HOWTO: Install Sun Java j2re Globally

by Thomas Chung on Jan 23, 2004

In my previous tutorial, I've discussed installing Blackdown Java j2re manually.
This time, I would like to discuss installing Sun Java j2re using RPM package globally.

First let's remove previous Blackdown Java if installed.

$ sudo rm -rf /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin_oji.so
$ sudo rm -rf /usr/local/j2re1.4.2

Also remove /usr/local/j2re1.4.2/bin from .bash_profile

$ cd ~
$ vi .bash_profile

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:/usr/local/j2re1.4.2/bin

Now let's install Sun Java j2re 1.4.2 version 03 rpm package.

1) Download j2re-1_4_2_03-linux-i586-rpm.bin from following URL:
http://www.java.com/en/download/linux_manual.jsp

2) Add executable bit and execute it to get rpm package.

$ chmod a+x j2re-1_4_2_03-linux-i586-rpm.bin
$ ./j2re-1_4_2_03-linux-i586-rpm.bin

3) Accept the License Agreement by typing "yes" at the end of the screen

4) Install the rpm

$ sudo rpm -Uvh j2re-1_4_2_03-linux-i586.rpm
Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]
   1:j2re                   ########################################### [100%]
                                                                                                    
5) To add java plugin for Mozilla

$ cd /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
$ sudo ln -s /usr/java/j2re1.4.2_03/plugin/i386/ns610-gcc32/libjavaplugin_oji.so .

Now let's add PATH for JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/j2re1.4.2_03 globally

1) Download java.sh and copy it to /etc/profile.d 

$ cd ~/download
$ chmod 755 java.sh
$ sudo cp java.sh /etc/profile.d

2) Log out and log back in then check JAVA_HOME PATH by typing following command

$ env | grep JAVA_HOME
JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/j2re1.4.2_03

Here is the screenshot for about plugin