What is "jusched.exe" and how to disable it

In trying to clear up some system resources, or simply snooping around your system’s Task Manager, you’ve likely come across the “jusched.exe” process.  What exactly is it, and is it safe to delete?  Let’s go over its function in Windows and explain a few things.

The “jusched.exe” process is actually associated with Java, it’s the process that checks automatically whether or not there are updates to any part of the Java software.  The process usually runs constantly in the background and is only in use once a month to check for updates.  The problem, is that the process takes up a considerable amount of resources in terms of memory and CPU usage.  For something that’s only in use once per month, it’s really not necessary to keep it running all the time.

Disabling it is a pretty simple process, but does have its repercussions.  To disable it, open up your Control Panel, and click the Java icon in Windows XP, or click on “Additional Options” in Vista and click on Java.  In either OS, it should bring up the Java Control Panel.  Go to the “Update” tab, and uncheck the box next to “Check For Updates Automatically.”  Upon doing so, an alert box should pop up stating “We Strongly Recommend Letting Java Check For Updates…”  Click “Never Check,” and you should be good to go.  If you’re using Vista, you may have another warning message pop up, but simply choose “This Control Panel Works Correctly.”

Taking these steps will completely disable the “check update” function in Java, as well as the subsequent “jusched.exe” process that’s taking up so much of your resources.  As I said before, doing this has its repercussions.  By disabling the automatic updates for Java, you’ll be missing out on any important security patches, updates and so on.  If you can remember to manually check for updates then you’ll be fine, but most of us will forget immediately.  With Java becoming so prevalent in today’s Web environment, it’s a good idea to keep it as up to date and secure as possible.

If you’re running an older machine, or a machine that’s so loaded down that it’s starting to slow, it might be a good idea to disable the “jusched.exe” process out of necessity, but if you’re system is running fine with it enabled and running in the background, it’s a good idea to leave it be.  Alternatively, both Windows XP and Vista have built-in scheduler applications that can perform the same function as “jusched.exe” without the excessive strain on your system’s valuable resources.

In Vista, type “Task Scheduler” into the search bar under “Start.”  In XP, go to “Start,” “Programs,” “Accessories,” “System Tools,” ‘Scheduled Tasks.”  In both OSs, a window should pop up with all your system’s scheduled tasks.  Click “Add New Task”,” and follow the on-screen instructions.  For the schedule, just run it at some point every month, and when it asks for the “program to start,” simply input the path to Java’s “jusched.exe” file located in the Java directory.  It should look something like: “C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_01\bin\jucheck.exe,” but with your version of Java instead.

It’s up to you whether or not you want to disable the “jusched.exe” process from running automatically, setup a new Windows-based “scheduled task,” or if you want to disable it altogether, but in the end it depends on your situation and the type of machine your running.  As a rule of thumb, if you can’t notice any major differences while running, I’d leave everything alone.  If you notice a slight slow-down, I would first start by disabling all other known processes and then disable “jusched.exe” and set up a new scheduled task in Windows.  If all else fails, disable it completely and save the strain on your system.

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