up vote 41 down vote favorite
18
share [g+] share [fb]

I'm just tweaking out my new Windows 7 laptop and wanted to disable the automatic Java updating (and thus kill the silly jusched.exe background process), but I can't seem to get it to actually turn it off.

I found the Java Control Panel applet and found the settings on the Update tab that should control it. I can turn them off, apply them, and close the dialog successfully. But if I just open the dialog backup again right away, I see that the changes weren't actually made. I've tried it numerous times and it just doesn't take. What's up with that?

I also tried to disable the icon in the system tray and got the same effect. Changing the size of the Temporary Internet Files cache work however.

Any ideas? Thanks!

link|improve this question
46% accept rate
1  
Just a bit of follow-on for future readers: I'm using the x64 version of Windows 7 and I think that's where the problem is coming from. My guess is that the Java control panel applet is trying to change the settings in the wrong places since I installed the 32 bit Java on my 64 bit machine (IE typically runs as a 32 bit process even under the 64 OS so I wanted the 32 bit version of Java). – Scott Bussinger Jun 3 '09 at 17:45
1  
Also being discussed at Super User: superuser.com/questions/130961 – Chris W. Rea Apr 17 '10 at 15:32
Guess what! In the latest version of Java JRE 6, the frickin "Update" panel option has been REMOVED! – hopeseekr Mar 1 '11 at 14:35
@hopeseekr It's back. :) – muntoo Mar 18 '11 at 23:04
feedback

8 Answers

up vote 44 down vote accepted

Actually this problem is due to the control panel requiring Admin Privileges to allow the java control panel to save your settings (hasn't been fixed for ages, thanks to sun micro).

Basically find the java control panel javacpl.exe here:

C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\javacpl.exe

...right click > run with admin privileges.

Uncheck java update, save and then reopen it to check that the setting is sticking.

link|improve this answer
1  
Guess what! In the latest version of Java JRE 6, the frickin "Update" panel option has been REMOVED! Talk about MALWARE. – hopeseekr Mar 1 '11 at 14:34
@hopeseekr Agree with you! Now the answer is not applicable for JRE 6... @Lai Is there any work-around for us? – Nam G. VU Jun 24 '11 at 18:45
feedback
up vote 19 down vote

You can disable the update using the registry key,

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Update\Policy\EnableJavaUpdate

or if your using 64bit Windows

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\JavaSoft\Java Update\Policy\EnableJavaUpdate

Set to 0 to disable this key.

The advantage of this method is that it disables it for all users.

link|improve this answer
2  
This is the only option that works since JRE 6 Update 21. – hopeseekr Mar 1 '11 at 14:35
I opened HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Update\Policy and it doesn't have any key or value called 'EnableJavaUpdate'. Only (Default), Country, PostStatysUrl keys. – Spiderman Mar 4 '11 at 21:04
5  
on a Win64 (running windows 7), this key is now: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\JavaSoft\Java Update\Policy\EnableJavaUpdate – ekawas Jun 26 '11 at 14:57
...does the WOW6432Node option control the 64bit version as well though? – Ashley Steel Apr 11 at 9:25
feedback
up vote 9 down vote

Just remove the program from starting up in the registry - delete if from HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\CurrentVersion\Run

link|improve this answer
Thanks, I knew I could remove the registry entry, but I can't figure out why doing it the "right" way doesn't work. I figure it must be some sort of permissions issue. – Scott Bussinger May 29 '09 at 6:39
This is the hacky but quick answer. See soulless's answer for the supported answer. – Ryan Bolger Jun 24 '09 at 15:40
1  
You can always just delete that executable too. Just worth mentioning. – sinping Apr 17 '10 at 7:36
I searched my registry, looked for 'java' term and found this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\‌​S-1-5-18\Components\000021090300000000000014F376BCF5 - what does it mean? – Spiderman Mar 4 '11 at 21:08
feedback
up vote 8 down vote

On Windows 7 OEM

On a 64bit system: run C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin\javacpl.exe with Administrator priveledges

On 32 bit system: run C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\javacpl.exe with Administrator priveledges

To do this, follow the path in your Windows Explorer browser and Right Click javacpl.exe, then select "Run as Administrator"

Uncheck the "Check for Updates Automatically" Update feature and click on "Never Check" and you are done.

link|improve this answer
As mentioned in other answers, that check box seems to have gone missing around 1.6.0_21 – jimbojw Nov 9 '11 at 13:27
feedback
up vote 6 down vote

Download Autoruns (live.sysinternals.com/autoruns.exe) from Sysinternals / Microsoft, and uncheck "SunJavaUpdateSched" under the tab "Logon".

link|improve this answer
Didn't show up under Logon, but did under Everything. – rwallace Sep 7 '11 at 23:47
Sysinternals tools are excellent. – jimbojw Nov 9 '11 at 13:26
feedback
up vote 1 down vote

Here's my scripted install for Java that disables the auto-update component at install time: http://blog.stealthpuppy.com/unattended/unattended-install-sun-jre-16-update-10

link|improve this answer
feedback
up vote 0 down vote

You can probably do this from System Configuration (Run: msconfig). In the Startup tab uncheck the unwanted service.

link|improve this answer
feedback
up vote 0 down vote

Warning: It seems the next time you install a newer java, it turns back on the "check for updates"; at least it did for me going Java6-update15 to Java6-update16 on windows7.

So for now, the only way I have found to permanently keep disabled "check for updates" is to do scripted installs, such as forums.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5198773 or the one above:

blog.stealthpuppy.com/scriptcorner/unattended-install-sun-jre-16-update-10

There are lots of gotch-ya's to getting check-for-updates to stay disabled for all users, and the best solution seems to be a http://www.appdeploy.com/messageboards/tm.asp?m=33488 involving deployment.properties file during each install.

link|improve this answer
feedback

protected by Jeff Atwood♦ Jun 8 '10 at 5:47

This question is protected to prevent "thanks!", "me too!", or spam answers by new users. To answer it, you must have earned at least 10 reputation on this site.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.