Java 1.5 HotSpot VM halts the entire system during garbage collection.
The Java 1.5 HotSpot VM for Windows has an error which cause the entire system to halt during garbage collection. This error affects at least the CMS garbage collector. The reason for this is apparently that the garbage collection takes place in a thread which has its priority set to time-critical. This causes all other threads in the system to halt while garbage collection takes place. This will cause even the mouse cursor the stop.
This error seems to be in all 1.5 versions. This error is at least a year old and has not been fixed.
This bug has been discussed in the following forum:
Java Games Forums - A Java.Net Community
http://javagaming.org
Forum: Performance Tuning
Java 1.5 pauses my PC for some seconds reqularly (October 27, 2004)
http://192.18.37.44/forums/index.php?topic=6381.0
GC Bomb - CMS GC starves high priority system threads (August 08, 2005)
http://192.18.37.44/forums/index.php?topic=10269.0
