---
title: "Can't start Eclipse - Java was started but returned exit code=13"  
description: "Can't start Eclipse - Java was started but returned exit code=13"  
author: "Anonymous User"  
published: 2015-08-14  
updated: 2015-08-14  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/33416/can-t-start-eclipse-java-was-started-but-returned-exit-code-13  
category: "java"  
tags: ["java", "eclipse"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Can't start Eclipse - Java was started but returned exit code=13

I [am trying](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/36834/which-two-programming-languages-should-i-master-in-if-i-am-trying-to-get-into-google-or-facebook) to get my first taste of [Android development](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/12015/a-revolution-in-mobile-industry-magic-of-android-development) using Eclipse. I ran into this problem when trying to run Eclipse, having installed version 4.2 only minutes ago.\
After first trying to start Eclipse without any [parameters](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/87/passing-parameters-in-c-sharp) to specify the Java VM, I got an [error message](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/23174/error-message-the-page-you-are-requesting-cannot-be-served-because-of-the-extension-configuration) saying it couldn't find a Java VM called javaw.exe inside the Eclipse folder, so I found where Java was installed and specified that [location](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/11636/relocating-business-or-office-to-another-location) as the [parameter](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/450/parameter-class-in-c-sharp) in the shortcut's target. Now I get a different error, "Java was started but returned exit code=13".\
Similar [questions](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/124895/hp-hpe0-s54-cheat-sheet-exam-questions-bank-for-guaranteed-success) seem to indicate that it's a 32-bit/64-bit [conflict](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/30446/iran-usa-conflict), but I'm 99% positive that I downloaded 64-bit versions of both Eclipse and Java (RE 7u5), which I chose because I have 64-bit Windows 7.\
If anyone knows how to confirm that my Eclipse and Java are 64-bit, that'd be appreciated.If you think my problem is a different one, please help!Please speak as plainly as you can, as I am totally new to Eclipse and Java.Shortcut Target: "C:\Program Files\Eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32-x86_64\eclipse\eclipse.exe" -vm "C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\javaw.exe"\
Full [Error code](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/114552/how-to-fix-mozilla-firefox-error-code-2324):

```
Java was started but returned exit code=13C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\javaw.exe-Xms40m-Xmx512m-XX:MaxPermSize=256m-jar C:\Program Files\Eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32-x86_64\eclipse\\plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_1.30v20120522-1813.jar-os win32-ws win32-arch x86_64-showsplash C:\Program Files\Eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32-x86_64\eclipse\\plugins\org.eclipse.platform_4.2.0.v201206081400\splash.bmp-launcher C:\Program Files\Eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32-x86_64\eclipse\eclipse.exe-name Eclipse--launcher.library C:\Program Files\Eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32-x86_64\eclipse\\plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.win32.win32.x86_64_1.1.200.v201205221813\eclipse_1503.dll-startup C:\Program Files\Eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32-x86_64\eclipse\\plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_1.30v20120522-1813.jar--launcher.overrideVmargs-exitdata 1e30_5c-vm C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\javaw.exe-vmargs-Xms40m-Xmx512m-XX:MaxPermSize=256m-jar C:\Program Files\Eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32-x86_64\eclipse\\plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_1.30v20120522-1813.jar
```

## Replies

### Reply by Anonymous User

Your version of Eclipse looks OK, based on the filename.\
To check your version of Java, run\

```
  java -version 
```

in a console (command prompt). On Windows 7 with 64-bit Java 6 I get:\

```
  java version "1.6.0_27"  Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_27-b07)  Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.2-b06, mixed mode)
```

Note the 3rd line, which shows that this is a 64-bit version.\
On a 32-bit version you'll get something like:\

```
  Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 20.1-b02, mixed mode, sharing) 
```

Check that this is the version being used by Eclipse, as shown in your error code. If not, call that version explicitly, by running the following command in a console (command prompt):\

```
  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\java.exe" -version
```

(using the correct path to java.exe as shown in your error message, not necessarily the path shown in my example above!)


---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/33416/can-t-start-eclipse-java-was-started-but-returned-exit-code-13

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