Random message: "An error has occurred while checking for a Java update"

Hello, I'm getting this warning randomly and can't figure out what is it about. Java is installed, up to date and the date for last check stays current. I already uninstalled and reinstalled Java. I really don't know what is going on, but something seems wrong and it is annoying.


This is the alert:

This is my Java control panel on Sequoia 15.4.1, MacBook M1 (sorry, my system is in Spanish):

If everything is up to date and there are no updates, can anyone help me understand what is wrong? Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.4

Posted on May 17, 2025 10:21 AM

Reply
8 replies

May 17, 2025 2:19 PM in response to BDAqua

BDAqua wrote:
I’d get an etrecheck report to us to save playing 20 questions..
https://etrecheck.com/en/index.html

Hey thanks! I'll run it. But even though help is much appreciated since I really don't know how to stop this warnings from coming up randomly: Good news! Helping me is not mandatory, you can just skip it and save you aaall the hassle. I won't complain at all 🤪 But of course, it would be great to find out what is going on, especially for me, I know! 😅


This is what Etrecheck has to say after updating the system, if anyone is interested. Thank you for your help, no matter what!



May 18, 2025 4:40 AM in response to Carola Clavo

Have you considered any of the below (3 ) may have a contributing factor in the Java Runtime issue


1 - Cocktail is a general purpose utility for macOS that lets you clean, repair and optimize your Mac


It may have triggered something off ?


2 - com.maintain.PurgeInactiveMemory.plist (Not signed - installed 2021-09-27)


Using such a Memory Cleaner basically creates a War between the application and the Operating System as to Who Controls the Memory ( RAM )


This is and sorry to say so Microsoft Windows thinking back in the day


3 -  com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (Not signed)


macOS generally looks for Digitally Signed and Notarized


Notarizing macOS software before distribution | Apple Developer Documentation




May 17, 2025 3:56 PM in response to Carola Clavo

In Disk Utility>View, select Show all Devices, highlight the top left entry.


Run Disk First Aid on all items in the left panel, from top down.


You can use Drive DX to possibly get a better view of Drive health…

https://binaryfruit.com/drivedx


Most complete fix for Spotlight...


How to rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac

If searching your Mac doesn’t return expected results, rebuilding the Spotlight index might help.


  1. Choose Apple menu () > System Preferences, then click Spotlight.
  2. Click the Privacy tab.
  3. Drag the folder or disk that you want to index again to the list of locations that Spotlight is prevented from searching. Or click the Add (+) button and select the folder or disk to add.
  4. To add an item to the Privacy tab, you must have ownership permissions for that item. To learn about permissions, choose Help from the Finder menu bar, then search for “permissions.”
  5. From the same list of locations, select the folder or disk that you just added. Then click the Remove (–) button to remove it from the list.
  6. Quit System Preferences. Spotlight will reindex the contents of the folder or disk.


If still not working...


If the aforementioned Spotlight control panel approach doesn’t spur a reindexation of the drive, you may need to initiate it manually through the command line. Open Terminal and use the following command string to do so:


sudo mdutil -E /

This basically asks for temporary super user status, which is why Terminal may ask you for your password (it may not if you’ve used a sudo command recently or are already logged in as a super user or root. The command asks the unix tool mdutil to reindex the spotlight database for everything on the computer, including external drives, mounted disk images, etc. To re-index only for a specific drive, use the /Volumes path. For example, for an external drive named “MiniMe,” the command would look like this:


sudo mdutil -i on /


Rebuilding a drive index can take a long time, so be prepared to wait whether you do it through the System Preference panel or the command line.


If still need be…


Open Terminal and run each of these one at a time


/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user


sudo will ask you for an Admin password that won't be echoed.

Carefully type your admin password when asked & hit enter.


sudo /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -seed -lint -r -f -v -dump -domain local -domain system -domain user -domain network


killall Dock


sudo mdutil -E /


sudo mdutil -i on /


Rebuilding a drive index can take a long time, so be prepared to wait whether you do it through the System Preference panel or the command line.


May 18, 2025 3:19 AM in response to BDAqua

Thank you for the elaborate response.


I've been through all the steps, all disks and volumes were Ok. And today Spotlight's index will be rebuilt. I also installed the demo for DriveDx app; I may buy a license, it looks good and seems good value for the money. Thank you for the recommendation.


Now, I don't know how long will it take for the warning to appear again, or if it will appear at all. When it did, it took a few days, sometimes more than a week, and I wasn't even using the computer, I just found it on the screen.


I hope I don't have to update this topic anymore. Thanks for all the help.

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Random message: "An error has occurred while checking for a Java update"

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