Here is what happened. I installed the newest standalone build of IB TWS. When logging, it was getting a complaint that I was using an old Java Plug-in 1.3 instead of 1.4. Well, the truth is I had both on my computer and it was never a problem for any other Java based applications I use. Apparently IB TWS did not recognize the newer Java Plug-in (1.4) and recommended removing older plug-ins. Following this advice, I removed 1.3 and guess what? I cannot login to a frigging IB TWS because some short-cut is missing. The short-cut to javaw.exe. The programmers at IB have a lot to learn, I guess!!! Other java applications work more or less the same, that is they work at least, but not IB TWS. I cannot login to IB because of that! TWS does not even start! I had to locate the short-cut manually and now it finally works. Well, programmers at IB: give me a break, no other java application I use was having problems like IB TWS! And that was not even a java-based TWS, but a standalone one. I am dissapointed, but I guess, I now know better why IB is having so many disconnections...
i had a similar problem a while back.i think i had to make sure i was using the sun java and not the msft java. there was a thread on this a while back.
The stand-alone TWS is a Java application. Also, if the shortcut you had to change is the one I'm thinking of, then it isn't a TWS issue really, but an issue with the installation script. Why do folks love to universal slam a group of people (like "IB programmers")? Guess I'll never understand. Nothing wrong with saying you have a problem, but to say people you don't even know have a thing or two to learn is rather silly IMHO.
In case you haven't got a solution yet, unistall TWS and Java, then install Java and TWS (do the installation in that order). The shortcut will take care of itself (should work after doing this).
As a developer of software that connects with TWS, I have to deal with TWS changing their Tws.ocx file quite often. Change one thing in the pipe and everything breaks -- go figure.