Java 2012-006

[cbrewer]

Anyone else affected by this update which removes the Java 6 browser plugin? We have a java web application that requires Java 6 and it is no longer usable after this update is installed.

[frozenarse]

I'm currently working on this myself...

Based on the documentation (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5493) I think you also need to install the Oracle plugin.

[nessts]

you have to go get the installer from java.com to get a web plugin again.

[nessts]

http://www.java.com/en/download/mac_download.jsp?locale=en

[cbrewer]

Oracle only offers a Java 7 plugin. Anybody come up with a way to get a Java 6 plugin functioning again?

[chappj01]

We are hitting the same thing. We have apps that require Java SE6. Haven't found a solution yet.

[rcorbin]

In British Columbia we have a online student information system called BCeSIS. It doesn't work with Java 7 so the Oracle plug in is not a solution. Luckily only a few of our machines have got the update and I've disabled updates for now. I tried to download the Java 2012-005 update from Apple's site, but it actually grabs the 006 update. So I need to find a way to at least go back to 005.

[cbrewer]

I have a copy of the 005 update. Problem is that the machine knows that it already has 006 installed and won't let you install 005. If there's a way around that, we might be able to get somewhere.

P.S. our problem is also because of eSIS.

[nessts]

if you grab /Library/Internet-Plugins/Java... from a 005 update machine and put it back on a machine that has the 006 update it just works.

[cbrewer]

The JavaAppletPlugin.plugin in /Libary/Internet Plug-Ins/ is just an alias. The real file lives in /System/Library/Java/Support/CoreDeploy.bundle/Contents/

Restoring this file from the 005 java update appears to work.

[rcorbin]

I believe that the JavaAppletPlugin.plugin at /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin is just an alias.

This points to /System/Library/Java/Support/CoreDeploy.bundle/Contents/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin

I wonder if it's possible to just replace that one file with the one from 005.

[cbrewer]

I built a DMG in Composer that contains the alias in /Library/Internet Plug-Ins, the actual Plugin file in CoreDeploy.bundle/Contents and the Java Preferences.app in Utilities. Just push it out after that Java 006 update and all seems to be well again.

[rcorbin]

I just tried to build a similar package, but no go on the first attempt. Did you have to make any special permissions changes ? When I also included that Java Preferences.app in that package, but it won't run.

[cbrewer]

For good measure, I'm also running the following script prior to pushing out the package.

#!/bin/sh

rm -rf /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/
rm -rf /System/Library/Java/Support/CoreDeploy.bundle/Contents/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/

[rcorbin]

I added in your script as part of the process and all appears to be good.

The only slight issue I saw was the usual enabling of the "Inactive" plug in didn't seem to work. I had to go into the Java Preferences app and check the "Enable applet plug-in" box.

Thanks for your help cbrewer !

[AndyBeaver]

I have not had any luck with replacing those two files. However i was able to use Pacifist to install Java 2012-005

How can I get around the installer package failing when -A newer version of this package is already installed?

/usr/sbin/jamf is version 8.62
Executing Policy Mac OS X 10.7 PS Gradebook Fix...
[STEP 1 of 3]
Mounting smb://casper.sjsd.k12.mo.us/CasperShare to /Volumes/CasperShare...
[STEP 2 of 3]
Running script RemoveJava.sh...
Script exit code: 0
Script result:
[STEP 3 of 3]
Copying Java for Mac 10.7...
Installing Java for Mac 10.7...
Installation failed. The installer reported: installer: Error - A newer version of this package is already installed.
Unmounting file server...

Everyone is getting really inpatient with me to get this fixed!! Thank you in advance, I don't know what I would do without this site sometimes!

[nessts]

packageutil --forget whateverthepackagenameis
most likely will help you out.

