Why does MATLAB become unresponsive after updating Java to 1.6.0_51 on Mac OS X?

I installed one of the Apple Java security updates which was released on June 18, 2013 and now MATLAB launches but is completely unresponsive.

1) Java for OS X 2013-004 (for Mountain Lion or Lion)

OR

2) Java for Mac OS X v10.6 Update 16 (for Snow Leopard)

Both of the above seeds update Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_51.

After installing this update I can observe any one of the following behavior:

- MATLAB does not start

- MATLAB is slow in responding

- Menus are not clickable

- MATLAB starts and gets to the "ready" state, but then hangs

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

This issue is due to a bug in the Java security updates that Apple released for Mac OS X. These updates install Java 1.6.0_51 and the exact build number looks like this (ending with M4508):

 Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_51-b11-456-10M4508)

You can check if you have installed the xM4508 versions by running any one of the following commands on the Terminal of your Mac OS X:

java -version

OR

/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.6 -exec java -version

If you have previously installed the xM4508 versions of the Java updates you can upgrade to the fixed xM4509 version by manually installing the following update:

Mac OS 10.7.x and 10.8.x:

================

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1572

Mac OS 10.6.x:

================

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1573

Confirm that you have the updated Java version by executing any of the above two commands. The exact build number looks like this (ending with M4509):

 Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_51-b11-457-10M4509)

If you had not originally installed http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1572 or http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1573 updates already (ending with M4508), you should receive this fix (ending with M4509) automatically through Software Update / App Store.