What is jusched.exe And Why Is It Running?
If you've looked in Task Manager and wondered what on earth the jusched.exe process is and if you can turn it off, then you are in luck. This process is the Java Update scheduler, which is a process that wastes memory all the time just to check once a month whether there are new updates to Java.
There's a scheduled tasks feature built into Windows for this type of thing… the java update scheduler is obviously not being used for critical updates since it's only scheduled to check once each month. Since I simply can't understand why the process needs to waste my memory, it has to go.
What you'll need to do is open up Control Panel, and then if you are in XP you can click on the Java icon, or in Vista you can click on Additional Options, and then click on Java.
Once you have the Java Control Panel open, select the Update tab, and then uncheck the box for "Check for Updates Automatically"
You'll receive a warning message stating that if somebody finds a security hole in Java that it will take up to a month before you are protected from it:
Does anybody else think that the sentence should read "the fastest and most secure Java" instead of the way it's worded?
After you click the Never Check button above, you'll probably receive this error message if you are in Windows Vista, stating that it also hasn't been properly certified to work with Vista in the first place. Just click that it works correctly.
That does make me wonder… I guess we'll miss the update that fixes the problem with the control panel… or will we? What you can do instead is schedule a task to run monthly using the built-in Task scheduler. If you don't care about updates to Java, then disregard the next part.
Schedule Java Update Check (Optional)
Just type in Task Scheduler into the start menu search box to open the task scheduler, and then click on Create Basic Task.
Follow the wizard along to pick a month and date, and then when you get to the "Start a Program" screen, use this as the path, adjusting if you are running a different version of Java. The key thing is that you run the jucheck.exe in your Java directory.
"C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\jucheck.exe"
Now when the scheduled task runs once a month, or whenever you schedule it, you'll get this dialog if there is a new version, or another dialog stating there are no updates to Java.
It's actually somewhat ironic that there's an update to Java on the day that I write this article…
nice
Good tip. However, if Java finds an updated version… it will install a new directory inside the Java program folder pertaining to the new Java version and will also install a new Java Update Checker software. Will that be a problem?
Mine has these two directories since the update.
Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\
Java\jre1.6.0_02\bin\
Or you could not use Java all together~!
thx you very much, hope it works perfectly :F
jusched is on my desktop and I can't delete it. I have gone to control panel and unchecked auto update. not sure what to try next?
I was doing fine until I got to the "Schedule Java Update Check" section.
This instruction needs greater clarity:
"Just type in Task Scheduler into the start menu search box to open the task scheduler, and then click on Create Basic Task."
I can go to Start / Search… and whether I go to "All files and folders…" or "Info in Help & Support Ctr", a search on Task Scheduler does not lead me to the Create Basic Task option you show here.
I'm running XP Professional V 2002 SP 2
If you go under Start -> Control Panel there is a folder icon called Scheduled Tasks. Try working it from there.
…actually, it isn't ironic - rather it is coincidental.
When writer was recommending us to turn off the Java scheduler because "it is obviously not being used for critical updates," he received a message about a new security fix. This is an accepted form of irony expressing "difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is."
Good points jason and chris. Also note that there's a full stop missing at the end of Line 16.
Hey geek, have you ever gathered a list of these useless processes?
I could not access the internet until I terminated jusched.exe
Is it a bug or what?
Interesting how the latest version has up'ed the frequency from once a month to once a week :-p
Thanks for the wonderful site … your #1 Fan
Good tip! Thanks!
Nice tip
i tried add the new task the one geek told us above in the scheduled tasks but a message is displayed "unable to start the service"
what to do now…….
kindly help.
The funny thing is is that this program has been leaking memory, but Norton Internet Security has NEVER let it run, meaning my version of Java was WAY outdated!!! I deletetd it without a thought. I'll go the website to update Java, as I do code in Java… and I thought I was just messing up the code when it didn't work!!!!
Glad I decided to sort through my system tasks!
I went through all the steps and disabled it from starting up but it keeps trying to change back. I use WinPatrol and in the last 10-20 minutes have gotten at least 8 messages saying that a new Startup Program has been detected and asking if I approve of it. I keep saying it no but this little bugger is persistent. Any ideas?
you can spend far less time and be more effective by going to run, opening msconfig, and clicking the start-up tab, simply uncheck the jusched box. and away you go
lol @ russell
exactly.
Awesome!!! I'm going to bookmark this site. It's wonderful! Thank you for the helpful info on processes and which ones I don't need, as well as how to remove them. Awesome!!!!!!
Grateful "Hugz"!
- Angelvoice 0:-)
You might point out that the UPDATE tab of the Java Control Panel doesn't even appear unless you run it as an administrator. Took me a little while to figure that one out.
Perfecto….just the info that i was looking for… nothing more nothing less. Great guys! Thanx
Terrific write-up! This is my first visit to your website, but it definitely won't be the last.
(old geezer stuff now…): I've been a computer pro since 1969 (that's right — 1969!). I'm an ex-IBMer and systems programming consultant on IBM mainframe operating systems (not applications). In all those years I've seen less than a half dozen technical write-ups that were so clearly written without leaving ANYTHING out (except what I've written, of course, LOL).
Keep up the great work!
Russel~ If you noticed, the Vista MSConfig box does not have the check boxes next to the applications. This
must differ between XP and Vista.
