How do I update Java from a non-admin account?

Question

On Windows 7, the JVM interferes with my work by bringing up a UAC prompt at random times when it notices that it needs an update. I can see how this nagging makes sense, so I type in the admin password and expect it to update itself like any other software which does that.

Instead, it only brings up a baloon in the notification area "A new update is available". (Why does it need UAC for that?!) So I click on the symbol to start the update, which immediately brings up a dialog box saying "update has failed" without further explanation.

The whole game repeats from scratch every time I restart the computer. At some point, I give in, log in as administrator, and update from there. But I find the farce unnecessary and nerve-wracking. Is there a way to make the update process easy(ish)? If not Firefox-like easy, then at least Adobe Reader-like easy?

Manual way

This way is to update it in a machine where you have admin privileges and copying the installed java folder (generally in "program files\java\jre6") to your desired computer with common-user privileges.

Then change user environment variable PATH to include the path where you saved the java. Some programs require you to create JAVA_HOME environment variable also pointing to that location. You can optionally change the java location in the programs you use (e.g. OpenOffice), if there is an option for that.

Portable way

Found in a answer for that question: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1619662/where-can-i-get-the-latest-jre-jdk-as-a-zip-file-i-mean-no-exe-installer

But I don't know if it performs autoupdate. Also you have to install it in a computer where you have admin privileges to then use in the desired computer.

Official way

I think you cannot update by an official way...

http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/jucheck.xml

Note: If you are on Windows Vista or Windows 7 operating systems, then you will see User Access Control (UAC) consent prompt. The consent prompt is seen when a user attempts to perform a task that requires a user administrative access.

Comments

[kokbira]

do you really want to update java in that computer? generally, updates are only to fix some security flaws. if you are with jre 6u23 I think you do not want to update to jre 6u24, for example. for a normal work they will function in the same way. but if you are with a very old version, so update must be really nedded. if you are just a common user, you do not have to worry about it - administrator is the one to do that.

[kokbira]

see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_version_history references for java release notes

[rumtscho]

@kokbira If I don't update, I get nagged at least once per day. I'd rather put a stop to that. And if I can remove a few security flaws too, I'd say it is a good thing.

[kokbira]

well, I recommend using the portable way below. I don't know if they use some kind of autoupdate, but I think they deliver new versions of portable app accordingly to the new java versions.

[rumtscho]

I don't see why "the official way" shouldn't work. I have the admin pw, I just don't work from an admin account. But the UAC prompt comes before the update, not after, and the update aborts when started. The whole point is doing it without the need to log in on this (or another) PC as admin.

[kokbira]

I founded in Java faq some solution disabling UAC (enter java.com/en/download/faq/jucheck.xml and choose it from left menu of links)... You are saying that the problem is "before update", so I don't know if you can add an exception to a program editor (e.g. oracle)... serch for something about...