What Functionality Would I Lose if I Disable Browser-Based Java?

For some time now, people have been warned to disable Java in
their browsers or to completely remove it from their systems
unless they actually need it. But if you disable it or remove it, are
you actually losing much, if any, functionality?

The Question

SuperUser reader RaQib  wants to know if he would lose
any functionality if he disabled browser-based Java:

I have read that disabling Java (not JavaScript) will make
my computer safer from malicious software attacks. All
indications are that it will indeed make it safer, but I have
not seen any real indications out there as to what
functionality I will lose in the browsing experience, if
anything. Can someone tell me what I would or would not
experience if I disable Java and is it really necessary for
browsing these days?

Will RaQib really lose any functionality if he disables browser-based Java?

The Answer

This is a fairly good question. What it boils down to is this:
If you need Java in a browser, you will know so right away.
If you do not need Java (and are unaware if you are even
using it or not), chances are good that you will never miss
it or bump into it again. The chances of a casual user
tripping over a website that would truly need Java to
function in 2015 is rare at best nowadays.

Just so you understand the history of Java and the web,
Java is essentially a “black box” virtual machine that
allows you to code in Java and then run that code on any
system that can run Java. The concept was that Java
would be a middle ground platform that could run on any
machine: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, etc. The Java plugin
simply allows you to run Java apps from within a web
browser. This was appealing in the early days of the
Internet due to a lack of cross-platform compatibilities and
other “rough edges” of the early Internet.

But in 2015, most of the “fancy” base-level functionality
that Java provided in the past (cool graphics, effects, and
such) are now handled within the browser itself via CSS,
HTML, and JavaScript. Back in the late 1990s/early-2000s,
lots of creative sites used Java because native browsers
could not handle the tricks one could only do in Java back
then. Java even came bundled as a basic plugin in
Netscape Navigator back in the day thanks to the
commonly accepted functionality it provided.

Now where you might miss it in 2015 depends on the kinds
of websites you access. For example, I know that many
financial systems accessible online (such as personal tax
systems, payroll gateways, and other such systems) use
complex Java applications to allow end users to get a
richer experience with their financial tools. So if you are
using your computer to access web-based financial
applications like that, then you definitely need Java
enabled. But in my experience, even in those cases, many
such institutions are slowly moving their archaic Java-
based systems to a more stable, non-Java-based setup
that takes better advantage of modern web browser
functionality.

For example, a little over a year ago anyone using the
browser-based screen sharing software/service
GoToMeeting needed to have Java enabled in their browser
as well as on their system. But as explained in this support
forum thread on their site , they have now officially
dropped the Java requirement in favor of their own non-Java-based software tool:

    * In the past we used to use Java to automate
       launching our software, we have since replaced that
       method with our own launcher. Since introducing our
       launcher, we no longer use Java.

So my advice is if Java worries you as a potential security
concern on a browser level, just disable it for now. I am
pretty confident that you will not miss it. And if, in like 8 to
9 months, you need Java for some reason, deal with it then.

How to Find Your PC’s Windows Product Key So You Can Reinstall Windows

You’ll need a unique product key to reinstall Windows on your PC .
This is more confusing than it sounds — you may not be able to re-use the key your computer’s manufacturer used.
Reinstalling Windows often feels necessary, especially on new PCs that come packed with bloatware . You can legally download
Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 installation media directly from Microsoft.

Three Places You Might Find the Key

The key you need will be in one of three places:

Stored in software on your PC :

When you (or your PC manufacturer) installs Windows, Windows stores its productkey in the registry. You can extract this product key, and —often — enter it when reinstalling Windows on your PC.
Crucially, you’ll need to grab it from your operating system
before you begin reinstalling Windows or it could be deleted if
you format your hard drive.

Printed on a sticker:

Some PCs use a technology called“System Locked Pre-installation,” or SLP. If your PC uses this,the product key on your PC — the one stored in the registry,and the one key-viewer applications display — will be different from the actual key your PC needs. The actual key is on a certificate of authenticity (COA) sticker on your PC or its power supply. The one in the registry and key-viewer application is a red herring. This system was common for Windows 7 PCs.

Embedded in your PC’s UEFI firmware :

Many newer PCs that come with Windows 8 use a new method. The key for the version of Windows the PC comes with is stored in
the computer’s UEFI firmware or BIOS. You don’t even need
to know it — assuming you’re installing the same edition of
Windows the PC came with, it should automatically activate
and work without you needing to enter a key. It’ll all happen
automatically.

Be sure to use the same version and edition of Windows the
computer came with. In other words, if it came with Windows 7
Home Premium, you can’t install Windows 7 Professional.

Find the Key In Software

The product key is stored in the registry on your computer, and it
can be read by simple key-viewing programs or even basic scripts.
We recommend NirSoft ProduKey for this. Despite all our railing
against the Windows freeware ecosystem, NirSoft’s software has
always been excellent and never tried to force junk onto your PC.
Be sure to download it from NirSoft’s official website and not a
third-party download site, though.

Download ProduKey, run it, and look at the Windows product key it displays. Be sure to read the “Product Key” column, and not the
“Product ID” column. Write this product key down, print it out, or
store it somewhere electronically. You’ll need it when reinstalling
Windows, and you may not be able to get it again if you wipe your
hard drive.

But, beware — this product key may not actually work
for reinstalling Windows on your PC.

Read the Key From the COA Sticker

So, is that product key usable for reinstalling Windows on your PC?

If you have a Windows 7-era PC, there’s a good chance the PC’s
key is a single key the manufacturer uses for all their PCs. Thanks to “System Locked Pre-installation,” you’re not allowed to use that key to install Windows. If you try, you’ll get error messages about the key being invalid.

To check, you’ll need to look for a certificate of authenticity sticker
on your computer. The COA sticker verifies that the computer
came with an authentic copy of WIndows, and that sticker has a
product key printed on it. You’ll need that product key to reinstall
Windows — and, if the manufacturer used System Locked Pre-
installation, that key is different form the one your PC came with in software.

Examine your computer to find the key. On a laptop, it may be on
the bottom of the laptop. If your laptop has a removable battery, it
may be under the battery. If there’s some sort of compartment you can open, it might be in there. It may even be stuck to the laptop’s charger brick. If it’s a desktop, look on the side of the desktop’s case. If it’s not there, check the top, back, bottom, and anywhere else it might be.

If the key has rubbed off of the sticker, there’s not much you can
do. You can try contacting your computer’s manufacturer and
explaining what happened, but we can’t guarantee they’ll help.
Microsoft would always be happy to sell you another key, though!

Is the Key Stored in Hardware?

Newer Windows 8 PCs can avoid all these problems. The key isn’t
stored on software where it can be wiped, or on a sticker where it
could be smudged off or removed. No one can glance at your
computer’s COA sticker to steal its product key. Instead, the key is
stored in the computer’s UEFI firmware or BIOS by the
manufacturer.

You don’t have to do anything special if you have this. If your
computer came with WIndows 8 and it doesn’t have a COA sticker,
don’t worry. You should just be able to reinstall the same edition of Windows the PC came with and it should just work without even asking you for a key. (Still, it may be best to run NirSoft’s ProduKey and write down any key you find there before reinstalling Windows — just in case.)