System Requirements

Trying to install the Java 2 Runtime Environment on a non-supported version of Microsoft Windows or on a machine that doesn't have a sufficiently up-to-date Service Pack will cause the installer to generate this warning: "We recommend that you do not install this Java Platform for the following reasons: This Java Platform does not support the operating system or operating-system service pack on this machine."

A Pentium 166MHz or faster processor with at least 32 megabytes of physical RAM is required to run graphically based applications. Forty-eight megabytes of RAM is recommended for applets running within a browser using the Java Plug-in product. Running with less memory may cause disk swapping which has a severe effect on performance. Very large programs may require more RAM for adequate performance.

You should have 54 megabytes of free disk space before attempting to install the Java 2 Runtime Environment.

If you have previously installed another version of the Java 2 Runtime Environment or Java 2 SDK, uninstall it. Use the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs utility, accessible from the Control Panel (Start --> Settings --> Control Panel).

Installation Instructions

Note: For any lines on this page containing the following notation, you must substitute the appropriate update version number for the notation.

                 
       
                  
<version number>
                
              

For example, if you are downloading the installer for update 1.4.1_01, the following file name:

                 
       
                  
j2re-1_4_1_<version number>-windows-i586.exe
                
              

would become:

                 
       
                  
j2re-1_4_1_01-windows-i586.exe
                
              

• Open - This enables you to install the Java 2 Runtime Environment without leaving a compressed file on your hard disk.

• Save As - This saves the downloaded file without installing it. It is saved at C:\ by default. Check that you have downloaded the entire file by comparing the size of the file you downloaded with the expected size shown on the download page:

• j2re-1_4_1_<version number>-windows-i586-i.exe is the Microsoft Windows Java 2 Runtime Environment international version for all locales.

  j2re-1_4_1_<version number>-windows-i586.exe is the Microsoft Windows Java 2 Runtime Environment for U.S. English only.

  The larger international version of the Java 2 Runtime Environment contains character conversion classes and support for locales other than the US English locale. Use this version of the Java 2 Runtime Environment if you will be running applications and applets that require a non-US-English locale.

After downloading this file, you can double-click on its icon to run the installer. Note -- you must have administrative permissions in order to install the Java 2 Runtime Environment on Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP. Follow the instructions the installer provides. When done with the installation, to recover more disk space, delete the bundle you downloaded.

The installation process also installs the Java Plug-in product, and the Java Web Start product is automatically installed. Look for a Java Web Start icon on your desktop. There will also be an entry for Java Web Start in the Start --> Programs menu.

If you encounter any problems during the installation, please check the troubleshooting section of the SDK installation instructions.