For optimum performance and functionality, the full CROME application can be installed with a single click from a Web page (an inactive image from such a page is shown below).  Note when running as an application, CROME requires a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) to be locally installed on your desktop computer.

Thus for a Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP installation you will need to first install a JVM (which provides a runtime base for many different programs much like visual basic) and next install the actual CROME application.

• The JVM installer
  
• The CROME application Installer
  
• Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP Installation of CROME
  
• Common (i.e. Generic Solaris/Unix/Linux) Installation of CROME
  

The three standard approved Java Virtual Machine (JVM) major releases that can be used by CROME are 1) Java1 JDK/JRE 1.1.8, 2) the newer Java2 JDK/JRE 1.4.2 and 3) the very new JDK/JRE 1.5.0 faimily.

Note Java2 JDK/JRE 1.4.2 is the currently preferred Java Virtual Machine, although newer releases like Java2 JDK/JRE 1.5.0 have been fully qualified and will work just fine.[1]

Although CROME has been tested in ALL versions of the JVM, we have found the following to be true:

There exists subtle bugs in several earlier versions (particularly in the beta and first releases of 1.1.8 1.3.0, 1.4.0 and the latest Sun release of 1.5.0).

Testing has shown that 1) the newer Java2 (J2SE) JDK/JRE 1.4.2_08, and 2) the newest Java2 (J2SE) JDK/JRE 1.5.0_03 to be the two most capable, reliable and the most efficient versions of the Java Virtual Machine.

Both IBM and Sun provide free versions of many version of the JVM ranging from 1.1.8 to 1.5.0 from their websites, however only Sun provides a stable version of 1.3.1 and 1.4.2 and 1.5.0 that are certified by Quantum to work with CROME (make sure to have the latest release of that version!) but more importantly:

The JVM installer is made available via the CROME server website, which is where you should go to download it thus ensuring that you install a version of the JVM fully qualified by Quantum’s staff.

We emphasize this point because often times a PC will have some version of Java installed on it already (from a different program or website) but it may be a beta release, or unstable version of Java ridden with bugs.

If you do not want to utilize the JVM available on the CROME website, you can always use the most recent version of Java you can always go to the URL http://java.sun.com to download the latest JVM version for your platform, however Quantum can not fully guarantee that CROME will be fully functional or stable unless your JVM is in the approved certified list maintained by Quantum Q&A testing.

The currently approved CROME JRE install packages are available for both the Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP and Solaris/Sparc on your CROME WWW server.   If no URL is listed the JVM is provided on the CROME server itself:

- Best Choice STABLE FASTEST (most stable / fastest JRE as of 6/16/2005) -

- Good Choice STABLE MOST RECENT (newest JRE as of 6/16/2005) -

- Highly Discouraged Choice (older slower JRE / some features will be automatically disabled) -

Note, you only need to install the JVM once, and it is possible to download your JVM from the Sun Microsystems WWW site.  Remember the JVM can be used for other applications besides CROME as it provides a generic-platform independent runtime environment for Java Byte Code.

Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP details

Note that Microsoft’s Internet Explorer allows you to execute the self-installers directly from the browser, without requiring you to first save the files to disk.  If you are using Netscape, you may need to first save the file to disk and then double-click on it afterwards.  Note that both the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and CROME itself can “de-install” using the standard Microsoft Control Panel “Add/Remove Programs” feature.

The Windows installer will only install CROME if an approved JVMs from a tested list is presently installed on your PC - this eliminate issues due to "poor" releases of the Java Environment from either Sun or IBM.

The Quantum Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP installer will search the JVM preference table, as show below from top to bottom in an attempt to find a "tested" JVM to ensure correct operation of the CROME client GUI once it is installed.

Currently, Quantum supports the following JVMs in order of install preference (as of 6/16/2005), a stable certified JVM is always available for download from your CROME server - thus you typically need not concern yourself with the following table (for both the JRE and JDK):

JVM "Java2" J2SE preference table

The CROME CUI client software still works with older JVM (for both the JRE and JDK) but they are no longer recommended for reasons previously discussed:

JVM "Java1" preference table [ use of a newer J2SE JVM is highly recommend ]

Note the "Beta EA" are early access releases from Sun Microsystems, that Sun itself has not yet approved, CROME does however appear to run fine with these JVM releases.

