16
Jan

Deploying Java through Group Policy and Java RE Improvements

Posted by in Software, System Administration with 18 comments.

To push Java out through a Group Policy, you’ll need to get the installation as an .msi. Fortunately, the installer that you can download from Java is an executable wrapped around a .msi. We’ll be able to use this to deploy the software.

Tip: Download the Java RE from java.sun.com instead of java.com to get the package without the Yahoo! Toolbar.
The installer from java.sun.com simplifies the matter greatly as no transforms are required and the Yahoo! Toolbar is not installed alongside Java.

Run the Java Runtime Environment installer that you just downloaded and install the software on a machine. This is the simplest means of extracting the .msi file from the installer. After it has been installed, you can find the .msi file in the Application Data folder of the user that just installed the software:

C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Sun\Java\jre1.6.0_11

In this folder you’ll find two files:

  • Data1.cab
  • jre1.6.0_11.msi

Copy both of these files to your deployment folder.

If you use the Java RE from java.com (not sun.java.com that has the Yahoo! toolbar in it), you will also have a .mst file. This is a transform that you can use to specify different settings during the installation. You can edit this .mst using Orca and apply it when you specify the new installation in the Group Policy.

You can then use the .msi file you’ve acquired and optional .mst (not needed with the .msi I linked to, from my experience) in a typical software deployment through Group Policy.

Good news:

Some good news regarding Java for once! Starting with 1.6.11, Java now uninstalls previous versions upon installation. I always thought this was a terrible fallacy in Java development mentality. Granted that some applications may need older versions of Java, most updates to software fix security issues. Why then, would you want to keep the older, insecure version on your computer? Previous installations took up about 170 MB of space with each instance as well.

Uninstalling previous versions is a step in the right direction for Java.

Deploying Java through Group Policy and Java RE Improvements
twitter Deploying Java through Group Policy and Java RE Improvementsgoogleplus Deploying Java through Group Policy and Java RE Improvements

Jason Hamilton

Jason Hamilton is an IT Professional in his full-time job and operates 404 Tech Support LLC in his spare time from Central Illinois. Send us a story suggestion with the Contact Page.

  • dave

    You can also do it by running the app from run or cmd and apply /a switch to the end.
    :)

    • Marklopps

      I did that and it did not work

  • http://www.zsc.com Josh

    You can also extract the executable with 7-zip, rather than install it on a machine then go hunting for the files.

  • devolution

    the versions i’ve been finding on java.sun.com don’t extract to .msi and .cab files, they leave a patchjre.exe file and a core.zip file that has all the installation files in it. which means the GP deployment via .msi isn’t going to work unless you create a custom MSI package.

  • http://www.404techsupport.com Jason

    I just extracted the .msi for version 6_16 and can vouch that the method works and results in a .msi file.

    Go here: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp#jre

    Click on the Download button in the row for Java SE Runtime Environment (JRE) | JRE 6 Update 16.

    On the next page, choose Windows from the drop-down for your platform, check ‘I agree’ and hit the Continue button.

    Under Available Files, choose Windows Offline Installation and click the link for the current version, in this case: jre-6u16-windows-i586.exe

    Run the executable and look in the path listed in the article above for Windows XP or Server 2003 or look here for Vista, Windows 7, or Server 2008:
    C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\jre1.6.0_16

    There you’ll find Data1.cab and jre1.6.0_16.msi Copy both files to your deployment directory and setup your GPO to use this .msi file.

    It still works. Hope this step-by-step helps.

  • devolution

    wow, thanks for the quick reply. yes, i found it also. the one place i DIDN’T look was in the \LocalLow\ folder, but it’s there.

    thanks again.

  • David Barnes (Bitsolve)

    Update 17 no longer has the transform file sp1033.MST or lzma.dll..

  • http://www.404techsupport.com Jason

    The sp1033.MST and lzma.dll file is only included if you download the Java installer from Java.com, which also includes the Yahoo! toolbar. If you download from sun.java.com, as I recommend in the article above, it does not include the .mst and .dll files.

    The sp1033.mst and lzma.dll files can be found on Windows XP systems at:
    C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Application Data\Sun\Java\jre1.6.0_17

    However, I still recommend using the file downloaded from sun.java.com to get the installer without the Yahoo! toolbar.

  • Matt Barnes

    Hi

    Does anyone know how if i can use use the sp1033.MST file that comes with the MSI to silently install Java? Im deploying via GP but its prompting at the moment.

  • http://www.404techsupport.com Jason

    Matt,

    If you deploy the Java .msi through a group policy, it will deploy silently and the transform is not needed. Obtain the Java .msi from sun.java.com or directly here:
    https://cds.sun.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/CDS-CDS_Developer-Site/en_US/-/USD/ViewProductDetail-Start?ProductRef=jre-6u17-oth-JPR@CDS-CDS_Developer

    Then extract the .msi and data1.cab files and use this .msi to deploy Java. This will deploy silently without prompting and using/modifying the .mst is not required.

  • Ben

    Thanks for the article above. I used this method, and it seems to be working for the most part. However, some computers hang on the “Installing Managed software Java…” message and nver get to the Ctrl+Alt+Del prompt, even after 10-15 mins. Hard resetting the machine is the only thing that allows things to move forward. The weird thing is, Java IS being installed, it’s just like the installer never says “OK, I’m done now. Close.”

    I am fully aware that this could definitely be an issue with other software on our computers. Several of them have old Java installs (example Java 6 Update 5), prior to Update 11 when it started removing the old ones. I was wondering if anyone else had this problem and where I should look for troubleshooting logs, etc. We’ve deployed all our Adobe and antivirus stuff via group poilicies and have never had trouble before.

  • simonchtan

    it a great acticle on deploying java in a AD.
    My question would be:
    Assuming you are running a AD authencation required proxy server and the Proxy script PAC file is require to access your proxy. this file exisit on the IE property page however is not able to pick up from the java console, is there a way enable the java proxy script pac setting?
    Assume you have 5000 computers and you have hotseating all over the office.

  • Tim

    Ben, we used to have a similar problem. The nature of the problem is still unknown to us but what we did was for anyone that had that problem, we would go through and uninstall ALL versions of Java (previous and current) and run a ccleaner on the computer. Then AD software installation of Java would work. So we just assumed that it was a previous installation of Java that got corrupted somehow and wouldn’t allow an upgrade

  • Ken

    The issues described above are discussed in this thread:http://forums.sun.com/thread.jspa?forumID=32&threadID=5341011. I followed the advice which was to disable the java quick start service in the same gpo as the package install – this has been working quite well – installs in just a minute or two where it had been hanging for 1+ hours.

  • David

    After we delpoyed java through the GPO and it did successfully install the client ( with local power user ) access on the pc was still having to install the active x piece and because they did not have local admin rights they were unable to, is there as way around the local profile issue??

    • http://www.404techsupport.com/ Jason

      Sorry, David. I haven’t run into this issue before. You do want to make sure the SYSTEM account has full access to the machine, which will be doing the installing.

  • Bill

    I also thought Java can be installed through GPO’s is the easiest way to do it.

  • Daniel

    This is the simplest means of extracting the .msi file from the installer. ?? You can use 7-zip and copy open the .exe file  and you will find this two files               ( Data1.cab, jre.exe)  there.