How to fix Java in 10.5.8

Question

How to fix Java in 10.5.8

I run 10.5.8 on a PowerMac G5. During a recent software upgrade I seem to have lost or damaged Java related functionality in the OS.

Symptoms include:

: Java Preferences crashes on launch

: "Missing plugin" appears in Mail.app messages where photos should be

: Certain apps I have built in Java claim "Cannot launch Application. It requires newer java"

: In Safari, banner ads don't appear in some cases. (ok, it isn't all bad)

: I've also lost video playing functionality on YouTube and other sites (but I thought that was Flash-related, but maybe they are connected somehow)

Saftware Update in System Preferences says everything is up to date and I can't seem to figure out what else to diagnose much less fix the problems.

Any kind souls out there able to point me in the right direction?

Thanks

-Ty

Posted on Jul 6, 2011 3:10 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

BDAqua

Level 10

238,973 points

Jul 6, 2011 4:04 PM in response to Tyler Snouffer

Hello Ty,

I think we should start with Java Prefs.

First, Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, then Move this file to the Desktop...

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.apple.java.JavaPreferences.plist

Reboot.

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Answer 2

Jul 6, 2011 7:52 PM in response to BDAqua

Thank BD. That's a start. I tried what you suggested to no avail. Same symptoms as before.

Any other ideas?

Thanks

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

238,973 points

Jul 6, 2011 10:41 PM in response to Tyler Snouffer

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Accounts, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

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Answer 4

Jul 7, 2011 5:05 AM in response to BDAqua

Thanks BD. I set up a new test account and can confirm that it is system wide.

FWIW - I have an alt boot disk also running 10.5.8 but hasn't installed the latest Java items via Software Update. Java Preferences and the other symptoms above I mentioned seem to be fine.

(I'm starting to think about Archive and Install. Is that a viable idea?)

Thanks again!

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Answer 5

sadolino

Level 1

20 points

Jul 7, 2011 5:12 AM in response to Tyler Snouffer

Hi,

try this link:

http://www.java.com/en/download/help/index.xml

Under this link is a link to delete the java installation, try it and reply.

Greets

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Answer 6

Jul 7, 2011 6:07 AM in response to sadolino

Hmmm. Thanks for your offer to help, but you lost me on that one.

I see two links: One for "Remove Older Versions" and one for "Why should I remove older versions of Java from my system." Both links go to http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/remove_olderversions.xml which doesn't have any Mac info about removing Java and only seem to be talking about removing older versions.

Is there some other link that I am missing?

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Answer 7

BDAqua

Level 10

238,973 points

Jul 7, 2011 9:29 AM in response to Tyler Snouffer

I'm afraid to recommend an A&I of late because several OSX updates have gone missing at apple downloads, & we can't find out if it's a snafu or on purpose.

I don't know which ones are missing in toto, but many are, goto this link...

http://support.apple.com/downloads/Mac_OS_X_10_4_11_Combo_Update__PPC_

Click on the download button, no worry, it won't DL anything, just take you to the APP Store, worry again. 😟

Last I checked the 10.5.8 Combo was there, but no idea about all the JAVA Updates that must be done in order.

I did find 2 system wide plists that you might compare, not sure if I'd replace them from the working one though...

/Library/Preferences/com.apple.java.util.prefs.plist

/System/Library/Java/JavaConfig.plist

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Answer 8

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Jul 7, 2011 9:36 AM in response to Tyler Snouffer

You do not have to delete older version of java in order to install the latest update 10, which is a combo updater.

Update 10, 29 June 2011 - This release updates J2SE 5.0 to 1.5.0_30, and updates Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_26. J2SE 1.4.2 is no longer being updated to fix bugs or security issues and remains disabled by default in this update. Support for out-of-process Java applets on Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard has been removed with this update.

This release is only for Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later versions of Mac OS X 10.5. http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1359

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Answer 9

Jul 7, 2011 9:57 AM in response to Klaus1

Thanks Klaus! That reinstall seems to have done the trick. Many of the symptoms I described have been cured.

Thanks for digging up that installer.

Thanks all.

Ty

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