Thank you!
Thanks so much for the way to get rid of that danged jusched - it keeps locking up my computer when I try to shut down. Thanks!
Thanks for the fix!
Thanks for this. Now that's one less "background" program I have running. All I need to do is figure out why my "Program Updates" doesn't want to work right. I keep getting "An error occurred. Error # -5″. I went to consumer.installshield.com and found the error. I followed the steps but kept getting the same error. Also, I don't know (and can't seem to figure out) how to "add" programs for it to find updates for. It only list one program under the "Change Update Settings" which is "InstallShield Update Manager" and that's it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
NavyAICS.
was doing fine until I got to the "Schedule Java Update Check" section.
This instruction needs greater clarity:
"Just type in Task Scheduler into the start menu search box to open the task scheduler, and then click on Create Basic Task."
I can go to Start / Search… and whether I go to "All files and folders…" or "Info in Help & Support Ctr", a search on Task Scheduler does not lead me to the Create Basic Task option you show here.
I have XP home
and I tried under Start -> Control Panel there is a folder icon called Scheduled Tasks. Try working it from there. and still no "Create Basic Task"
Love your web page. Thank you for all your help. Don
This is now unnecessary. It happened to be the update that was installed in this article (6u2) where jusched.exe should exit after checking for updates.
(Disclosure: I work for Sun.)
fine… i had this problem… thanks for ur kind information…
Thanks for this, it's quite handy. This is definitely a process that has bothered me.
Thanks — I think — I'm not too savvy re this stuff. I copied this:
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\jucheck.exe
into the Update Java window, then 'Task', then 'Run' — was this right?
And then in the 'Start In' box, I copied *this*: "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin"
Right?
Please notify of followup comments
thanks-easy to follow-appreciate the help!
good one
It would so nice of Sun to add some option to check from time to time when/as a java vm is starting…
Hehe Thaaaanks..
A little perspective here, folks:
This program uses only 84K (only three processes running on my XP system are smaller), and no CPU cycles (presumably it does know to run only once in a while). In other words, it isn't slowing down anything at all. Personally, I'd like to have Java updated whenever a new release comes out. This saves me from checking all the time, and its cost in terms of system performance is infinitesimal.
I also have stopped this process from running constantly. However, my way of making sure I have the latest version for this (and many other apps) is by using Secunia's (the famous security org) free Software Inspector. It runs from your browser (nothing to install) and will tell you if there is an update available for Java (+ Flash, Quicktime, iTunes, Skype, Firefox, Opera, IE, etc). You can even sign-up to have them periodically send you a reminder email so you remember to return to their website and run the software inspector. The URL is:
http://secunia.com/software_inspector/
does any one know a parameter to add so that it continues the update automatically?
@ joe on my system it uses: private bytes 1368k, WS private 952k and handles 55,
if you have a lot of these "unessasry" processes running all the time it will slow your system down.
There are two reasons a process will slow your system down: the memory it takes up and the CPU cycles it's using. As far as I can tell, this process takes very little memory (0.0084% of my 1 GB of RAM) and virtually no CPU time. How is this slowing my system down?
I'm all in favor of eliminating unnecessary processes, but I think this one is useful and almost completely free in terms of system resources. You don't need to get rid of absolutely every tiny little process just because it's there–that's just obsessive.
On the other hand, the above comment, "Another Update Alternative" gives you another option. But I, for one, don't want to let any company's software know what's on my PC, besides their own product.
I thought that it was a virus process until I read this.
Thank you for a clearly written, well-illustrated tip on disabling the jusched.exe process. I had not heard of your site before, but I have now added your home page to my Favorites and will check back often. /Bill
Agreed it uses little memory/processor but every startup process has a boot time cost (small yes) and the issue of clutter and clarity in your process list is an important one, easier to track down the grumblies (malware) if unecesary processes are expunged. Plus anythign runnign that doesnt have to, has the risk of a mem leak or exploit so it is good practise IMHO to cut down on stuff.
It takes longer for boot time to process all these. Keep in mind, EVERY program you install wants to check for updates on the web. It will also take time whenever it decides to check via the web, which is not configurable. I wouldn't worry so much about getting rid of the jusched's and the Reader_sl's of the world if the would let me configure them for 2 AM webchecks.
I found this forum so I could get rid of this in the startups for all my users. I roll out Java updates myself and don't need the Java program to do it for me. I'm looking for a group policy to kill all extra startups.
Useful info, thanks -
These snide programs bug the cr@p out of me, I have probably 200+ applications of my PC and what if they all installed their own updater…
And I only installed java 'cause websites forced me to…
[halt: end of rant]
I keep getting this warning that jusched.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. I did what you said to do but then it still comes up. What's with that?
was doing fine until I got to the "Schedule Java Update Check" section.
This instruction needs greater clarity:
"Just type in Task Scheduler into the start menu search box to open the task scheduler, and then click on Create Basic Task."
I can go to Start / Search¦ and whether I go to "All files and folders¦" or "Info in Help & Support Ctr", a search on Task Scheduler does not lead me to the Create Basic Task option you show here.
I have XP home
and I tried under Start -> Control Panel there is a folder icon called Scheduled Tasks. Try working it from there. and still no "Create Basic Task"