Java update 16 on Mac OS X 10.6.8

Question

Level 1

0 points

Java update 16 on Mac OS X 10.6.8

Hi everyone,

I just updated to version 16 of Java to an iMac running OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard version 10.6.8. Now I have an icon on the dock (usual black rectangle Unix application icon) of an application called "bin" which does not respond. It appears with the login, without starting any application.

When I quit it, it automatically restarts and again is not responsive. Everything looks functional but it stops the logout process so you cannot actually shut down the computer by clicking the apple and then "Shut down computer".

I right-clicked on the icon and then "Show in Finder" and a Finder windows appears showing a file called "java" in the following folder:

Macintosh HD\ System\ Library\ Frameworks\ JavaVM.framework\ Versions\ A\ Commands\

Any ideas on how to solve this problem? Uninstalling, downgrading?

Thanks in advance

Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 29, 2013 12:28 AM

Reply

Answer 1

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Jul 29, 2013 5:18 AM in response to vilarjor

Someone is saying that reinstalling the Java update fixed this.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5116917?start=0&tstart=0

Here's the standalone update

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5744

Reply

Answer 2

vilarjor Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 29, 2013 6:29 AM in response to WZZZ

Thanks for the quick response but unfortunately it did not work for me...

Reply

Answer 3

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Jul 29, 2013 7:02 AM in response to vilarjor

Not sure why this is happening, but Java in /usr/bin is an alias to the original file you showed above.

Link deleted. Not sure it's appropriate.

Message was edited by: WZZZ

Reply

Answer 4

ds store

Level 7

30,715 points

Jul 29, 2013 9:41 AM in response to vilarjor

Run through these Steps from the top down, I suspect by #12 the issue should have been resolved, else by #17

..Step by Step to fix your Mac

Reply

Answer 5

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Jul 29, 2013 1:36 PM in response to vilarjor

Courtesy BDAqua:

Check System Preferences>Accounts>Login Items window to see if it or something relevant is listed. Also look in System Preferences' Other row.

I'd be awaiting a simpler solution than to use all of ds store's recommended steps. Perhaps someone else will come by who can figure this one out.

Reply

Answer 6

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jul 29, 2013 3:11 PM in response to vilarjor

Boot into safe mode and try reinstalling the update.

Reply

Answer 7

vilarjor Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 30, 2013 1:22 AM in response to baltwo

That didn't work either... In Safe Boot the bin application didn't appear in the dock, though.

Reply

Answer 8

vilarjor Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 30, 2013 1:23 AM in response to WZZZ

Login items are Mail, iCal and two network volumes. Do they look troublesome to you?

Reply

Answer 9

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Jul 30, 2013 3:28 AM in response to vilarjor

Wouldn't think so. If you do a Go to folder (Cmd-Shift-G) and enter /usr/bin, do you see the same Java stuff as in my screenshot? Or is the Java, or any of the others, missing? I'm thinking if something is missing, it could be moved back to where it belongs, from the command line. Do you have the /usr/bin folder?

If you right click and Get Info on the item in the Dock, what does it say for file kind? Is it showing as an alias? Is it locked? Can you open Terminal and enter ls -aleO, leave a space and then drag in the bin item, what's the output for that?

Message was edited by: WZZZ

Reply

Answer 10

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Jul 30, 2013 4:14 AM in response to WZZZ

Note: my Internet svc is being changed today, so I may not be able to respond right away.

Reply

Answer 11

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Jul 30, 2013 11:49 AM in response to vilarjor

Next step is to log into a newly created admin user account, reinstall the update, and see if the problem persists.

Reply

Answer 12

vilarjor Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 31, 2013 12:47 AM in response to vilarjor

WZZZ, in my usr/bin there are two items missing, neither of them aliases: javaconfig and javatool. Spotlight doesn't seem to be able to find them anywhere.

The non-responding icon on the dock is a Unix executable file, which I can double-click and then a process in the Terminal begins. It shows the Terminal command line options for that executable file.

This is the output from dragging the java application which is shown on the dock:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel - 77360 Jun 7 22:58

I appreciate your help, but I wonder whether it is just possible to uninstall everything that has to do with Java and look for an older version that worked just fine...

Maybe it should be another discussion, but does anyone have some tips on how to properly update a computer? I mean, if things go wrong like they did now, what is the easiest way to get back to a previous non problematic status? Maybe downloading the updates as separate image files is also good.

Reply

Answer 13

vilarjor Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 31, 2013 12:54 AM in response to baltwo

Sorry baltwo, but your comment did not solve my question. I don't know how it happened, but I did not pointed your comment as solution on purpose. Is there a way to undo that?

Thanks

Reply

Answer 14

nbar

Level 5

7,019 points

Jul 31, 2013 12:59 AM in response to vilarjor

No. You need to start a new thread. Include a link to this thread for background. This will die quickly as it indicates question solved.

Reply

Answer 15

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Jul 31, 2013 5:51 AM in response to vilarjor

It really isn't possible to uninstall Java completely. I just wrote some rather long instructions to remove bin from the Dock, using the command line, but realized that we don't really know what this thing is--presumably, it's related to Java somehow, but I decided to delete all this, as it's too risky and I just don't know enough about what's going on.

In Terminal, what do you get for java -version?

I'm thinking the best way to proceed might be simply to reinstall Snow (not clean-install, just install.) This will save all your third-party programs and settings, giving you just new system files and the original Java that would have been included, as of the version on the install DVD. You would then update back to 10.6.8 using the Combo Update http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399

And then you would keep updating whatever is necessary from Software Update.

But even though this should be quite safe, I wouldn't do it without a reliable, trusted backup to restore, just in case.

You might want to take a look at recommendations for updating which I wrote some time ago. I always install any major update booted in Safe Boot. Less chance of a conflict with something when installing from there.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3139323?tstart=0

Reply