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Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:50 pm
by cphite
Okay gurus...

I bought my wife a Dell laptop for Christmas; running Windows 8 64-bit. It seems to be having some sort of issue with java.

The most glaring example is that when you open Internet Explorer, it opens to a page telling you how wonderful IE is and asking you to make it your default. Her default is Chrome. Anyway, there are two buttons, one that says to make IE your default, the other says no thanks. Neither appears to actually do anything when you click them. They change color, but no action is taken. There are a few other web pages that seem to work (or fail to work) the same way. The main reason it's an issue is that she uses a tax program called TaxACT that utilizes IE and only about half the buttons in it work.

Not getting any sort of errors anywhere. I've checked the security settings and everything looks normal. Did the "reset" thing under Internet Options. Tried reinstalling Java.

Google searching thus far has offered me little.

Any ideas or suggestions (that don't involve installing Linux or throwing the laptop off a roof) would be appreciated.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:54 pm
by SnowboardingTobi
I'm confused where the connection is with Java?

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:59 pm
by ordskiweicz
I think either installing Linux or throwing the laptop off the roof is definitely in order. Either would spare you involvement with IE, which is a good thing.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:11 pm
by Flying Fox
cphite wrote:
I bought my wife a Dell laptop for Christmas; running Windows 8 64-bit. It seems to be having some sort of issue with java.

The most glaring example is that when you open Internet Explorer, it opens to a page telling you how wonderful IE is and asking you to make it your default. Her default is Chrome. Anyway, there are two buttons, one that says to make IE your default, the other says no thanks. Neither appears to actually do anything when you click them. They change color, but no action is taken. There are a few other web pages that seem to work (or fail to work) the same way. The main reason it's an issue is that she uses a tax program called TaxACT that utilizes IE and only about half the buttons in it work.

Not getting any sort of errors anywhere. I've checked the security settings and everything looks normal. Did the "reset" thing under Internet Options. Tried reinstalling Java.

1. Are you talking about problem with IE or Java? It seems like you are drawing some conclusion but your evidence does not seem to relate to "Java".
2. The dialog asking you whether to make IE the default is just to set the default association for web links. Clicking Yes or No should close the little dialog and nothing much else. The next time you click on a URL link then the set browser will take over and go to the link that you click on. I am not sure you meant by "no action". Do you mean that the little dialog window does not even go away?
3. "Utilizes IE" still does not mean "Java" to me. I am really confused. At this point I can think of IE10 does not work nice with your application that is based on HTML/Javascript (not Java, but I don't know TaxACT to completely discount that it does not use Java stuff). You can try turning on compatibility mode.

When it comes to the term "Java", there are a few confusing terms that may mean different things:
1. A standalone "Java application": a full blown application not running under any other hosts like the web browser. The Java runtime is the process (usually javaw.exe).
2. A "Java applet" that is supposed to run inside the sandbox of a host like a web browser. This is an early form of how Java applications get sent over the wire but its use is declining. The recent vulnerability that has the Department of Homeland Security issuing notices for everyone to "disable Java" targets this kind of application. If you have the latest Java installed then the documentation says you need to answer a question of "do you want to run this applet" before the Java applet is loaded and run inside the browser. It is hard to imagine that a tax software will use Java applets these days.
3. Javascript: this is just a scripting language with no relation to Java, other than name.

You need to be more specific in your information for us to tell you more.

Edit: TaxACT 2012 free edition claims it works with Windows 8. May be call their support?

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:12 pm
by Pancake
cphite wrote:
Okay gurus...

I bought my wife a Dell laptop for Christmas; running Windows 8 64-bit. It seems to be having some sort of issue with java.

The most glaring example is that when you open Internet Explorer, it opens to a page telling you how wonderful IE is and asking you to make it your default. Her default is Chrome. Anyway, there are two buttons, one that says to make IE your default, the other says no thanks. Neither appears to actually do anything when you click them. They change color, but no action is taken. There are a few other web pages that seem to work (or fail to work) the same way. The main reason it's an issue is that she uses a tax program called TaxACT that utilizes IE and only about half the buttons in it work.

Not getting any sort of errors anywhere. I've checked the security settings and everything looks normal. Did the "reset" thing under Internet Options. Tried reinstalling Java.

Google searching thus far has offered me little.

Any ideas or suggestions (that don't involve installing Linux or throwing the laptop off a roof) would be appreciated.


I just installed Java yesterday on my shiny new Windows 8 64-bit PC build (3570, Z77, 32GB RAM, 480GB SSD) and it works no problems. Which Internet Explorer are you using? The Metro one doesn't support plugins and therefore won't run Java applets. The one in the desktop does.

Check Java is actually installed - should be a Java icon in the desktop control panel. If it isn't then go to java.com and download it there (get the 32-bit JRE). If the control panel icon is there click on it to open it. The desktop IE is 32-bit you'll need to install the 32-bit JRE if the 64-bit one is installed.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:59 pm
by bthylafh
Don't use IE. Use Chrome or Firefox or Opera. Bet you the problem goes away with one of those.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 10:07 pm
by Flying Fox
Sometimes it may be out of the person's control, since an application may decide to embed the "web browser control" in their program window(s) which is pretty much an instance of IE (actually that means compatibility mode may be shot too).

