I'm using the free version of PDQ Deploy to deploy Java updates on client computers in a domain, using the executable installers, NOT the extracted MSI.
According to the Oracle documentation, there is no need to create a config file. Command line switches are possible with the same values.
Some of our clients require Java 6 to remain installed. That's why I perform a static installation on those clients.
Now here is my challenge: When I deploy the latest version (Java 8u91) on those clients, Java 6 gets removed.
Those are the commands i'm using:
jre-6u45-windows-i586.exe /s STATIC=**1** SPONSORS=**0**
jre-8u91-windows-i586.exe INSTALL_SILENT=1 AUTO_UPDATE=0 REBOOT=0 SPONSORS=0 REMOVEOUTOFDATEJRES=1
or
jre-6u45-windows-i586.exe /s STATIC=**Enable** SPONSORS=**Disable**
jre-8u91-windows-i586.exe INSTALL_SILENT=1 AUTO_UPDATE=0 REBOOT=0 SPONSORS=0 REMOVEOUTOFDATEJRES=1
I've tested both options "Enable" or "1" / "Disable" or "0"
It's not really an option to use "REMOVEOUTOFDATEJRES=0" because I don't want those clients having Java6u45 and Java8u71 and Java8u73 and Java8u77 and Java8u91 installed at the same time...
So here is my question: does a "static installation" normally get removed if I use "REMOVEOUTOFDATEJRES=1" or am I doing it wrong?
They don't really mention it on the documentation, instead they talk about Java Auto Update:
If you perform a static installation of the JRE (by specifying the command-line or configuration file option STATIC=1), then the Java Auto Update feature will leave that JRE installed during a Java update. A later version of the same JRE family will be installed in a separate directory. This mode ensures that vendors, who require a specific version of the JRE for their product, can be certain that the JRE will not be overwritten by a newer version.
On this page about Java 7 they say:
When a JRE is installed in static mode, it will not be updated in place by later versions. A later version from the same JRE family will be installed in a separate directory. This mode ensures that vendors, who require a specific version of the JRE for their product, can be certain that the JRE will not be overwritten by a later version.
Some of the characteristics of a static JRE installation are as follows:
A static JRE installation (for example, 7 Update 15) will ignore a previous patch-in-place installation of another JRE (for example, 7 Update 10)
A static JRE installation is never overwritten by another JRE version
When a newer JRE version is present (for example, 7 Update 15), older JRE versions (for example, 7 Update 12) are installed in static mode only
A patch-in-place JRE can be overwritten by a static JRE installation of the same version. The user will be left with one static JRE installation.
The only thing to get it right is to install Java 8 first, and then Java 6. But this doen't make it easy for deployment when I have to update all clients to the latest version...
Does anyone have a better solutions for this?
Thanks a lot!
