Environment:

Linux 6.1, Kernel 2.1.12, Apache 1.3.14 (build locally from SRPM), java2 JDK1.2.2 (build locally from source), php 4.0.3pl1 (build locally from modified SRPM).

php.ini java config:

java.class.path = /usr/lib/php4/php_java.jar:/usr/lib/java/jdk-1.2.2-devel/build/linux/lib/ext/iiimp.jar:/usr/lib/java/jdk-1.2.2-devel/build/linux/lib/i18n.jar
java.library = /usr/lib/java/jdk-1.2.2-devel/build/linux/lib/i386/libjava.so
java.library.path = /usr/lib/php4:/usr/lib/java/jdk-1.2.2-devel/build/linux/lib:/usr/lib/java/jdk-1.2.2-devel/build/linux/lib/i386/classic:/usr/lib/java/jdk-1.2.2-devel/build/linux/lib/i386/native_threads

Test Script:

<?
$system = new Java("java.lang.System");
//$system = new Java("com.jinsight.jetchart.Graph");
print("Verison = ".$system->getProperty("java.version"));
?>

Results:
Immediately after restarting apache, I can run the script 4-5 times and get the correct result:

Verison = 1.2.2

After that, I will get:

Fatal error: Unable to create Java Virtual Machine in /u/httpd/html/java_test.php on line 3

I get the error 3-6 times, then I get the correct result once, then the error 3-6 times, etc.
There does not seem to be any specific periodicity to it other than the initial 4-5 successes.  Nothing looks odd on the system (no hung processes, no stuck open ports, etc.) and all the apache logs are clean.

I've noticed that several other folks have asked similar questions on phpbuilder's forums and never got answers.  I also know from contact with one of them that something similar has happened on a windows machine, so I don't think this is specific to my platform.  Also, I've heard rumor (no hard proof) of difficulties/incompatibility between php4's java extension and jdk 1.2.x and 1.3 (I did get this to run with jdk 1.1.7, but my boss says he needs Java2).

Any help is appreciated.