Java Applet fails to load with MSJVM

Question

We have a web application that uses a third party java applet for encryption and authentication. It's always been a bit finicky, but right now it has me pulling my hair out.

Over the weekend, we migrated to a MS Load balanced cluster, upgraded our DNS, and rolled out all of the MS patches. Now the applet fails for all of our users who are using the MSJVM. The solution is simple, we just have them install a recent version of Sun, but I cannot figure out why the MSJVM is failing.

Every other configuration works (Firefox, Safari, IE with Sun on Window, Linux or Mac) or I can get to work with a reasonable amount of effort, but nothing I can do will make MSJVM work.

I understand the MSJVM is depreciated, but nothing on the site (http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/default.mspx) indicates that it should no longer work. I am looking for information that will either allow us to make the MSJVM work so we can determine if it's easier to fix or install Sun, or that I can use to force our desktop configuration team to update the company policy on the MSJVM.

Thanks

Update 2009.10.19: It's clear that something disabled the MSJVM. We should reject users who are using that JVM but it hasn't been a priority to update the site. We've just been waiting them to fail and then directing them to install SUN.

Answer 1

Most likely the Java version used by your applet is superior than the one supported by the MSJVM.

I have followed your link but I could not find what that version was. I think is something previous to Java 1.2 ( like java 1.1.17 or soemthing like that )

If you happen to have an error message or a screenshot, troubleshooting would be easier.

But, yes, the definitive answer would be to use the latest version of the Java plugin.

I remember there were scripts ( javascript ) tha help to identify the Java version and provided a link to download the latest one, but I cannot find it now. Take a look at java.sun.com and see if you can find it.

Answer 2

Microsoft's JVM was never Java-compliant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft%5FJava%5FVirtual%5FMachine

Answer 3

The MSJVM never got beyond Java 1.1.x, which is very old. So any functionality which appeared with Java 1.2 (Java 2, as it was called), such as Swing, won't work. With the MSJVM, you're pretty much limited to AWT for the UI.

Licensing issues and lawsuits triggered by incompatibilities introduced by Microsoft (such as the delegate keyword) meant that Microsoft never took their JVM further.

Answer 4

As of July 30th 2009 I think it was after being extending numerous times the MS JVM is finally no longer supported and at end of life.

A workaround I have seen used before if you absolutely cannot rewrite it would be to use a custom VB script to launch the application, The script would do a quick change on the registry to make MSJVM the default when the app was launched then swap it back to whatever the setting was for normal operation.

i.e.

Set Registry for MS JVM as default

Launch Application

Reset Registry for Sun JRE 1.5.0_X as default.

I dont have the code handy, you should be able to find VB registry modification with a quick google. I can probably dig it up if your stuck.