FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
Java Plug-in 10.40.2.38
Using JRE version 1.7.0_40-ea-b38 Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows 7 64-bit [Version 6.1.7601]


A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
If the Java control panel is configured with invalid runtime parameters, the plug-in hangs on startup.

REGRESSION. Last worked in version 7u25

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Open Java control panel, go to Java tab, click View, then in Runtime Parameters field, enter an invalid parameter, like " -blork " . Close control panel, open browser, go to www.java.com, click " Do I Have Java " . On the page that detects the Java version, click Verify Java Version, then nothing happens. After about 30 seconds, the plug-in seems to terminate itself, but browser process must be killed in Task Manager.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Java plug-in should launch and ignore the invalid runtime parameters.
ACTUAL -
Plug-in hangs.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Tail of Java console looks like this:

basic: LaunchDesc.selectJRE(false, false) returning selected jre: JREInfo for index 0:
    platform is: 1.7
    product is: 1.7.0_40-ea
    location is: http://java.sun.com/products/autodl/j2se
    path is: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\javaw.exe
    args is: -blork
    native platform is: Windows, x86 [ x86, 32bit ]
    JavaFX runtime is: JavaFX 2.2.40 found at C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7 enabled is: true
    registered is: true
    system is: true

basic: LaunchDesc location: http://java.com/applet/JavaDetection_applet.jnlp
security: --- parseCommandLine converted : -blork
into:
[-blork]
network: Created version ID: 1.0+
network: Created version ID: 7.0
basic: Relaunch because: [currently running JRE doesn't satisfy (version/args)]
network: Cache entry found [url: http://java.com/im/download/verify_anim.gif, version: null] prevalidated=false/0
cache: Adding MemoryCache entry: http://java.com/im/download/verify_anim.gif
cache: Resource http://java.com/im/download/verify_anim.gif has expired.
network: Connecting http://java.com/im/download/verify_anim.gif with proxy=DIRECT
basic: Saving session state to C:\Users\jons\AppData\Local\Temp\session2132175496928064469
basic: Remote relaunch: LaunchJVMAppletMessage{appletID=1, conversationID=0, javaHome=C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7, launchTime=90739326507, sendKill=false, [sun.plugin2.main.client.PluginMain, write_pipe_name=jpi2_pid1356_pipe5,read_pipe_name=jpi2_pid1356_pipe4]}
security: --- parseCommandLine converted : -blork
into:
[-blork]
security: --- parseCommandLine converted :
into:
[]
network: Created version ID: 2.0+
network: Created version ID: 1.6.0.10
basic: RemoteJVMLauncher.start(), pipe=Pipe{transport=WindowsNamedPipe: server: false; readPipe: jpi2_pid1356_pipe2, readBufferSz: 4096; writePipe: jpi2_pid1356_pipe3, writeBufferSz: 4096, initiatingSide=false} message: LaunchJVMAppletMessage{appletID=1, conversationID=0, javaHome=C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7, launchTime=90739326507, sendKill=false, [sun.plugin2.main.client.PluginMain, write_pipe_name=jpi2_pid1356_pipe5,read_pipe_name=jpi2_pid1356_pipe4]}
basic: Thread[RemoteJVMLauncher-1,5,main] running...
basic: RemoteJVMLauncher.afterStart(): initializing streamers
handleLaunchJVM(): RemoteJVMLauncer.setCallBack for 1
handleLaunchJVM(): now unregisterApplet 1
basic: PluginMain.unregisterApplet: 1 from mananger sun.plugin2.applet.JNLP2Manager@1f9e529


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Don't enter invalid runtime parameters in control panel.