Java executable javaw.exe, Error: Could not create Java virtual Machine

Question

I am trying to install some commercial software that was written in Java for a Windows computer operating system. I have downloaded Java from their site and I have also downloaded the JDK package for a 64bit windows system so to my knowledge I should have everything I need to have java work. I then create a shortcut of the java exectuable javaw.exe and edit the target path and the start in path to my specifications but when I go to execute it, it tells me that it "Could not create Java virtual machine".

Does anyone know how to fix this error?

Luke H

Answer 1

How are you creating the shortcut? In windows, this might not be the correct approach.

Does the installer use an embedded version of java? It is possible that the software uses some native libraries that aren't compatible with 64 bit java.

Depending on the setup script, it may be passing invalid command line arguments to the version of Java you installed.

Answer 2

Its a bit late, but this might help others later.

Here's what worked for me:

Target: "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.7.0\bin\javaw.exe" -classpath C:\OLINDA olinda

Start in: C:\OLINDA

Answer 3

It seems that you don't know how properly start the Java Virtual Machine, in Windows, the JVM can be started with two executables one is java.exe and the other one is javaw.exe, both do the same, the only difference is that java.exe is a command line tool (so you'll see a command line when you start your application) and javaw.exe simply omits the command line. Both use the same paramaters that can be found here: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/tooldocs/windows/java.html, from this the shorter way to open a Java program will be:

java MainJavaClass.class

or

java -jar JavaProgram.jar

Most commercial programs are packed in jar files so probably you will use the second approach, but also be warned that usually commercial Java programs use a native wrapper so you can simply launch a native application (in Windows .exe), without the need to set anything, so you may need to create a shortcut for it instead of the java.exe program, in the case you really need to call the Java program through the JVM, then what you need to change is the Target field so you include the parameters you need to pass to it like this:

"C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin\java.exe -jar JavaProgram.jar"

Another way could be use a batch file to start the program and create a link to it instead.