Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 5

for anyone still runing Windows 98/ME, the latest supported version is 5 update 15

http://java.com/en/download/windows98me_manual.jsp

Is it necessary to uninstall the previous version before downloading the update...since the download and install seem to be one seamless process? I went through the control panel and everything seemed to go well untill but the loading process bogged down and didn't want to complete. Can remember the error message. Would I have more luck going through the Java website?

Dale:

If you uninstall the previous version first, then try to update via the java applet in Control Panel, I don't know what would happen. I chose to try the java applet first, and was surprised it finally worked after all these years. Only then did I uninstall the old version.

I've always had to install from the java website in the past, and that method never failed me. But this time it certainly was easier, at least for me. Perhaps it was my broadband connection, which was recently made much faster. But even when my java updater worked this time, it did not uninstall the previous version- this I still had to do manually via Add/Remove Programs.

• Download the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6.
• Scroll down to where it says "Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6u5 allows end-users to run Java applications".
• Click the "Download" button to the right.
• Check the box that says: "Accept License Agreement".
• The page will refresh.
• Click on the link to download Windows Offline Installation with or without Multi-language and save to your desktop.
• Close any programs you may have running - especially your web browser.
• Go to Start > Control Panel double-click on Add/Remove programs and remove all older versions of Java.
• Check any item with Java Runtime Environment (JRE or J2SE) in the name.
• Click the Remove or Change/Remove button.
• Repeat as many times as necessary to remove each of the Java versions.
• 
  
• Reboot your computer once all Java components are removed.
• Then from your desktop double-click on jre-6u5-windows-i586-p.exe to install the newest version.