[nessts]

or pkgutil sorry

[nessts]

and this is the list of pkgs to forget
com.apple.pkg.JavaEssentials
com.apple.pkg.JavaForMacOSX107
com.apple.pkg.JavaMDNS
com.apple.pkg.JavaSecurity
com.apple.pkg.JavaTools

[AndyBeaver]

Where would the newer current version of Java that I need to forget live? I looked in /Library/Receipts/

[AndyBeaver]

/var/db/receipts/?

[cbrewer]

Andy - try running the 2012-006 Java installer and then run this package afterward. We've been mass deploying this solution and it seems to work really well. As a bonus, with this method you actually have an up-to-date build of Java.

http://temp-share.com/show/YgFH9rRGy

[AndyBeaver]

I attempted this method, however prior to the grade book applet launching the Java 7 box displays with the ... ... ... ... blinking as if it is loading, but it never loads. Im getting desperate!

[cbrewer]

Our machines don't have Java 7 on them. Have you tried to remove 7?

http://www.java.com/en/download/help/mac_uninstall_java.xml

[david_yenzer]

Is there a way to block the Java update install process for machines not yet broken by the update?

[AndyBeaver]

I did run the command
sudo rm -fr /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin
then installed Java 2012-006
then ran ran JavaAppletPlugin dmg when i attempt to open the java applet it prompts me "To open this Web Start application you need to download Java..."

I think I may be back to installing 2012-005 with pacifist....

Any and all suggestions are appreciated and welcome!

[AndyBeaver]

I did find this on Pearson PowerSchool's website this seems to be working for now.

Re: Java 7 - Mac OS X Update Issue?
It's possible to modify the launchGradebook.jnlp file to work around the problem. Edit the file in any text editor to remove the java-vm-args attribute from the j2se element. The old and new lines look like this:

< <j2se version="1.5+" initial-heap-size="128m" max-heap-size="256m" java-vm-args="-XX:MaxPermSize=128m" />

---

> <j2se version="1.5+" initial-heap-size="128m" max-heap-size="256m" />

This can be done after downloading launchGradebook.jnlp from the teacher portal. One user reports being able to change the master copy of the file on the server.

This is from discussion on the PSUG list. bassmaster_jeff created the initial patch.

[david_yenzer]

We have currently put two restrictions in place to block:
(1) "Software Update"
(2) "Installer"

The consequences of this is that users can't run any software updates or install any directly downloaded software. We can live with that for now.

Now to see if we can fix the first user we've discovered did the update already.

[zmkaylor]

Installing the plug-in from 2012-005 (that I grabbed from an image) seems to resolve the issue for people that upgraded before we caught it.

I don't have a copy of the 2012-005 update itself and I'd really like a copy to keep handy. I've not had any luck searching for it. Anyone know where I could get it from?

Thanks.

[nessts]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/84977699/JavaForOSX-2012.005.pkg

[zmkaylor]

Thank you.

[techmchs]

@ andy beaver

Thanks for the heads up.. got our PowerTeacher Gradebook up and running with your info.

Another option is have them grade on the iPad, if they have that option.

I'll wait and see if Pearson fixes the issue before i revert back..

[david_yenzer]

Here's the solution that we've tested successfully to back-rev Java...

From an image with a good version of Java (we have Java v6 Update 35), copy the following:

Mac HD -> Library -> Java Mac HD -> Library -> Internet Plug-Ins -> JavaAppletPlugIn.plugin
Mac HD -> System -> Library -> Java

And just copy those files over the same locations on a machine that did the update. Viola...

[rcorbin]

Looks like there may be a better way.

Java for OS X 2012-006: How to re-enable the Apple-provided Java SE 6 applet plug-in and Web Start functionality :

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5559

Looks like something easy to script and push out.

[DanSam]

@david.yenzer - You can just block that update without blocking all updates if you are running you own update server. Just go into Server Admin on your update server and select Software Update. Click on the updates tab and uncheck "Java for OS X 2012-006" and save it.

If you are not running your own update server, then you probably did the only thing that you could by disabling updates all together for the time being.