Java (JRE) won't install?
While visiting a site, the java applet, on the site would not run. Further browing discoverd that I needed an updated version of the JRE. Having had problems with Java, in the past, I removed my old version before installing the new version.
MSIEXEC.EXE logged the removal of the old version.
FIRST TRY: attempted the "online" install version. After downloading NOTHING happened. Lots of disk activity, but no installation program was run. NO errors were displayed. Tried this twice, same results.
SECOND TRY: downloaded the file for manual install. Download went fine, no problems. Closed browser, ran installation program. AGAIN lots of disk activity (unpacking files?). Same results as before, i.e. no installation program appeared and no errors were reported.
Third tries and onward: Re-downloaded the files from different locations, on the possibility that the files were corrupted some how. All files were the same and were checked to be true copies.
Some snooping around led me to find that the disk activity was caused by the file unpacking an MSI file. Attempted to run the MSI file. It failed, with this error:
*** Begin Quote ****
This installation package could not be opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it or contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid windows installer package.
**** End Quote ****
Fisrt Question: (Obviously) why won't the installation progam run?
Second Question: has support for win 9x been dropped?
Hope someone here has an answer. because this one has me stumpted.
Bill
[1631 byte] By [
brow96a] at [2007-11-26 12:50:16]
# 1
98 SE was still supported about 6 months ago. You can read the Installation instructions for whatever you're downloading, it has links to supported configurations. Older versions may be what you need.
# 2
Quote from MSIEVENT.LOG:
**** Begin Quote ****
12/10/06 8:31:54 (Info) Product: J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 6 -- Removal completed successfully.
**** End Quote ****
I've read every one of the installation configuration instructions. None of them were of any help. Also, I've booted to a "clean" system with nothing running but explorer and systray. It made no difference. My Firewall allowed them access during file extraction, as they requested a link to the Java site. For reasons unknown to me. (version check?)
I'll see if I can relocate the vesion I un-installed and see if it will go back.
Bill
# 3
With reference to your suggestion that I try an older version? I went to the Java Archives and found version 6 and downloaded it again. The online file would NOT run, same as before, i.e. lots of disk activity but nothing happens, no error messages.
HOWEVER, the full installation package ran just fine and I now have JAVA back on my system. Yea! Being successful with that I decided to try to step my way up to version 9. So I downloaded versions 7 and 8, I already had version 9!
SUCCESS, version 7 installed just fine no problems no erros.
Not much luck with version 8! Neither the online or full version would install on my system. Even trying to update to the latest version, via the Java Cpl doesn't work. It offers me version 9. BUT, when you click on the "install" button, I get an error:
**** Begin Quote ****
Installation of update to the Java(TM) Platform was not completed.
**** End Quote ****
Also, I noticed this just now. The versions displayed in the file browser (icon view) are different for versions 8 and 9. Versions 6 and seven have a (description) gray square with and arrow / pointer. Versions 8 and 9 have the standard Java icon. If I'm remebering correctly the "gray" icon represents an installer (wrapper) program (Install Sheild?)!?!
Did someone forget to add the "wrapper" on versions 8 & 9? The latest version of MSIEXEC.EXE (v3.0) supports this under Windows 2000 and XP. But the version of MSIEXEC.EXE (2.0.2600.2), for Windows 9x, does not support direct execution of MSI files without the basic information needed by Win9x systems.
Also, please note that the automatic notification of availability of updates to the Java JRE is disabled (greyed out) in my current version (v7) of the control panel.
It appears that there has been a change in the way the JRE is installed in version 8 & 9. BUT, there is no mention of this in the bug / features list for either of those updates. That's just an educate W.A.G. on my part. But it does appear to be true. Don't know if there is a solution to this or not?
Bill
# 4
UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's fixed! After doing a lot of digging and research, I discovered that Sun went to a MSI install system. Which is how MS wants everyone to install applications INTO Windows. The conversion from an installer package to an MSI install occurred around version 8.
I found that I could NOT install ANY MSI file. OK, so I go get the MSI Installer program, from MS, and re-install, right? NOPE? The MSI installer program, from MS, runs and promptly says it's already installed! Oops!
There was no way to remove the old program, and there was no way to install it, like a new install. There are NO command line switches, to override the installation. Seemed like a dead end, to me.
After searching the Sun and MS sites for a long time, and NOT finding anything along these lines I was about ready to give up and do a "wipe and re-install". FINALLY, my brain kicked in and remembered an old trick from long ago.
I just renamed the MSI installer program (MSIEXEC.EXE) to and ".old" file extension and it worked, i.e. I re-ran the MSI installer program, this time it worked just fine. I then installed the latest JRE and everything is fine now.
Now, what corrupted my install for the MSIEXEC.EXE program? Your guess is as good as mine. But, after reading more than 2,000+ message entries on, both the SUN and MS sites, with not one reference to this problem or anything similar! I've come to the conclusion that MS isn't as knowledgeable as they'd like us to think. About their own programs.
If such a simple solution, referencing what I did to correct the issue, was known to MS, you'd have thought that they would have published such a solution by now. The "trick" of renaming a file has been around since the start of computing. Which, to be honest, means that I'm getting slower in my old age. :)
Bill