Solaris 2.X details

When selecting the Solaris version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), it necessary to save the file to your hard disk and then execute the command using a Bourne Shell, for example:

sh j2re-1_4_2_08-solaris-sparc.sh  (install as user root)

WARNING, older versions of Solaris are not capable of running the newest JRE

The JRE should be installed as a common application by root, typically as "/opt/jre<version>".  This means that multiple users can share the same approved Java Runtime environment.  Solaris is sometimes delivered with JRE 1.1.8 and more recent versions have the more current JVMs installed as a native OS package - In this case downloading an initial JRE is unnecessary.  However it is highly recommended that you use the latest Quantum approved JRE such as 1.4.2_08 of the JVM - not the defaults that are delivered in the Sun Microsystems 2.5, 2.51, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 and 2.9 and Solaris 10 install CD-ROMs (or DVDs).

One final note when installing new JVMs on Solaris the installation instructions typically require that the latest patch clusters for your version of the Solaris operating system be applied [ to ensure bug free operation and best performance], a procedure which is beyond the scope of this document.

Linux details

The URL http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html from Sun also provides a Linux distribution of Java JRE or JDK that will work with CROME.

Once you have successfully installed a JVM, such as the approved JRE 1.4.2 from Sun Microsystems or from IBM, you are ready to install the CROME application.  Simply click on the appropriate link:

WIN95                                                   crome.exe

Solaris on SPARC or x86                     crome.bin

Other Platforms                                    crome.class

Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP details

As with the JRE install, note that Microsoft’s Internet Explorer allows you to execute the self-installers directly from the browser, without requiring you to first save the files to disk.  If you are using Netscape, you may need to first save the file to disk and then double-click on it afterwards.  Note that both the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and CROME itself can “de-install” using the standard Microsoft Control Panel “Add/Remove Programs” feature.

Solaris 2.X details

When selecting the  "UNIX/LINIX crome.bin", it necessary to save the "crome.bin" file to your hard disk and then execute them using the commands:

sh crome.bin             (best to install in users home dir)

The CROME application should be installed in your home directory - not as a common application by root.  This is required to allow proper file system permissions for you to store your own local preferences, formulas, and reports.

Although you may use the "Common (i.e. Generic) Installation of CROME" described later, newer Microsoft Operating Systems like Windows NT, 2000 and XP proved to be partially incompatible with Installshield installers[2], thus Quantum wrote a custom Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP installation package builder.  A special windows specific installation procedure is shown in this section.  For typical Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP installs the user should accept all defaults, check the license acceptance, and provide your CROME sites password when prompted.

Provide the site "password", and continue

Read and agree to the terms of the license by checking the agreement

Select the install area, for Windows 95/96/NT typically C:\WebApps\Crome is a good location for a personal computer. 

Warning about PC Network Installations:  It is best that you install CROME on a LOCAL C Drive, instead of installing it on a shared drive to used by many users.  The primary reason is the user’s preferences, reports, formulas, etc. are all stored underneath the installation folder, and it is best to keep the preferences separate for each user.  You can still share common reports, formulas, and groups with other users, as will be discussed later.

For Solaris you should prepend your home directory to the default /WebApps/Crome to get something like /home/fred/WebApps/Crome.  Hit the "Install" button to continue.

At this point your CROME application is completely installed and ready to be instantiated.

Once the CROME installer is invoked, a common machine-independent installation procedure is invoked.  For typical installs the user should accept all defaults, check the license acceptance, and provide your CROME sites password when prompted.  Typically you will follow this procedure for all Unix and/or Linux operating system variants.  Note the following screens are essentially the same as the "Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP Installation of CROME" previously described.

Execute either the command “sh crome.bin” or the command “java crome” to start the UNIX/LINIX installer:

Provide the site "password", and continue

Read and agree to the terms of the license by checking the agreement

Select the install area, for Windows 95/96/NT typically C:\WebApps\Crome is a good location for a personal computer. 

Warning about PC Network Installations:  It is best that you install CROME on a LOCAL C Drive, instead of installing it on a shared drive to used by many users.  The primary reason is the user’s preferences, reports, formulas, etc. are all stored underneath the installation folder, and it is best to keep the preferences separate for each user.  You can still share common reports, formulas, and groups with other users, as will be discussed later.

For Solaris you should prepend your home directory to the default /WebApps/Crome to get something like /home/fred/WebApps/Crome.  Hit the "Install" button to continue.

At this point your CROME application is completely installed and ready to be instantiated.