How do I download and install Java for my Solaris 32-bit computer ?

This article applies to:

Platform(s): Solaris SPARC , Solaris x86
Browser(s): Netscape 4.7x , Mozilla 1.4+
Java version(s): 1.4.2_xx

Prior to installing Java you should insure that you have installed the full set of required patches needed for support of this release. Recommended and required patches are hosted for download on the SunSolve website.

See also Font Package Requirements for information about which font packages should be on your system.

Test your Virtual Machine:

Your Java may be functioning properly. Please test your Java installation.

Installation Instructions
Java v1.4.x comes in the form of a self-extracting binary file. Follow the instructions below to install Java.

At the end of this file, see also:

Java Installation Instructions
Java Web Start Installation Instructions

64-bit support for Java is available for SPARC processor platforms in a separate download. Installation instructions for 64-bit support are in a separate document.

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

<version number> For example, if you are downloading update 1.4.2_01, the following command:
chmod +x j2re-1_4_1_03_<version number>-solaris-sparc.sh would become:
chmod +x j2re-1_4_2-solaris-sparc.sh

1. Check the download file size
Before you download a file, notice that its byte size is provided on the download page.

Once the download has completed, check that you have downloaded the full, uncorrupted software file of the same size.

2. Make sure that execute permissions are set on the self-extracting binary:

On SPARC processors:
chmod +x j2re-1_4_2_<version number>-solaris-sparc.sh

On x86 processors:
chmod +x j2re-1_4_2_<version number>-solaris-i586.sh

3. Change directory to the location where you would like the files to be installed.

4. Run the self-extracting binary.

A directory called j2re1.4.2_<version number> will be created in the current directory.

Note about System Preferences - By default, the installation script configures the system such that the backing store for system preferences is created inside Java 2 SDK installation directory. If the SDK is installed on a network-mounted drive, it and the system preferences can be exported for sharing with runtime environments on other machines. As an alternative, root users can use the -localinstall option when running the installation script, as in this example:

j2re-1_4_2_<version number>-solaris-i586.sh -localinstall

This option causes the system preferences to be stored in the /etc directory from where they can be shared only by a virtual machine running on the local machine. You must be root user for the -localinstall option to work.

See the

Preferences API documentation for more information about preferences in Java platform.

Java Installation Instructions

See

"Java Plug-in" Installation Instructions in the Installation Notes for Java 2 SDK, Standard Edition.

Java Web Start Installation Instructions

Java 1.4.x includes Java Web Start software.

In the top-level directory you will find a ZIP file named javaws-1_2_0_<version number>-solaris-sparc-i.zip on SPARC platforms and javaws-1_2_0_<version number>-solaris-i586-i.zip on x86 platforms.

The <version number> notation refers to the current Web Start version number.

Move this file to a location where you want to install the Web Start software (preferably outside Java installation). Unzip the file. One of the files extracted will be install.sh.

Run this script to install the Web Start software.

Location of libjvm.so files

If you use the Invocation API to launch an application directly rather than using Java application launcher, be sure to use the correct paths to invoke Java HotSpot client virtual machine or Java HotSpot server virtual machine as desired.

The path within the SDK to the client virtual machine is:

jre/lib/sparc/client/libjvm.so (on SPARC processors)
jre/lib/i386/client/libjvm.so (on x86 processors)

The path to the server virtual machine is:

jre/lib/sparc/server/libjvm.so (on SPARC processors)
jre/lib/i386/server/libjvm.so (on x86 processors)

The Exact VM and Classic VM are no longer part of the software platform, and legacy code that uses the Invocation API to launch an application based on old paths to the Exact or Classic virtual machines will not work.

For more Solaris installation information, please review our Solaris Installation Notes on Java.sun.com.