I like to know what every process running on my computer is and the other day I happened upon the jusched.exe process on my Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit laptop. After searching my computer I figured out that the jusched.exe process is really just the Java Update Scheduler which runs in the background the entire time that your computer is running which seems like a waste of resources to me. Below I describe how to turn off the Java Update Scheduler process but also how to schedule a Windows 7 task to check once a month for Java updates.
The jusched.exe Process Displayed In Windows 7 Task Manager:
Turn Off Java Update Scheduler Or Disable jusched.exe:
- Launch Control Panel: First launch the Windows 7 Control Panel by clicking the Windows icon in the lower left corner of your taskbar. Once the Start Menu is displaying click on Control Panel to launch the Windows 7 Control Panel.
- Launch Java Control Panel: Now click on the Java link to launch the Java Control Panel which will allow you to make modifications to various Java settings. To modify the Java Update Scheduler we need to click on the Update tab in the Java Control Panel as shown in the below example image.
- Disable Java Updates: To disable the automatic Java updates simply uncheck the box next to “Check For Updates Automatically” which will display the below warning message.
To completely disable the automatic Java updates click the “Never Check” button which will close the pop up warning message. Next click the Apply button on the Update tab of the Java Control Panel to save the settings.
- Close Windows: Now that the Java Update Scheduler is disabled you can close the Java Control Panel and the Windows 7 Control Panel as well.
Create Task To Check For Java Updates Once Monthly:
With the jusched.exe process disabled we still need to check for Java updates so we will create a Windows task to check once a month without requiring the need to run a separate process all the time.
- Launch Windows 7 Task Scheduler: Click the Windows icon in the taskbar and type “Task Scheduler” into the search box as shown in the below image.
With the “Task Scheduler” application displaying in the Windows 7 Start Menu you can now click “Task Scheduler” underneath Programs to launch the Windows 7 Task Scheduler as shown in the below image.
- Begin Basic Task Creation: Now click on Action in the Task Scheduler top navigation bar and select Create Basic Task from the drop down menu as sown in the below example image.
Once Create Basic Task is clicked it will launch the Windows 7 Create Basic Task Wizard which is displayed below.
- Name & Task Trigger: Provide a name (Update Java) for the task in the initial Basic Task Wizard, click the Next button to continue to the scheduling options as shown in the below image, select Monthly as the Task Trigger, and then click the Next button.
- Schedule Task: The next screen in the Basic Task Wizard is where you select when the task will run. As seen in the example image below you want to select all months from the drop down and then pick a day every month that the task will run.
- Select Action & Program To Run: After the details of the day and time to run the task have been created in the window above you then will be asked what the task will do. There are three options which include Start A Program, Send An Email, or Display A Message as shown in the example image.
Select the “Start a Program” option and then click the Next button to continue to the next screen which is where the program to run will be specified. As you can see in the below example image we will be running the jucheck.exe application to check for Java updates.
The jucheck.exe application’s path is specified below for Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. Make sure to not only include double quotes around the entire path to jucheck.exe but also to verify the location of jucheck.exe on your computer before saving the task that is being created.
jucheck.exe Application Path:
- C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jucheck.exe
- Verify Task Summary: The last screen in the Create Basic Task Wizard is the summary screen where you should verify all of the details before clicking the Finish button to save the task.
The task that was just created will now run once a month on the day that you specified and one of two results will display when the task runs. The two possibilities are there will be an update available or there will not be an update available. Below are example images showing what will display in both scenarios.
Java Update Basic Task: Java Update Available
Java Update Basic Task: Running Latest Java Available
Please note that every time that Java is updated it will automatically enable the Automatic Java Update Scheduler so you will be required to uncheck the same box mentioned in the first section of this article. You won’t be required to create a new task each time though.
Windows 7 Inside Out (Paperback)
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Head First Java, 2nd Edition (Paperback)
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I am using Windows 7, and I attempt to turn off the automatic updater, following the instructions you gave. However, it turns itself right back on. I can turn it off, read all the warnings, hit “apply” and so forth, and then open up the Java control panel right away and it is back on. Help!
Hello Macwhirr,
I am not sure if this could be the problem or not but do you by chance have UAC(User Access Control) still turned on? Are you possibly not logged in as an administrator? I double checked to verify and my Windows 7 laptop that I performed this task on is still turned off. After Java upgrades it is likely you will have to make the setting modification again because each new install overwrites the settings to the default Java settings.
Thanks.
alex
When I opened the java process from the control panel (by the way in what category is it? I couldn’t find out and had to switch to ‘small icons’ to find it alphbetically)
the java dialog doesn’t contain ‘update’ tab – why is that?
Hello Guy,
Not sure what you mean by “what category is it?”. As for no update tab I have also not seen that issue however I would imagine it could mean you are not an administrator on the computer or your version of JAVA is older or something. It is hard to say without any details such as operating system, JAVA version, etc., etc.
