29307 - if VM initialization fails, mozilla won't start.

Status: VERIFIED INVALID

(Core Graveyard :: Java: OJI, defect, P3)

Description

[Christine Begle]

I had some way ancient JRE stuff installed on my system.  I installed Netscape 
without Java.  When I started the browser, the splash screen appeared, and then 
the process died -- no browser window ever opened, and no error dialogs 
appeared.

I re-started the browser, this time redirecting console out put to a file.
Here's the error message I got:

 I am inside the initialize
 Hey : You are in QFA Startup
(QFA)Talkback loaded Ok.
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM warning: Setting of property "java.compiler" is 
ignored
Error occurred during initialization of VM
java/lang/NoClassDefFoundError: java/lang/Object

I finally tracked it down -- I had some stuff installed under c:\program 
files\JavaSoft\Jre -- JRE 1.3 was installed and I guess it's barfing.  That
JRE wasn't on my path or CLASSPATH.  However it is in my windows registry.

That error shouldn't prevent the browser from starting.  At least give me an 
error message so I can track it down.

I moved the JRE directory, and now the browser starts.

Comment 1

[Christine Begle]

moving to netscape confidential, since this only happens in the Netscape 
commercial builds.  Mozilla works fine on this machine, without having to move 
the old JRE stuff out of the way.

Comment 2

[drapeau]

Will look at this after Beta 1.  It sounds serious (JVM not initializing 
shouldn't block the browser from starting), but since the JVM can be installed 
in such a way that it initializes correctly, this won't stop us for Beta 1.

Comment 3

[drapeau]

Copying Loki on this: does this problem happen on the Mac as well?  Also copying 
Raju on this bug to verify on Win/Mac/both.

Moving out to M18.  With the current set of tasks to get done by M16, I believe 
this can wait, hoping that people will use the JRE that comes with the 
commercial build installer.

Comment 4

[loki der quaeler]

the no java scenario shouldn't occur on mac as the supporting OS's come with java 
installed; if they have a older-than-supported version of the mrj installed, 
applets won't load - i believe there was an earlier bug concerning behaviour of 
old versions of mrj installed and running mozilla, but i can't seem to find it 
now... 

Comment 5

[rpallath]

Was not able to redproduce this.

On Win32
--------
I installed an old version of Jre1.3 (Beta A).
Installed Netscape without Java.
It does not hang when I bring up Netscape.

Also as Christine indicated, works well with mozilla builds without moving
existing Jre.

Comment 6

[drapeau]

Okay, we'll look at this after M17, after making sure security and other 
crashers are taken care of.

Comment 7

[edburns]

This bug is not occurring at this point.

Comment 8

[Paul Wyskoczka]

Verified