The purpose of this document
Ok this page is here just for two commonly seen problems.
First to attempt to explain the problem seen by some who have
mistakenly downloaded and installed Sun JAVA or some other
JAVA engine as a replacement ( default JAVA handler ) instead
of Microsoft's Virtual Machine while using Internet Explorer
for a web browser. This problem is wide spread mostly due
to legal actions taken by Sun Microsystems that have blocked
Microsoft from including their JAVA Engine ( Microsoft Virtual
Machine ) with many versions of Windows XP. For more information
on the legal actions and Microsoft's statement you may wish
to visit http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/
or read up on the settlement of this action here.
* NOTE: Microsoft's Virtual Machine Java Engine is no longer being distributed by Microsoft.
If Java is no longer working on your computer you will have to install Java directly from Sun
Microsystems. You can do so by clicking on this link. *
While you can indeed have both Microsoft Virtual Machine
and Sun's JAVA engine on the same machine and if set up correctly
they will work ok. However generally you will have a far faster
operating browser with fewer browsing troubles using the Microsoft
Virtual Machine when using Internet Explorer and MS Virtual
Machine. Many sites also depend on the use of the Microsoft
VM and will not function correctly with the Sun Java engine.
The purpose of this short page is not to debate the merits
of either engine, it is just to attempt to explain the problem.
Some programs depend on use of the Sun JAVA engine and it
can be used as a Plug In much the same way Winamp or other
media handler like Shockwave can be. The problem comes when
people mistakenly select to install the Sun JAVA engine as
a default JAVA handler thereby telling Internet Explorer to
use the Sun JAVA engine in favor of Microsoft Virtual Machine.
The results of this are usually a slow web browser when JAVA
is encountered. Some of this can be corrected if you go to
Windows Update and obtain the update to allow non-Microsoft
programs to have better access to the operating system functions.
If you plan on using the Sun Java engine, you should make
sure to get the update for your version of Windows or you
may see slow or even a halt in the operation on your system
when JAVA is encountered on a webpage or website depending
on the processor speed and amount of memory you have available.
Or to explain what happens further, in some cases when you
have a slower processor and little extra free memory to spare,
the swap file in Windows just keeps cycling and this results
in a very slow operation of the system as in these cases it
seems to lack the memory to run both programs at the same
time. Again this may be corrected to some degree by updating
to allow non Microsoft programs to have better access to the
Operating System.
How to fix this problem
First you need to determine if you actually have Microsoft
Virtual Machine on your system or not. If you are not sure
perhaps the fastest way to find out is to just click Start,
then go to Search, and type in MSJAVA.DLL . If you have MS
Virtual Machine you should have this file. You can also right
click on the file if you have it and select properties and
it should report what version of Virtual Machine you have
currently installed. If you do not have the MSJAVA.DLL file,
you likely do not have Microsoft Virtual Machine. Proceed
to the bottom of this page for details on how to obtain it
as the first installation is no longer available from Microsoft's
Windows Update site. So if you have it installed, Windows
Update will update to the latest version but if you do not
have it installed, you would need to install it prior to going
to Windows Update to get the latest version for your system.
NOTE! you will wish to visit Windows Update if you have not
done so to obtain security patches or latest version of MS
Virtual Machine to be on the safe side. If you have MS Virtual
Machine, proceed down to the next item.
Got MS Virtual Machine installed already?
The fix for this in most cases it rather simple. If you
have the latest Windows Updates you may wish to just go the
the Start, then Set Program Defaults listed there. If not,
Go to your Windows Control Panel by clicking on:
START,
SETTINGS or CONTROL PANEL (depending on the version of Windows
used )
CONTROL PANEL
Then look for the JAVA Plug In Icons. They would be labeled
something like JAVA Plug In 1.3 or 1.4 Left click on the icon(s)
there and wait for the Sun JAVA engine to load up. Then go
to the Advanced Tab in most cases and make sure it is not
selected or placed in as the default JAVA engine or plug in.
Then make sure you click apply. This should allow Internet
Explorer to again assume the job of being the default JAVA
handler. It will not prevent other programs from using the
Sun JAVA engine as a plug in just not use it as a default
JAVA handler when web browsing.
If this does not restore the Microsoft Virtual Machine
If this does not restore the Microsoft Virtual Machine as
a default JAVA engine you may need to go to the Internet Explorer
toolbar, and select
Tools,
Internet Options
Advanced
Then about 2/3rds the way down the string of check boxes you
will see Microsoft Virtual Machine, Make sure you have a check
in the JIT compiler and then click apply... Keep in mind this
will require a restart of Windows in most cases.... This should
reinstall Microsoft Virtual Machine as the default JAVA engine.
Still having problems when you see JAVA?
NOTE!!! Make sure you know what version of Windows you are
using. Most versions of MS Virtual Machine are dependent on
a given operating system version. Or to put it another way,
you cannot use the Virtual Machine version for Windows 98
on Windows XP or so on. Installation of the wrong Virtual
Machine version can be a big problem which may require the
reinstallation of your Operating system. You can determine
which version of Windows you have by going to your desktop
- then right clicking on My Computer, then selecting Properties.
You should see the version of Windows listed there under System.
Most versions of MS Virtual Machine have no provisions to
uninstall without a full format and reinstall of the operating
system. Again for those with Windows XP. It seems that even
the installation of SP1 does not mean you get MS Virtual Machine.
I recently had reason to install Windows XP on a system and
update SP1 did not include MS Virtual Machine. I had to obtain
the MS Virtual Machine from a file I had and then Windows
Update would update it to the latest version at the next visit.
See this page if you need to download VM for an XP system.
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