Thanks.
alex
Thanks to a very old bug that Sun / Oracle never fixed, this will not work unless you run the Java Control panel as administrator. Unfortunatley, there is no option for that inside of control panel, so you have to find it in Program Files. Look for javacpl inside of the bin subfolder. Right-click, choose run as administrator and then follow the above instructions.
It will work until you update it the next time when it will reset itself and you will have to go through this whole thing again.
Thanks for nothing Java.
Hello WG,
I was able to do it as noted in the instructions of the article however I do have UAC disabled on the Windows 7 laptop. We appreciate you taking the time to note the above for people that may be required to run the JAVA Settings as an administrator!
I couldn’t agree more that it is super annoying that every time it is updated you have to complete these steps again!
Thanks.
alex
Does not work – even as administrator. Might depend on what version of windows 7 you are using.
We had to literally move the jusched.exe file OUT of where it normally sits to stop it.
Stupid bugs.
Annoying!
When my laptop was just reset up – I didn’t allow it to install at all.
(BTW – for those who may not know, if you use IE, you likely have activex turned on… and because of the way java works, it constantly turns itself back on unless you move it completely as my husband just did).
Hello Amber,
Which portion of the article was not working for you? I wouldn’t think it is a Windows version issue unless you are not able to see the Update tab with the “Check For Updates Automatically” setting.
Also what didn’t you allow to install? Java in general?
Thanks.
alex
I followed directions to uncheck the box for automatic update on Java. When I close the Java control box and reopen it, the automatic update box is turned on again. Maddening. Please help.
Hello Jim,
Are you opening t Java Control Box with administrator privileges? It sounds like the new setting is not able to be saved.
Thanks.
alex
Thanks for the reply Alex.
I am the owner and only user of my laptop. Does that automatically mean I’m the administrator?
Hello Jim,
It does not mean you are though it appears from the message below that you have verified you are an administrator.More to follow in the comment below.
Thanks.
alex
Alex–I am indicated as administrator.
Hello Jim,
Do you have User Access Control turned on? I wonder if that is limiting your ability to modify this setting for some reason. Do you get the pop up window that allows you to click the Never Check button?
Thanks.
alex
Alex: User Access Control is turned on and set to default setting. When I uncheck the automatic Java update I do get the pop up window that asks Never Check.
I’ve also tried clicking the Apply button. Nothing works.
Thanks for your help.
Jim
Hello Jim,
You might try turning UAC off and if that doesn’t work try reinstalling JAVA. Unfortunately I don’t have time to continue helping you troubleshoot this unless you want to pay for consulting services from our company, if so contact us using the online contact form. The steps in the article are what worked without issue for us and outside of this there are many things that could be causing the issue but it would likely take further investigation to come to a solution.
Thanks.
alex
Same problem. I am the admin (and only user) and the Java Updater settings will not accept the change to Never even after clicking Apply. It resets itself and keeps checking every day now that it has found an update (I had it set to check once a month). Useless developer that doesn’t allow contact or help unless fork over $50 or more first.
Windows 7 Ultimate, service pack 1 installed this is on a Macbook Pro (through Bootcamp).
Hello Sekitx,
What do you mean by Useless developer that doesn’t allow contact or help unless fork over $50 or more first?
Sounds like a recent update may be causing people issues setting the updates to not be enabled.
Thanks.
alex
Oracle, maker of Java I was referring to. Besides FAQ, there is no way to get help or inform them of issues besides “ask expert” which says $50 minimum.
Last update I did was 1-2 months ago. Most recent update (alert for past week) I have not done yet.
Hopefully they come up with a solutions so that the steps you’ve nicely laid out will work again.
Thank-you.
Hello sekitx2,
Ohh I wasn’t aware that they attempted to charge for support or even offered it for that matter… :) Do they even offer a forum or anything?
Appreciate the nice comment regarding the steps. When I initially wrote these steps I was on a laptop with much less power than I have now so I was looking for any way to squeeze extra juice from my laptop… now I am not so worried about it so its not really a big deal to me. It always does get under my skin though when you install an application and without telling you it is running 50 processes at all times in the background….
Thanks.
alex
No forum that I can see
[link to java’s site removed]
Hello sekitx2,
We do our best to keep external links on our web site to a minimum unless they are absolutely necessary so I have removed the above URL.
Thanks.
alex
Alex–Thanks for the help. I’ll try your latest suggestions.
Jim
Hello Jim,
No problem. Good luck.
Thanks.
alex
Cannot send any info to Oracle for free. They would like to charge people for pointing out their software bugs. Java update should be in task scheduler for user to turn it on or off. I run as admin and do not have tab “Updates” in java control panel. I guess oracle knows beter what I want and made it extremly hard to turn off automatic updates. Those updates bother me every day and I am seriously thinking to find out how to delete java from my laptop. It seems that big= monopoly=greed. I am running Win 7 Home Premium.
Hello andrew,
It is possible that the configuration panel is different between Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Ultimate though that would seem odd. It is also possible that newer versions of Java do not allow for this to be modified. When you find a solution let us know what it is.
Thanks.
alex