Can not run Java Applets in Internet Explorer 11 using JRE 7u51

Question

Today I updated my Java version to 7u51. After the installation, I cleared Java Cache, browser's Cache, and logged into a secure website that uses an Applet to provide certain additional services to the user.

The applet is not working anymore. I accessed http://www.java.com to check the Java version detected in Internet Explorer, and the java website says:

We are unable to verify if Java is currently installed and enabled in your browser.

Other browsers can check Java, and the mentioned applet works as expected:

As the applet works as expected in other browsers, I can assume the problem is not the Applet nor its deployment files/processes, but the compatibility of JRE 7u51 with IE 11. I would like to know if there is any workaround for this.

As additional measure, I used the java.com tool to uninstall any previous and unsecure JRE version (using Google Chrome). After double checking IE 11, I can see the Java Addons enabled and versioned to 7u51:

I know IE has been improved; even so, we recommend to our customers to use Google Chrome or Firefox as these browsers have proven to be more compatible with our web applications. Unfortunatelly, we can not force our customers to use certain browser due to the common organizational restrictions about programs usage, etc.

Thanks in advance for any help.

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Update (01/20/2014):

The following screenshot shows Internet Explorer 11 with Compatibility View configured for "java.com". It doesn't fix the problem in this case.

Solution 1

We had the same problems with IE11 and new Java. Try to add your site to compatibility view. You can find here how to do it.

How to enable compatibility view in Internet Explorer 11

You can try now if it works or not. After that you can remove site from compatibility view and it should also run.

Solution 2

I had the same problem with Java 7 u51. Only after I reset Internet Explorer it work again, Java was enabled in browser etc.

Internet options -> Advanced -> Reset...

Solution 3

The behavior of applets changes significantly with update 51. It's going to be a confusing couple of weeks for RIA developers. Recommended reading: https://blogs.oracle.com/java-platform-group/entry/new_security_requirements_for_rias

Solution 4

We see the same problem with Java 7u51, IE11 and Windows 8.1. As detailed at http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/forum/ie11-iewindows8_1/windows-81-ie11-java-7u51-combination-doesnt-work/24af818d-7196-4dd5-96f5-9c0c65223744 and http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/security-dev/2014-January/010048.html and in a bug report submitted to Oracle on 17 January 2014 we find that all is OK until you agree to Java making changes to your system after installation. Once you allow the post-installation permission, Java is disabled. Other than constantly fighting off permission requests, the only workarounds we've found are to use a different environment: browser (use Firefox or Chrome), OS (use Windows 7) or Java version (use a Java 8 build).

Solution 5

I've just resolved the problem on two PCs (Win 8 64-bit with IE10; Win 8.1 32-bit with IE11). With Java 7 Update 67 both cases (same with update 65 and, probably, others).

In my case, it was caused by java ssv, which first requested admin rights, then Java stopped working because it messed something using them.

So, my resolution was:

1. Reinstall java. No reboot required, but close browsers beforehand. Also, it's not required to uninstall it before running installer (I didn't).
2. On 1st (or 2nd) launch of IE, privilege elevation will be prompted for Java SSV. If denied, it will pop up again. Multiple times. Important here is to deny them all.
3. To stop these prompts, disable Java SSV helpers (both of them) in Add-Ons or when IE prompts about startup times.

After that, http://www.java.com/verify/ prompts to run Java (twice, 1st time IE, 2nd time Java itself) and, when allowed, says everything is OK.

(will give more screenshots if anyone will ask)

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Comments

[David]

Thanks for your answer. Yes, that link has information about the new rules to package and deploy RIAs; fortunately the Applet I mentioned in my question seems to satisfy these instructions, as it works with Chrome and Firefox as expected. The problem mentioned in my question is related to Internet Explorer, to be precise, version 11, on Windows 8 and 8.1.

[Mickey Segal]

Another maneuver that gets Java 7u51 to work on Windows 8 is running IE11 as an administrator. Of course this is impractical for regular use, but it is useful information in diagnosing the problem.

[Mickey Segal]

I've tried the re-booting approach without success. Instead, the killing of access to Java seems to come consistently after agreeing to the post-installation User Account control request.

[David]

The "Run as Administrator" solution works!. That should help someone how needs Java and has admin rights on his/her PC. To bad for controlled users who are required to work using IE, and has no admin rights.

[David]

I've updated my question's content, to show if the "Compatibility View" fixes the problem. Still no luck.

[Mickey Segal]

With the "Run as Administrator" approach you keep getting bugged with Oracle security dialogs every time you open the browser and on many page changes. It is a clunky workaround, but it is useful in localizing the problem.

[Mickey Segal]

The Java 8 workaround continues to work for applets on the Web but now seems no longer to work for local applets. This is all very brittle, and it seems surprising that Oracle would not have tested this configuration, which represents the default environment on the current version of Windows.

[Troglo]

Adding the Website to the Compatibility List worked for me (in Win7 x64 and java 7u51)

[Mickey Segal]

Since there is now a release version of Java 8, I tried Java 8 update 5, and the problem is fixed. I haven't tried the current version of Java 7 (update 55), but getting going with Java 8 seems like the preferred solution anyway. Thanks to all who helped get this problem known and solved.