JRE 1.5 CookBook

One of the recent updates breaks JRE 1.5 in 10.6.8. Here is a cookbook to install JRE 1.5

Download Pacifist.
http://www.charlessoft.com/

Download JRE 1.5
http://support.apple.com/downloads/Java_for_Mac_OS_X_10_5_Update_9

When entering commands copy the contents between the < > brackets.

  1. Click On the Finder. From the Go Menu Select “Go to Folder”
  2. Paste in </System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions> and click and Click go.
  3. Delete the two aliases (symlinks) “1.5” and “1.5.0”.
  4. Use Pacifist to open the JavaForMacOSX10.5Update9.pkg file that you downloaded. Open pacifist and select open Package.
  5. Navigate to: Contents > System > Library > Frameworks > JavaVM.framework > Versions
  6. In Pacifist select 1.5 and 1.5.0 right-click and chose Install to Default Location. Use Administrator Privileges.

Now it is time for fun with terminal…

  1. Now you will need to edit 1.5.0/Resources/Info.plist in order to allow your system to allow the older Java version to run. In a Terminal window:
    press Control+ W
    paste in
  2. Update the value for
  3. Go to the next key VMMaximumSystemVersion and update the value to <10.6.*>
  4. Ctrl-x to save the file and exit.
  5. Use (it Lives in /Applications/Utilities) Java Preferences app to verify that you have J2SE 5.0 installed. Drag the 32Bit JRE1.5 to the top.

Fire up your java app.

‘Missing Plug-in’ instead of attachments or images in Mail 10.6.4

Also presents itself as Plugin issues in Safari and Firefox Safari will show no Installed Plugins under the Help menu.

Go to Applications > Utilities > Java Preferences and click on the 2 Restore Defaults buttons.

If for some reason your Java Preferences will not open: reinstall Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 2 at http://support.apple.com/downloads/