Which version of Java should I download for my 64-bit Windows operating system?
This article applies to:
- Platform(s): Windows 7, Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows 2008 Server
- Browser(s): Internet Explorer 8.x, Internet Explorer 7.x
- Java version(s): 6.0, 6u10+
http://java.com/en/download/faq/java_win64bit.xml
Windows 64-bit operating system comes with both 32-bit and 64-bit Internet Explorer (IE) browsers. 32-bit IE comes as a default. There are different versions of Java software available for download depending on whether you are using 32-bit or 64-bit IE browsers.
Please note that the 64-bit Java is presented as a download option automatically for 64-bit Internet Explorer users, as it is the only officially available 64-bit browser for Windows.
You must also individually maintain both of these versions of Java separately if they are installed, as they were when I recently received my Dell Windows 7 Premium based desktop. If you don't normally use the 64-bit browser, you may prefer to uninstall this copy of Java from Control Panel, since otherwise it will become badly out of date over time.
Bitman