I looked at some screenshots of that TaxACT program and it may be a full-blown Java app? No idea what is with IE here though.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 9:55 am
by cphite
Flying Fox wrote:
cphite wrote:
I bought my wife a Dell laptop for Christmas; running Windows 8 64-bit. It seems to be having some sort of issue with java.

The most glaring example is that when you open Internet Explorer, it opens to a page telling you how wonderful IE is and asking you to make it your default. Her default is Chrome. Anyway, there are two buttons, one that says to make IE your default, the other says no thanks. Neither appears to actually do anything when you click them. They change color, but no action is taken. There are a few other web pages that seem to work (or fail to work) the same way. The main reason it's an issue is that she uses a tax program called TaxACT that utilizes IE and only about half the buttons in it work.

Not getting any sort of errors anywhere. I've checked the security settings and everything looks normal. Did the "reset" thing under Internet Options. Tried reinstalling Java.

1. Are you talking about problem with IE or Java? It seems like you are drawing some conclusion but your evidence does not seem to relate to "Java".


I should have said Javascript instead of Java. The problem is that IE10 isn't working with various pages that have buttons or fields that have Javascript behind them. I believe it's Javascript because tech support from the tax application we use mentioned Javascript.

2. The dialog asking you whether to make IE the default is just to set the default association for web links. Clicking Yes or No should close the little dialog and nothing much else. The next time you click on a URL link then the set browser will take over and go to the link that you click on. I am not sure you meant by "no action". Do you mean that the little dialog window does not even go away?


I mean that the two buttons do absolutely nothing aside from changing color when pushed. It's literally just a web page with a message about IE and two buttons, one that says make IE your default browser, the other saying no thanks. Neither of them do anything. They don't close the page, and the one that says make IE the default doesn't make IE the default.

3. "Utilizes IE" still does not mean "Java" to me. I am really confused. At this point I can think of IE10 does not work nice with your application that is based on HTML/Javascript (not Java, but I don't know TaxACT to completely discount that it does not use Java stuff). You can try turning on compatibility mode.


I believe it uses HTML/Javascript - sorry I was unclear. It's been a long week and I haven't slept for most of it. Even forgetting the tax application, the fact that a web page (the default browser thing) that is apparently built in to IE doesn't work, I suspect there is a broader problem. It may be as simple as a security setting somewhere; I just haven't been able to find anything.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:03 pm
by Flying Fox
Can you get to the compatibility mode switch?

Worse case scenario you may need to use a different machine for that app or fire up a virtual machine with an older Windows. Since the software claims it works on 8 you may be able to bitch at tech support to help you.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:59 pm
by Arvald
run the 32 bit IE for compatibility reasons?

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 1:09 pm
by Flying Fox
Arvald wrote:
run the 32 bit IE for compatibility reasons?

Desktop IE should already be the 32-bit one by default. You actually need extra steps to launch the 64-bit IE.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:10 pm
by Forge
I vote for "take out recovery DVDs and nuke that sucker from orbit".

One of the few pros to the new OEM activation system (OA3) is that you should be able to grab any old MSDN Win8 DVD and reinstall with that. It should pull the Win8 version and serial number to use from the ACPI.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:38 pm
by Ryu Connor
Windows 8 64bit desktop IE is 64bits only. It is compatible with 32bit and 64bit add-ons.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 9:29 am
by cphite
Forge wrote:
I vote for "take out recovery DVDs and nuke that sucker from orbit".

One of the few pros to the new OEM activation system (OA3) is that you should be able to grab any old MSDN Win8 DVD and reinstall with that. It should pull the Win8 version and serial number to use from the ACPI.


Actually didn't even need a DVD.

Ended up taking the laptop to a local Microsoft store in the mall. They looked at it for about 20 minutes, basically checking the same things I had checked, ran some diagnostic programs, but really didn't find anything to explain the issue. So the tech suggested doing a system refresh; basically you go into Computer Settings, General, scroll down and there is the option to either do a refresh (reinstall Windows, uninstalls most applications but leaves data intact) or a complete restore (wipes the drive, reinstalls Windows). I opted for the former, and after about 20 minutes (during which I never had to touch the laptop) it popped up the login screen.

So far everything seems to be working just fine.

Re: Java not working on Windows 8

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:23 am
by Forge
cphite wrote:
Forge wrote:
I vote for "take out recovery DVDs and nuke that sucker from orbit".

One of the few pros to the new OEM activation system (OA3) is that you should be able to grab any old MSDN Win8 DVD and reinstall with that. It should pull the Win8 version and serial number to use from the ACPI.


Actually didn't even need a DVD.

(snip)Win8 Refresh to the rescue(/snip)


Yep, that works too. I was just advocating the most extreme version of that, since IMO, once you have possibly-corrupt bits on a hard disk, you really can't be 100% sure of the others, so I tend not to trust them. Disk errors? Replace disk and known-good backup if possible, with "just restore a backup" or the refresh version being all the way at the 'less desirable' end of that spectrum.