LimeWire: 5.8.8
Windows: Windows 7, possibly Windows Vista

Bottom Line: install your Java kits and Java upgrades with administrator privileges. (When running the jdk*.exe or jre*.exe, do a right click and select "Run as Administrator".)

Synopsis: I'd been having fits with LimeWire 5.8.8 and updates to Sun Java. It appears the real problem is one of permissions: install your Java kit as Administrator (or with administrator permissions), and LimeWire will install like a dream.

Background:
1. Installed LimeWire 5.8.8 on to Windows Vista Home SP 2 (32 bit), Sun Java JDK 1.6.0_18. The JDK was in the standard install location: c:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_18. LimeWire came up like a champ, I was downloading and uploading songs five minutes after the LimeWire installation was complete.

2. Upgraded to Java JDK 1.6.0_20. LimeWire says that Java cannot be found, and I need to install/reinstall java. (JDK == Java Development Kit, includes the JRE (see below) and developer libraries and tools.)

3. Tried installing the Java JRE 1.6.0_20, standard target forlder. (JRE > Java Runtime Environment, minimum of binaries and libraries needed to run Java). Same problem, LimeWire could not find java.

4. What the heck, I upgraded my HP Pavilion from Windows Vista 32 bit to Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit. Gave me more memory access, might solve the LimeWire / Java problem.

5. No joy. With LimeWire 5.8.8 and Sun Java JRE 1.6.0_20 64 bit, LimeWire cannot find the jre (java).

6. On a lark, decided to reinstall the jre as an administrator. Found the jre*.exe file, did a right click on the file, selected "Run as administrator". Installed in c:\Program Files\Java\jre6, the default folder for Java JRE 64 bit.

7. And to be safe, did a reinstall of LimeWire 5.8.8. (Very simple, very fast.) Ran with regular user privileges (did -not- select "Run as administrator").

8. JOY! LimeWire is working like a champ again. The key seemed to be installing the Java kit with administrator privileges.


My guess is this solution will work with Windows Vista, and likely applies to other Windows platforms. That is, install your Java kit with administrator privileges, then install LimeWire.

For Java upgrades, my guess is that if you install the Java upgrade with administrator privileges, where LimeWire has already been installed, you should be good to do. That is, the Java upgrade will occur over the current Java installation, and LimeWire won't know the difference (and will keep working).


Note: a new thread was started as this problem seems to be listed in numerous places on this board, and in many, many threads on other message boards.

Edit by LOTR: Also see http://www.gnutellaforums.com/window...tml#post348146 in regards to Java 6 and 7 issues. Or specifically Java 7 http://www.gnutellaforums.com/connec...tml#post368753