically."
I tried again removing checkmark and "OK" to save changes. Then reopened Java Control Panel, and there is again the
same checkmark that I have already removed, still present.

I downloaded SecurityCheck.exe (and also downloaded but did not yet install jre-7u3-windows-i586.exe).

A run of SecurityCheck.exe gave this notepad displayed information:
Results of screen317's Security Check version 0.99.31
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 x86 (UAC is enabled)
Internet Explorer 9
``````````````````````````````
Antivirus/Firewall Check:
Windows Firewall Disabled!
Norton 360
WMI entry may not exist for antivirus; attempting automatic update.
```````````````````````````````
Anti-malware/Other Utilities Check:
Java™ 7 Update 1
Java version out of date!
Adobe Flash Player 11.1.102.62
Adobe Reader 8 Adobe Reader out of date!
Mozilla Firefox (10.0.2)
````````````````````````````````
Process Check:
objlist.exe by Laurent
Norton ccSvcHst.exe
``````````End of Log````````````

What I believe I want to do next is to uninstall current java RE 7u1, and install the newer Java 7u3. I find NO other problems with this computer.

Install the update, and that will remove the older version. Also I would update your version of Adobe Reader to the latest.

How are your Windows Updates configured?

Install the update, and that will remove the older version. Also I would update your version of Adobe Reader to the latest.

How are your Windows Updates configured?

My Windows Updates are configured as this:

Important Updates: Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them.
Recommended Updates: Give me the same way I receive Important ones.
Microsoft Update: Give me updates for Microsoft products and check for new optional...

Same Problem. No change. Java now updated to jre-7u3. The check mark in the update tab of Java Control Panel remains. If I remove it and "OK" or "Apply", then when I open Windows Control Panel and open the Java Control Panel to see the update tab, the check mark is again present in "Check for updates automatically". The uninstall and then install of newest Java did not fix the problem.

There is a dialog box displaying when I remove the check mark,... "Monthly" button and "Never" button, for incase I change my mind after remving the check mark. I chose "Never" button. Just java is not saving the changes. This may be fine while there is no upgrade/update for Java, but when later there be an available update, I do not want to have a daily reminder - I want this turned OFF. I do not even want a 'monthly' reminder. I want this update check and reminder turned OFF. Anybody know how I can make this work right and force the change to be saved?

Please download JavaRA and run it. This will remove any and all versions of Java, and hopefully this will be fixed.

Please download JavaRA and run it. This will remove any and all versions of Java, and hopefully this will be fixed.

I have NO OTHER VERSIONS of Java installed; only the 7u3 version of the "runtime environment", according to jre-7u3-windows-i586.exe installer. Do you suggest the JavaRA as a way to fix any leftover effects from previous Java installations? Also, if I run this tool, what is the exact process to take? Uninstall through Control Panel, Restarts, run JavaRA, restart,... Or just run the tool first..., What?

Just run the JavaRA Application, and will clean your system up. There is some obvious registry corruption that is not allowing for the options to be saved.

Java's control panel applet doesn't work properly with Vista/Win7's
User Account Control security system. It prevents any changes you
make using the Java Control Panel icon.

The workaround is to use Windows Explorer to find javacpl.exe
(location depends on the Java version - mine is in "C:\Program
Files\Java\jre6\bin".) Right-click on the file name and choose "Run
as Administrator" and confirm. Any changes you make in this session
should be saved properly.

There is a lot of comments on the web such as the one above. I once tried to stop
the Java update and it worked....until I updated a month or so later. I decided it just
wasn't worth the effort after each update and since I really don't use Windows
I would just leave it alone. I suggest you do the same.

buddy215 and cryptodan,

I'm reviewing carefully what you two have been telling me. I have another question about JavaRA. Cryptodan, do you have any advice about U.A.C. when running JavaRA? I tried an internet search about this tool and some articles simply say, as you did, "...just run the tool..., it works...", and some articles say for Vista, do not have U.A.C. enabled. Some advice about this maybe? I'll reread what buddy215 said since he/you mentioned some differences for Vista and the Java Control Panel - this must be new, because the version before 7u1 did not show this problem (the "check for updates automatically" not being saved).

In addition to above, I have not yet done this:

buddy215 said:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The workaround is to use Windows Explorer to find javacpl.exe
(location depends on the Java version - mine is in "C:\Program
Files\Java\jre6\bin".) Right-click on the file name and choose "Run
as Administrator" and confirm. Any changes you make in this session
should be saved properly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

I was hoping that were to be possible through Windows Control Panel but it was not; I tried but this option was unavailable.
Not tried as you said yet, but I will rightaway.