Java problem a MAJOR PITA (cannot disable updates)

jhiker, you missed the point of the OP.

When you elevate the java control panel it edits the user settings associated with the user account that provides the elevation, not the standard user, so once you turn it off and then check the control panel applet again for the standard user, nothing has changed and the update reminders keep on coming.

As a standard user you cannot install Java updates (since admin rights are required) and you cannot disable the notifications! So Java insists on reminding you about something that you cannot do, and provides no native way of disabling the functionality. This is possibly one of the most annoying situations I have come across with a software updater in a long time. I'm here because it's even too much to handle for my 8 year old (who runs with a standard user account) and gets pestered day in, day out to install updates that she cannot install.

The one way I have found to disable this globally is by editing the following REG_DWORD reg key (Win7 x64).
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\JavaSoft\Java Update\Policy\EnableJavaUpdate to 0

This has the effect of removing the update tab from the Java control panel applet.

I am yet to see if this solution stands the test of time, but will update my post if it doesn't work.

I solved this actually by going into C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Java\Java Update and renaming (or delete) jusched.exe. It will never check again! This should work on all Windows with java 7.

Nice trick. Some time ago I've done something similar by replacing jusched.exe by a self-made exe that does absolutely nothing! So Java thinks it did something but actually nothing happens.

It's really annoying that it just tries to update when it feels like, and even more annoying (and suspecting) that an UAC prompt pop ups out of nowhere for me to approve the update.