Common Eclipse Startup Errors: Exit Code 13

When Java was started but returned exit code=13, it's a common issue faced by many developers using Eclipse. This error can occur due to compatibility issues between Java and Eclipse. In this article, we will discuss the possible causes of this problem and provide solutions to resolve them.

Compatibility Issues

If there are any compatibility issues between Java and Eclipse, several errors may occur. To troubleshoot these problems, it's essential to identify whether your Eclipse is 32-bit or 64-bit compatible with your system.

Checking Eclipse Bitness (32-bit or 64-bit)

To determine the bitness of your Eclipse installation, you can check the file name in the eclipse.ini folder at the root location of your Eclipse installation. If the file name contains 'win32.x86_64', it indicates that your Eclipse is 64-bit. On the other hand, if the file name has 'win32.x86_1.1', it means that your Eclipse is 32-bit.

Checking Java Bitness (32-bit or 64-bit)

To determine the bitness of your Java installation, you can check which directory your Java is installed in. On a 64-bit Windows OS, the folder 'Program Files' contains 64-bit programs, while 'Program Files (x86)' contains 32-bit programs.

Checking Operating System Bitness

To know whether your Windows OS is running on a 32-bit or 64-bit platform, you can check which directory your Java is installed in. If it's installed in 'Program Files', it indicates that your OS is 64-bit. On the other hand, if it's installed in 'Program Files (x86)', it means that your OS is 32-bit.

Checking Java Version

To check the version of Java installed on your system, you can open a command prompt and type 'java -version'. This will display the current Java version being used. You can also use this method to check if there are any updates available for your Java installation.

In conclusion, exit code 13 while starting Eclipse is often caused by compatibility issues between Java and Eclipse. By identifying whether your Eclipse and Java installations are 32-bit or 64-bit compatible with your system, you can troubleshoot these problems and resolve them easily.

Eclipse java was started exit code 13