java 6 broke webstart application installation with error 'java.lang.Exception: cache failed for'

Question

After upgrading to the latest java version (Java 6 update 13) a webstart application that was being used in production environments for many years, stopped installing with the following error:

java.lang.Exception: cache failed forhttp://localhost:8080/ReactorStudio/studio/installer.jnlp
        at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.updateFinalLaunchDesc(Unknown Source)
        at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.prepareToLaunch(Unknown Source)
        at com.sun.javaws.Launcher.launch(Unknown Source)
        at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
        at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
        at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

The application jnlp is downloaded correctly and all the associated jar files. The application also contains a reference to an installer jnlp file that extracts a few files to the local disk the first the application is being run.

Any ideas on what is the problem, or how I could bypass this?

Answer 1

We had a similar issue when upgrading to the latest JRE. Our issue seemed to be related to this bug that should be fixed in 6u14. Perhaps your issue is also related.

The only workaround we found was to clear the webstart cache and launch the application again. In our experience this seems to be the solution to most webstart issues.

Answer 2

Try to remove href="..." from the "jnlp" tag of the "launch.jnlp" file.