[Ham-Computers] Java update problem

[John and Linda Miller]

Can someone help me with a Java JRE 6 Update 21 problem.  I think I have a case where an attempt to automatically downup Upate 21 to working JRE 6 Update 20 caused corruption.

Here are the details.

I have a Windows XP Home Edition desktop computer.  I also have a Windows XP 
        Media
 Center laptop computer.  I am going to refer to one as "desktop" and to the other as "laptop.

On the 
desktop, when I key Start/Control Panel I am in the Category View.  When
 I change to the Classic View (in the upper left)
 I see a Java icon.  When I right click on the Java icon I have a choice
 of Open or Shortcut.  When I select Open, a tabbed screen appears.  When
 I key the General Tab and select About I see Version 6 Update 21.  The 
Update tab tells me that Automatic Update is enabled, and details the 
day and time of the check for updates.  I could go on, but all of this 
is normal.  When, on the Classic View screen I 
        choose 
Category View, then select Other Control Panel Options on the left, I 
see the Java icon, and I can right click it and do the exact same things
 as above.

Additionally, on the desktop, when in Category View 
and I choose Add or Remove Program, when that screen populates, I see 
Java(TM) 6 update 21.

This description tells me the desktop is operating perfectly normally.

Now
 on the laptop, when I key Start/Control Panel I am in the Category 
View.  When I change to the Classic View (in the upper left) I DO NOT 
see a
 Java icon.  When, on the Classic View screen I choose Category View, 
then select Other Control Panel Options on the left, I DO NOT see the 
Java icon.

Additionally, on the laptop, when in Category View and I choose Add or Remove Program, 
        when that screen populates, I see Java(TM) 6 update 20 (not 21).

The lack of the icon on Classic suggests a corrupted Java.

To
 attempt to prove the corruption theory, when I download the installer 
(jre-6u21-windows-i586-iftw-rv...) to my hard drive, then run it and 
tell it I don't want the piggyback Yahoo! toolbar, it locks up the 
laptop.  No mouse or key board control.  So I press and hold the Power 
button until it powers down.  I stay power down for a minute or more, 
then power up.

When I attempt to remove the Java 6 Update 20 
using Add or Remove Program, by going there, highlighting Java and 
selecting Remove. I see this error message:

"Error 1704. An
 installation for Java(TM) Update 21 is currently suspended.  You must 
undo the changes made by that installation to continue.  Do you want to 
undo those changes? (Yes)  (No)"

Yes is the default,  I select it
 and see the gauge that incremented left to right, actually backs up, 
right to left, and I am in a screen saying: "Please wait while Windows 
        configures Java.  Time remaining: 0 seconds.  (Cancel)"  
        
The
 gauge that you would expect to see increment from left to right is now 
blank.  I wait five minutes.  Nothing is happening.  I press Cancel and 
find the whole machine is locked up, and as above, I press the Power 
button to power down for a minute or more, then 
        reboot.

Does anyone know of a tool that will safely remove the apparently corrupted Update 20 and suspended Update 21?