FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\bin>java -version
java version "1.6.0_24"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_24-b07)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 19.1-b02, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
This OS is running as a virtual machine (VMWare) on a large and slow ESX server.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
When a browser is opened and a page with an applet is loaded where the applet takes a long time (>60 seconds) to load, the JVM shuts down unexpectedly after some time, which varies, and without logging a reason.

The environment is such that disk access is *very* slow, which is the reason the applet loads slowly, but the JVM should indicate why it shut down.

In IE, we get the following as part of the messages in the console:

JVM heartbeat .. Exception, send ts: 3646533979895, now ts: 3646533979955, dT 60

but nothing else, that is the last line of the trace.

In Firefox, the above message is not shown, but in both cases, the JVM just disappears without warning and the applet load aborted.

If time is an issue, is there a setting to extend the amount of time the JVM waits for the applet to load?


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
The environment is fairly complicated, but loading an applet that loops indefinitely in its init() method in an environment where the disk is constantly busy should work. I realize how vague this is, but I have not had time to try to reduce the problem to a simple applet. Also, environment is really the issue, not the applet itself, the same page loads fine with environments that are not 'slow'.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Not sure. Some kind of error message at least, if not just for the JVM to wait for the applet to load. Where is this behavior documented so we can code to it or workaround it?
ACTUAL -
JVM shuts down without warning and without logging a reason with which to follow up to prevent it from happening in the future.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
basic: Added progress listener: sun.plugin.util.GrayBoxPainter$GrayBoxProgressListener@139eeda
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entrusttruepassapplet.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entbase.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entcapi.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entcms.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entp5.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entp7.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entssl.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/enttunnel.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entuser.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entp11.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entp12.jar
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.addURL parent called for https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entroaming.jar
network: Cache entry not found [url: https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entrusttruepassapplet.jar, version: null]
network: Connecting https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entrusttruepassapplet.jar with proxy=HTTP @ /10.4.20.195:3128
security: Loading Root CA certificates from C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\lib\security\cacerts
security: Loaded Root CA certificates from C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\lib\security\cacerts
security: Loading SSL Root CA certificates from C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\lib\security\cacerts
security: Loaded SSL Root CA certificates from C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\lib\security\cacerts
security: Loading Deployment SSL certificates from C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\security\trusted.jssecerts
security: Loaded Deployment SSL certificates from C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\security\trusted.jssecerts
security: Loading certificates from Deployment session certificate store
security: Loaded certificates from Deployment session certificate store
security: Loading certificates from Internet Explorer ROOT certificate store
security: Loaded certificates from Internet Explorer ROOT certificate store
security: Checking if certificate is in Deployment denied certificate store
security: Checking if certificate is in Deployment session certificate store
security: Checking if SSL certificate is in Deployment permanent certificate store
network: Downloading resource: https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entrusttruepassapplet.jar
Content-Length: 313,107
Content-Encoding: pack200-gzip
network: CleanupThread used 370153 us
network: Wrote URL https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entrusttruepassapplet.jar to File C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\cache\6.0\19\15135693-1c6ac30b-temp
security: Blacklist revocation check is enabled
security: Trusted libraries list check is enabled
network: CleanupThread used 6 us
security: Loading Root CA certificates from C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\lib\security\cacerts
security: Loaded Root CA certificates from C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre6\lib\security\cacerts
security: Loading Deployment certificates from C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\security\trusted.certs
security: Loaded Deployment certificates from C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\Deployment\security\trusted.certs
security: Loading certificates from Deployment session certificate store
security: Loaded certificates from Deployment session certificate store
security: Loading certificates from Internet Explorer ROOT certificate store
security: Loaded certificates from Internet Explorer ROOT certificate store
security: Loading certificates from Internet Explorer TrustedPublisher certificate store
security: Loaded certificates from Internet Explorer TrustedPublisher certificate store
security: Validate the certificate chain using CertPath API
security: Obtain certificate collection in Root CA certificate store
security: Obtain certificate collection in Root CA certificate store
security: Start to check whether root CA is replaced
security: The root CA has been replaced
security: No timestamping info available
security: Found jurisdiction list file
security: Start checking trusted extension for this certificate
security: Start comparing to jurisdiction list with this certificate
security: The CRL support is disabled
security: The OCSP support is disabled
security: This OCSP End Entity validation is disabled
security: Checking if certificate is in Deployment denied certificate store
security: Checking if certificate is in Deployment permanent certificate store
basic: updateValidationResultsForApplet update
cache: Mark prevalidated: https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entrusttruepassapplet.jar true tm=1301408030687 cert=1371405422000
basic: Plugin2ClassLoader.getPermissions CeilingPolicy allPerms
security: Loading certificates from Deployment session certificate store
security: Loaded certificates from Deployment session certificate store
security: Loading certificates from Internet Explorer TrustedPublisher certificate store
security: Loaded certificates from Internet Explorer TrustedPublisher certificate store
security: Validate the certificate chain using CertPath API
security: Obtain certificate collection in Root CA certificate store
security: Obtain certificate collection in Root CA certificate store
security: Start to check whether root CA is replaced
security: The root CA has been replaced
security: No timestamping info available
security: Found jurisdiction list file
security: Start checking trusted extension for this certificate
security: Start comparing to jurisdiction list with this certificate
security: The CRL support is disabled
security: The OCSP support is disabled
security: This OCSP End Entity validation is disabled
security: Checking if certificate is in Deployment denied certificate store
security: Checking if certificate is in Deployment permanent certificate store
basic: Applet loaded.
basic: Applet resized and added to parent container
basic: PERF: AppletExecutionRunnable - applet.init() BEGIN ; jvmLaunch dt 466438 us, pluginInit dt 53026363 us, TotalTime: 53492801 us
[EntrustTruePassApplet] [Mar 29 2011 07:13:52 PDT] [thread applet-EntrustTruePassApplet.class-1] [DEBUG] EntrustTruePassApplet 8.1 is started in DEBUG mode.
...
network: Cache entry not found [url: https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entbase.jar, version: null]
network: Connecting https://tpsp3comb6.partner-dev.entrust.com/TruePassSampleApp/servlets/AppletDownloadServlet/entbase.jar with proxy=HTTP @ /10.4.20.195:3128
JVM heartbeat .. Exception, send ts: 3646533979895, now ts: 3646533979955, dT 60

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.