My Java's acting up, and I can't update it or delete it

[HopeAbandoned]

Hello to all. I am running Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3. My browser is Chrome.

My problem: Though my Java works fine overall, I can’t get it to work on a few very specific sites, those that involve puzzle diagrams. I have the latest version of Java, but if I try to install a fresh version I’m stopped. And I can’t get rid of the version I already have.

What concerns me most is that maybe underneath all this lurks malware. And I’m hoping someone here can set me straight.

This problem came to light most recently because I was unable to pull up any Sudoku diagrams on the NYTimes site (http://www.nytimes.com/ref/crossword...ref=crosswords ). Nor could I pull up any crossword diagrams from the “Classic puzzles from the Archives” feature on NYTimes. (http://www.nytimes.com/ref/crossword...ref=crosswords ). Both of these had previously worked flawlessly.

As I mentioned, these problems with puzzle diagrams are the only problems I seem to be having. I can get YouTube videos fine; I can get video on the NYT site fine; I have no apparent HTML problems. Maybe if I were more technically savvy, I could spot some telltale signs of trouble, but apart from the puzzle-page hitch, I can’t see any now.

I figured that my Java had failed somehow and that I should update it. (Yes, I did have it configured to update automatically, but I don’t think it ever has.) So I went to the Java update page, downloaded and tried to install it. Halfway through the installation, a box comes up that says:

Installation failed

The wizard was interrupted before JavaTM 7 Update 5 could be completely installed. To complete installation at another time, please run setup again. Click “OK” to exit the wizard.

I clicked OK and exited. That took me to a Java help page (http://java.com/en/download/help/index.xml ). (Strangely enough, this help page and the other help page popped up as Firefox pages even though I’m using Chrome. Why would that be?)

Anyway, the page dealing with the wizard interrupt (http://java.com/en/download/help/wizard_interrupt.xml ) said that a first step in the solution to the installation interruption was to uninstall all Java.

I went to my Control Panel and to “Add or Remove Programs.” That showed I had two Java programs: Java 7 Update 5 (the current version, I believe) and JavaFX 2.1.1.

I clicked “Remove” on Java 7. After a few manipulations, a box popped up that said, “Fatal error during installation.” No suggested help pages, no nothing.
All I could do was click OK. I don’t know what that “fatal error” implies, and it leaves me where I started.

I thought I’d detour around the problem. I went to Firefox and called up the NYT Sudoku page in Firefox. And Firefox just crashed and disappeared! I found a box in the bar at the bottom of the page called “Mozilla Crash Reporter” that had one of these “We’re sorry” messages. I sent the report to Firefox and quit Firefox.

Oddly, when I opened the “Crossword puzzle from the archive” page it did not crash. The page just contained the headline, “Classic New York Times Crossword Puzzle” but no diagram or clues. But after I opened a couple of other Puzzle Page features, the page crashed and the “Mozilla Crash Reporter” box appeared again.

OK, what about Internet Explorer? I could open the Sudoku page, the Classic Puzzle page and all the rest and and IE didn’t crash, but it didn’t show any diagrams, either. On the Classic Puzzle page it did have this message:

Your web browser does not support Java applets or Java is not enabled in web browser preferences.

Secunia Software Inspector doesn’t work, either, because it says there’s no Java applet.

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on?

Note: I was here once last year with a Java problem (http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthr...highlight=Java ), and Tim W suggested I remove my Java files with the JavaRA tool at http://majorgeeks.com/JavaRA_d5982.html .

That took care of my problem then, but this current one seems a bit more complicated, and I haven’t wanted to go ahead with JavaRA until I could get some advice.

So does anyone know why I can’t get diagrams from NYT puzzle pages, and why I can’t install a fresh version of Java or get rid of my current Java? Or why Firefox crashes when I try to open NYT puzzle pages? And whether I might have a virus?

Thanks very much in advance.

[Bugballou]

Sounds like you are on the right track with JavaRA. Use Revo Uninstaller here to uninstall 32 bit programs, but the version I use doesn't support 64 bit programs. Would also check out the operating system with a 10 day trial version of Malwarebytes and also SuperAntiSpyware. Imagine you have CCleaner installed, new slim version out today. Avast free antivirus also has an off-line scanner I use on occasion. If you find you are infected the crew here are your keys to success. Hope you get it worked out.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407

[samtal]

After being a longtime Firefox Browser user, I recently had constant (and I mean constant) crashes on FF. I uninstalled it completely and went with Google Chrome. http://www.majorgeeks.com/Google_Chr...nal_d7712.html

I went to the NYT site and just had to sign in to get Sudoko and puzzles to appear.

I would uninstall all java programs first using revo uninstaller, reboot, install fresh versions.

http://majorgeeks.com/Revo_Uninstaller_d5706.html

http://majorgeeks.com/Sun_Java_Runti...ent_d7567.html

[HopeAbandoned]

Well, Bugballou and samtal, thank you both very much. I will try the Revo Uninstaller and hope for the best. I'll let you know what happens.

Hope

[HopeAbandoned]

OK, I'm back. I started the Revo Uninstaller but before I complete it I'll need to ask a few more questions.

It turns out that I had both Java 7 version 4 and Java 7 version 5 installed. I thought I'd take first things first, so I asked Revo to uninstall version 4. It went to work and reported that I have 103 leftover registry items, and it put them forward for deletion.

It says, "Carefully verify bolded items. Only checked bolded items and subitems will be deleted."

Wellll, I haven't the slightest idea what any of these are. And although I probably should have gone down the list to count how many bolded items there were (and there were a lot), I was a little bit scared to even touch the thing.

So what would you suggest? When it asks me to "verify" bolded items, what am I verifying them for? Is it OK to delete everything? Or should I have the program just delete the unbolded items? Or maybe it's best just to skip this whole step and leave those leftover registry items in the registry???

Thanks again.

Hope

[plodr]

Trust me, it is worth the time and effort.

Is it OK to delete everything?

NO!!!! Unless you want to create an unbootable computer.

should I have the program just delete the unbolded items?

Never delete anything that is not in bold.

Do not have it delete everything! You will be removing things from the registry that are needed.
Do spend the time expanding the tree and putting check boxes in front of everything that is in bold! To verify, it is enough to see that what you are selecting is bold.

You want time consuming - I removed Silverlight from one computer. I had over 5,000 items! That was the first time through. Yup it took me a long time but I wanted my registry cleared of that.

[HopeAbandoned]

Well, I sure am glad I asked! Thanks, plodr. I'll tackle this tomorrow and report back.

Hope

[HopeAbandoned]

Ha! It worked! Revo uninstalled both versions 4 and 5 of Java 7. I rebooted, then reinstalled Java, and now I can get the NYT puzzle page to work. Wonderful!

Thanks again to Bugballou, samtal and plodr for steering me in the right direction. I really appreciate it.

Hope

[Boss Hog]

Made an account just to post and confirm this method works, I've recently had the exact same issue with another version of java not uninstalling.

Really appreciate having this info available as I was getting worried as to what i should do...and I love the Revo Uninstaller!

Thanks so much for this!