How do I run a .jnlp download director

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1

Trying to update the bios on my IBM server. I have the IBM_DownloadDirector.jnlp file which should run in java but I cannot get it to work on my browser. Please could somebody help me here?

2

What does it mean? You have this file on your disk? How do you try to “run” it? Do you have Java installed at all?

3

The file is created on the Lenovo System X Firmware service and the file includes the many packages I might need to install fixes and upgrades on the machine firmware for my machine. The .jnlp file has been downloaded to my system and is intended to run javaws. When run it manages the actual downloads and builds a file of about 1GB which can be run on DVD. It was 2017 when I last did this and a great deal has changed but Lenovo are still offering the .jnlp for System X machines.

I have java-11-openjdk but I suspect that javaws has been deprecated for a while because the web browser java plugin is very insecure. I am thinking I shall have to set up a windows 7 VM or similar unless somebody else has a solution.

4

This is what i sometimes use from the shell. Install:

# zypper in icedtea-web

Then configure your jdk/jre (i still use jdk 11 for this) with

> itweb-settings.itweb.sh

and start a .jnlp file from the shell e.g.

> javaws.itweb dynamictree_webstart.jnlp
5

You managed to answer one out of four questions. As was already mentioned, you need icedtea-web (which is installed by default here). Show

xdg-mime query default application/x-java-jnlp-file

Java Web Start has nothing to do with java plugin.

6

OK, here is what I have:-

alastair@HP-Z640-1:~> xdg-mime query default application/x-java-jnlp-file
javaws.desktop
alastair@HP-Z640-1:~>
7

So you do have icedtea-web and actually when I try to open downloaded file IBMDownloadDirectorApp.jnlp, Java is started. It fails to download dldirector.jar with 403 error, so I assume one needs proper credentials on the IBM site (or alternative jnlp file from Lenovo). But this is past starting Java, so jnlp most certainly “works in browser”.

8

I have it all working now. I recall installing icedtea-web but it must have been on my laptop.

I shall I hope soon see what versions I have to update on my system but I am not hopefull. If I use the USB for booting and efi as suggested by Malcolm would that solve my snapshot rewind?

I see that the IBM download is 2+GB so that will keep me busy for a while.