Eclipse error: 'Failed to create the Java Virtual Machine'

Question

I am getting this error message when I start Eclipse Helios on Windows 7:

Failed to create the Java Virtual Machine

My eclipse.ini looks as follows:

-startup
plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_1.1.0.v20100507.jar
-vm
P:\Programs\jdk1.6\bin
--launcher.library
plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.win32.win32.x86_1.1.0.v20100503
-product
org.eclipse.epp.package.jee.product
--launcher.defaultAction
openFile
-showsplash
org.eclipse.platform
--launcher.XXMaxPermSize
512m
--launcher.defaultAction
openFile
-vmargs
-Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.5
-Xms120m
-Xmn100m
-Xmx1024m

My JAVA_HOME is correctly set as far as I can tell. How can I fix this?

Things I have tried so far:

1. Adding the full path to javaw.exe -vm P:\Programs\jdk1.6\bin\\bin\javaw.exe
2. Removing the -vm option altogether
3. Removing --launcher.XXMaxPermSize fixes the issue, but it causes permgen errors
4. Removing the value 512 of --launcher.XXMaxPermSize fixes the issue, but it causes permgen errors
5. Reducing -Xmx to 512m also fixes the issue.

Why can I not use '1024m' for '-Xmx' and '--launcher.XXMaxPermSize'?

Answer 1

1. Open the eclipse.ini file from your eclipse folder,see the picture below.

2. Open eclipse.ini in Notepad or any other text-editor application, Find the line -Xmx256m (or -Xmx1024m). Now change the default value 256m (or 1024m) to 512m. You also need to give the exact java installed version (1.6 or 1.7 or other).

Like This:

-Xmx512m
-Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.6

OR

-Xmx512m
-Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.7

OR

-Xmx512m
-Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.8

Then it works well for me.