Getting 64-bit Java browser plugin to work

Question

I've installed Java 64-bit on my Windows 7 machine, and have since installed many 64-bit versions of Java-based programs. Now however I have to start using a website using a Java applet, but the 64-bit version of Java doesn't have a browser plugin that works. After searching the web I found two possible solutions:

• Installing both Java 32-bit and 64-bit versions on the same machine. However after trying this I've found that the 32-bit version messes up the 64-bit version in some way (to the extent that the uninstallers didn't even work any more)
• Copying some files from java/bin into my Firefox plugins folder - but all articles I found about this approach refer to files that don't exist in the latest 64-bit version.

Has anyone managed to get the Java browser plugin to run when 64-bit?

Answer 1

According to the article Windows 7 - problem installing java, the order of installation is important :

If Java is installed and shows up in Programs and features, then uninstall it. [..]

If you want both 32 and 64 bit java, then download both the one under (Windows) and the one under (Windowsx64)

if you use both 32 and 64 bit browsers, you can install both. Just install the 64 bit one first, then the 32 bit one, or re install the 32 bit one over the 64 bit one if both are already installed, because of a specific known issue with both Javas installed.

If when installing both one messes up the other, you might have to do some acrobatics every time when upgrading Java. So do not set Java to auto-update.