JVM no longer runs

I have a problem with Jre installation. I installed Eclipse a couple of weeks ago, and everything ran fine. I tried it again today and I get the following message:

"A Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK) must be available in order to run Eclipse. No java virtual machine was found after searching the following locations: C:\Program Files\eclipse-cpp\jre\bin\javaw.exe in your current Path"

Here is my problem the path to the jre installation is in the PATH variable, and everything worked until today. there is a java\jre6 installation in both "Program Files" and "Program Files (x86) directories. I think its the java update that has screwed everything up, but could do with some advise as to what the problem is, and how to prevent it happening again.

I had this problem months back before my hard drive died, and I can't remember what fixed the issue; I think I had to uninstall all of the Java and then re-install it.

Also I saw a reply to one similar thread that windows 7 had a configuration option that could disable Java - is this true, and if it is how do I check it to see if this is my problem.

Welcome to the forum
Some programs when updated leave behind some leftovers and that lead to some problems.
Please go to the following thread and see if it is for some help:

Java not functioning.
Good luck

Thanks for the redirect, unfortunately no go. The browser runs JAVA fine, and the tool says the latest is installed. However type "java" at the command prompt still same problem unless I go to the folder and run "java.exe". then typing "java -version" at the command prompt does actually display the version information. Eclipse still reports the same message, even though the java directories are in the system path.

Like I said earlier eclipse was running earlier in the week now its not so either one of the java updates or one of the windows critical updates I received in the last couple of days broke something.http://cssimg.sevenforumscdn.com/images/smilies/mad.png

Maybe you have to check with your ECLIPS ?

Thanks Hanna1 and A Guy,

Still not sure why JRE is not running from the get go with the latest auto updates. But for the Eclipse problem I have the work around, not Idea but it does follow the last post.

When I looked at the java sub-directory in Eclipse it was empty (can't swear it was that way before the update, but I know it did work prior to the update), copying the contents of the Java\jre6 into this directory fixed the problem; I even tried jre7 which to date is functioning correctly.

Again thanks for all your help and support, without it I would still be looking.

That's what is odd, the eclipse deliverable doesn't provide a JVM nor a folder marked jre. It assumes that java is in the system path, otherwise it looks for it in the default location
eclipse\jre\. Up until two weeks ago (the last time I used eclipse before this all started) eclipse ran as expected, then suddenly without an eclipse update I can't run the executable because it can't find the jvm. The only things that changed on my system related to this was my system received a number of critical windows updates and a couple of java updates.

I had to re-install to get the browser to work, but eclipse will not work unless I put the jvm executable in the default path 'eclipse\jre'. Something has changed I don't know what and I don't know how to correct it, but putting the path of the Java executable in the system path doesn't resolve it so I suspect the windows update changed something.

I'd like to get to the bottom of the issue, since my solution is a workaround, so if you have any ideas I appreciate them.