Java 6 Update 2 may stop Internet Explorer from starting

After having installed Java 6 Update 2, my Internet Explorer 6 would refuse to start without any indication whatsoever. I’m running Windows 2000 Server and – as I’m doing Java development – there are numerous older JDKs installed on my PC.

The problem appears to be caused by …Javajre1.6.0_02binssv.dll (SSVHelper Class plugin) included within Java 6 Update 2 up to and including build version 1.6.0_02-b05.

IE immediatley returns to normal operation by either uninstalling Java 6 Update 2 or disabling the SSVHelper Class plugin.

As I was unable to disable SSVHelper from within IE 6 (I believe it is an IE 7 feature) I reverted to ShellExView, an excellent Shell Extensions Manager that allows arbitrary Shell Extensions to be disabled in case they are causing problems – SSVHelper in my case.

13-jul-07 update:

The bug has been fixed and the downloads at http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/ have been updated to build version 1.6.0_02-b06 (as shown by java -version).

To recover your PC from this bug, either re-download and re-install the JRE or disable the SSVHelper Class.

Links:

SSVHelper Java 6u2 crashing Internet Explorer (java.net Forums)
Bug ID: 6578549 Java 6 RE Update 2 package crashes Internet Explorer 7 (Sun Bug Database)
Bug ID: 6559438 SSVHelper Class crashes Java 6u2 b02 (Sun Bug Database)

About Reiner

Born 1954 in Ratisbon (Bavaria, Germany), in 1976 punched cards at Berlin Technical University, caught hacking one of its mainframes by Horst Zuse (son of Konrad Zuse), started studying computer science and soon was offered a job whithin their computer department doing systems programming for IBM VM/370. While studying, jobbed around Germany at various places doing all sorts of things, then returned to Berlin to work at SRZ (computer aided typesetting). Never finished my master degree, but chose to take up self-employed work (which didn't turn me rich nor famous). Now working for a mid-sized software company within a very promising department as head of server software development.

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4 Responses to Java 6 Update 2 may stop Internet Explorer from starting

Reiner says:

July 13, 2007 at 0:55

Sun now has fixed this rather annoying bug in Java 6 Update 2 (JDK 6u2) that most probably has impacted only some installations, but then to a degree that might have caused rather intense feelings.

Do not despair! Help is on its way. You’ll find an amended download at http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/ within the next couple of days.

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Reiner says:

July 13, 2007 at 9:24

The bug has been fixed and the downloads at http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/ have been updated to build version 1.6.0_02-b06 (as shown by java -version).

To recover your PC from this bug, either re-download and re-install the JRE or disable the SSVHelper Class.

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Jhboston says:

October 20, 2007 at 1:47

I am having this problem. I have version 1.6.0_03. Anyone else having this issue. I am constantly having IE7 hang. I have to manually cancel the executable.
Thanks,

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Geir Otto Olsen says:

November 1, 2007 at 18:51

I am using windows server 2003 x64 terminal server and I am having the same kind of problem. When I run as a administrator it works fine, but if I am a normal user, the IE is killed if I do a verfication of java. I have tryed the version above (1.6.0_02-b06). I assume it has something to do with rights. Anyone haveing a clue of what I should do?

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