IDE 1.6.1 not launching on Win7/64

Just updated from 1.6.0 to 1.6.1 and now the IDE doesn't run. No errors but I can see the Arduino process start up in the task manager and then just quit. 1.6.0 was reinstalled and all is well again. Updated back to 1.6.1 and the problem returns.

Java is current as is Windows 7 / 64 bit os.

Can you use command prompt to run the ide?
open command prompt, type cd "c:\program files (x86)\arduino" (or something like that) then type arduino_debug.exe
It should print the actual error that is keeping the ide from starting. Please copy paste that error here

OK, here's the result from debug...

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino>arduino_debug
Error occurred during initialization of VM
java/lang/UnsupportedClassVersionError: java/lang/Object : Unsupported major.min
or version 52.0

Java reports that it's at version 7 Update 21 (1.7.0_21-b11) Trying to do an update results in Java telling me I have the latest version.

Hope this helps

ETA
It works now. I discovered that when I uninstalled 1.6.0 that a number of files were left in the java directory under arduino. Once I deleted those files and reinstalled 1.6.1 it now launches without error.

Good to know. Remember that the Arduino IDE for windows bundles Java, so you don't need to install it separately

Same thing happening to me.

But when running arduino_debug.exe I'm getting this:

Error occurred during initialization of VM
Could not reserve enough space for 1048576KB object heap

It looks like you don't have much ram. Edit file arduino.l4j.ini and arduino_debug.l4j.ini: change -Xmx1024M to -Xmx384M

Same problem here. Before updating from 1.6.0 to 1.6.1 there was no problem.
I have 16 GB RAM, 12 GB free.
The workaround with "-Xmx384M" works.

Spoony does it work for you even with -Xmx512M ? If so, I'm going to make this change permanent and make it part of the next release

Hello everyone, just a quick update.

I was in the same situation, Win 7 64-bit 8Gb RAM, Arduino IDE 1.6.1 won't start.

Has suggested:

  • I opened up the commands prompt (launch cmd.exe from Start button)
  • I typed cd c:\program files (x86)\arduino then launched arduino_debug.exe
  • I checked that the error was the VM's reservation space
  • I opened the two files arduino.l4j.ini and arduino_debug.l4j.ini with Notepad (Run it as Admin!!)
  • I edited both files changing -Xmx1024M to -Xmx512M
  • Saved and rerun Arduino IDE, everything fine!

Grazie Federico :wink:

Thank you GordTheRogue for reporting success. The issue is already fixed in the nightly and will be part of 1.6.2

I tried to install arduino-1.6.4 on windows 7 but No errors but I can see the Arduino process start up in the task manager and then just quit. 1.6.0 was reinstalled and all is well again. Updated back to 1.6.4 and the problem returns.

Same happens with arduino-1.6.2

I opened up the commands prompt (launch cmd.exe from Start button)
I typed cd c:\program files (x86)\arduino then launched arduino_debug.exe
I checked that the error was the VM's reservation space
I opened the two files arduino.l4j.ini and arduino_debug.l4j.ini with Notepad (Run it as Admin!!)
I edited both files changing -Xmx1024M to -Xmx512M
Saved and rerun Arduino IDE, everything fine!

Tried this but no luck.

Sorry AmolGulhane07 but I couldn't follow. Does it work? What have you tried doing? Please don't give anything for granted while explaining something on the forum. We can't see your face, we can't see your computer

GordTheRogue:
Hello everyone, just a quick update.

I was in the same situation, Win 7 64-bit 8Gb RAM, Arduino IDE 1.6.1 won't start.

Has suggested:

  • I opened up the commands prompt (launch cmd.exe from Start button)
  • I typed cd c:\program files (x86)\arduino then launched arduino_debug.exe
  • I checked that the error was the VM's reservation space
  • I opened the two files arduino.l4j.ini and arduino_debug.l4j.ini with Notepad (Run it as Admin!!)
  • I edited both files changing -Xmx1024M to -Xmx512M
  • Saved and rerun Arduino IDE, everything fine!

Grazie Federico :wink:

I just installed IDE 1.7.4 and had the same problem that Gord mentioned above on the same platform. I followed his method and it worked for me. Thanks!

billindetroit:
I just installed IDE 1.7.4...

Do you mean 1.6.4? Latest version of the IDE is 1.6.4. The other guys made a 1.7.4 but, as you can read here and here you should avoid it if you can

Hello ! I am not sure it is the same problem, but still. I am currently using Windows 10 with the new update, and installed Arduino IDE. The problem is that when I execute arduino.exe, nothing happens, and when I use arduino_debug, it can't lauch, and instead displays the "JAVA binary platform has ceased functionning and must close" error.
What can I do ?