Can't Start Eclipse - Java Was Started But Returned Exit Code=13

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

There are working combinations of OS, JDK and Eclipse bitness. In my case, I was using a 64-bit JDK with a 32-bit Eclipse on a 64-bit OS. After downgrading the JDK to 32-bit, Eclipse started working.

Use one of the following combinations.

32-bit OS, 32-bit JDK, 32-bit Eclipse (32-bit only)
64-bit OS, 32-bit JDK, 32-bit Eclipse
64-bit OS, 64-bit JDK, 64-bit Eclipse (64-bit only)

Eclipse: Java was started but returned error code=13

This error occurs because your Eclipse version is 64-bit. You should download and install 64-bit JRE and add the path to it in eclipse.ini. For example:

...
--launcher.appendVmargs
-vm
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_45\bin\javaw.exe
-vmargs
...

Note: The -vm parameter should be just before -vmargs and the path should be on a separate line. It should be the full path to the javaw.exe file. Do not enclose the path in double quotes (").

If your Eclipse is 32-bit, install a 32-bit JRE and use the path to its javaw.exe file.

Eclipse gives “Java was started but returned exit code 13”

if you have updated your jdk to 7 you are most likely to face this problem.

This happens mainly due to:

incompatible sdk and jdk versions
using a 32 bit java version for your 64 bit eclipse JVM (programfilex86-java)

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO :
firstly check the eclipse.ini file to see if you have a path that is pointing to your jdk
it should look something like this

-vm    
C:\Program Files\Java\blah\blah\blah\javaw.exe

if not then locate the jdk 7 javaw.exe file

sample :

C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_45\jre\bin\javaw.exe

paste -vm and the path below it into your eclipse.ini file

-vm  
C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_45\jre\bin\javaw.exe

make sure that you type the above just before the -vmargs and after the OpenFile