Java programs won't install on HP machine

[Rex]

Trying to gather as many details as I can on a particular problem I'm
having right now. Just wanted to post what I have so far in case
anyone out there sees a light go off.

My company sells a java (version 1.4.2) based software package. We
use InstallAnywhere to install. Really haven't had a problem with our
installs on any flavor of Win machines to date.

A customer running Win98 SE on an HP machine (I'll get a model # asap)
calls today and says the installation program hangs his machine
completely after extraction part of the install.

We look at some install log data and it indicates that everything
extracted to Windows temp folder ok. From there the log says "starting
java..."

My understanding is what should happen at this point is the install
process is supposed to start a bundled JVM (i assume in the contents
extracted to the temp folder) and run a .jar file that completes the
installation process. It hangs the machine shortly into this java
part though (the last thing it tried to do is "UI mode set
to"......and off to oblivion...

We eliminated some known issues at this point. Minimum direct X
version to run InstallAnywhere installs is 8.1. Customer has 9.0
installed. All Win updates complete. No viruses on machine.
Anti-virus software disabled for the install. No video driver issues.
These are all things InstallAnywhere tells you to watch for.
Additionally, the install file is not corrupted (same file installs
fine on another machine).

We thought we'd install a current JVM on the machine for sh*t's and
giggles because I believe InstallAnywhere will use it if present.
Downloaded the latest from Sun and the install hangs the machine in
the same manner as our IA installer.

This machine appears not to be able to run java programs at all. What
gives?

 

[Mickey Segal]

Can the user run a simple "Hello world" applet such as
http://segal.org/java//Hello/?

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Can the user run a simple "Hello world" applet such as
http://segal.org/java//Hello/?

Is your question relavent given the OP mentioned
'InstallAnywhere'? [ Which, as I understand,
should be able to work on a Win PC that has
never so much as smelt roasted beans. ]

 

[Mickey Segal]

Is your question relavent given the OP mentioned
'InstallAnywhere'? [ Which, as I understand,
should be able to work on a Win PC that has
never so much as smelt roasted beans. ]

He said "This machine appears not to be able to run java programs at all" so
I thought it would be useful to test that hypothesis.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Is your question relavent given the OP mentioned
'InstallAnywhere'? [ Which, as I understand,
should be able to work on a Win PC that has
never so much as smelt roasted beans. ]

He said "This machine appears not to be able to run java programs at all" so
I thought it would be useful to test that hypothesis.

Aaaah.. I missed that bit.
Yes, I see and agree now.

 

[Mickey Segal]

Aaaah.. I missed that bit.
Yes, I see and agree now.

I agree that it is by no means clear that Java dysfunction is the problem,
but when diagnosing problems remotely on a user's computer it is best to
work from hard data.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

..when diagnosing problems remotely on a user's computer it is best to
work from hard data.

Never a truer word stated Mickey, frame it.

It reminds me of the NASA tech-heads plaque..
"In God we trust, all others bring data."

 

[Rex]

Can the user run a simple "Hello world" applet such as

http://segal.org/java//Hello/?

User can run that applet.

Situation appears to be a legitemate issue though. These people are
having the same problem...

http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=14&thread=543616

http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=14&thread=534624&start=0&range=15#2673477

No answers yet in either the java or IA forums. It sounds like it may
be a conflict between java and some low level drivers because I can
install to other Win98 SE machines fine, even if I do bad things like
install while Norton Anti-Virus is running, or drop the color depth to
256, etc. Just this one machine has a problem.

 

[Mickey Segal]

User can run that applet.

Situation appears to be a legitemate issue though. These people are
having the same problem...

http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=14&thread=543616

http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=14&thread=534624&start=0&range=15#2673477

A long-shot possibility: Did the user ever run Microsoft's JVM Removal Tool?
Some users had problems with Sun's Java after using the defective tool,
which got pulled in March when the bug became known and seemed to have been
junked soon afterwards when the Sun-Microsoft settlement was announced.

Andrew Thompson followed this issue in detail - he'd have a sense whether
this could explain a problem afflicting a small minority of people
installing Sun's Java.

 

[Rex]

http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=14&thread=534624&start=0&range=15#2673477

A long-shot possibility: Did the user ever run Microsoft's JVM Removal Tool?
Some users had problems with Sun's Java after using the defective tool,
which got pulled in March when the bug became known and seemed to have been
junked soon afterwards when the Sun-Microsoft settlement was announced.

Andrew Thompson followed this issue in detail - he'd have a sense whether
this could explain a problem afflicting a small minority of people
installing Sun's Java.

The user is not a technical person and has indicated he does not know
what that program is. My guess is that he wouldn't have run such a
tool.

My hunch is that he has an old set of Nvidia video drivers and that
they conflict somehow. This hunch is based on the fact that the log
information indicates that the install process craps out while
attempting to "Set UI mode to". I think the process may be querying
his system's video capabilities in an attempt to set the proper UI
mode.

I'm headed over there now to update his drivers and try again. I'll
post results.

 

[Rex]

The user is not a technical person and has indicated he does not know
what that program is. My guess is that he wouldn't have run such a
tool.

My hunch is that he has an old set of Nvidia video drivers and that
they conflict somehow. This hunch is based on the fact that the log
information indicates that the install process craps out while
attempting to "Set UI mode to". I think the process may be querying
his system's video capabilities in an attempt to set the proper UI
mode.

I'm headed over there now to update his drivers and try again. I'll
post results.

Old video drivers turned out to be the culprit. User had an HP
Pavillion (model # 8766C) with the original video drivers from 2000.
Tried to update to current drivers but the machine would lock on
reboot afterwards. Had to step back to some drivers one or two
versions back (I think 2003?). After doing so our java application
installed without a hitch.

Mystery solved.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Mystery solved.

Glad you got it sorted.

Thanks for reporting back with the solution.