# Java is being a douche so Minecraft won’t work



## biowon (Sep 21, 2010)

So I decided to try Minecraft during the “free weekend” it is currently having (thanks to some great guy telling me about it on a Steam group chat). I downloaded it from the Minecraft.net website, got Java per the installer’s instructions, slammed some random numbers and letters into the account name and password (since I didn’t have an account and couldn’t create one), and then I started playing a singleplayer game. The game rocks. It stones. And gravels. Boulders. Get it? It’s awesome.

Anyway, I was having a blast with the game when my computer announced that I was running out of disc space on discdrive C, where I have all programs and Windows-related stuff. It’s been short on memory for as long as I can remember, and it can be quite frustrating. By the way, I run on an old Windows XP-machine that my older brother and sister set up years ago (pretty sure the software is pirated too, but it works for most time. Can’t play Crysis on it, but it does me alright). 

The problem of not having enough space on C has been recurring for me for half a year, and usually it’s solved by a nice little guide that automatically removes stuff that isn’t neccesary (“temporary offline sites”, and whatever it is that keeps videos on Youtube loaded and ready for quick viewing, etc). But this time, even after this cleanup, the Powers That Be saw that I still had too little free space, and it caused noticeable lag in-game, even after I toggled the fog to have a minimal draw distance. It was at this point I got the brilliant idea to move the recently-installed Java folder from C to D. Discdrive D has much more space, and I keep all games and suchlike on it. It didn’t go too well. First I tried copying the entire Java folder from C to D, and it worked. Then I tried deleting Java from C, which did not work. It wasn’t until basically I started writing this that I realized Java was still running. Having turned it off by way of the activity manager, I merrily deleted the Java files from C, and sure enough, that solved the low memory problem (just barely, I had about 4 Megabytes in excess on C, LOL). So I launched Minecraft and was met by this message:

“Launch4j

The registry refers to a nonexistent Java Runtime Environment installation or the runtime is corrupted.

The system cannot find the path specified.”

I guess my little messing around with Java had produced unexpected consequences. If only I had unistalled it properly first, or better yet, just left it well enough alone.

The principal problem would seem to be with Java, and I’m guessing simpy reinstalling Java would fix the problem. However, every attempt to unistall Java proper and then install it, or repair it with a Java download, has failed. (I even figured out how to make even more room available on C so I could put Java back in there instead of having it in D, but I can’t install Java in there anyway because who knows why.) Nothing works. And all the time trying to play Minecraft I just keep getting this damned message.

So that’s my problem, how it came to be, and below follows what I’ve done to try and solve it.

First I tried to unistall Java by way of the "Add or remove programs" guide, and that yields this popup:

"Add or remove program [X]

A serious error occured during the installation.

[OK]"

And when I try to start Java from the Controlpanel I am met by this one:

"The Controlpanel for Java(TM) [X]

The path specified cannot be found

C:\Program\Java\jre6\bin\javacpl.exe

[OK]"

The path specified is where I used to keep Java when it worked. I also tried to reinstall Java by simply downloading it. The program starts up, "Do you accept the terms of conditions blah blah", I get the chance to specifiy the install direction, and then it tells me Java is already installed and would you like to reinstall it. I press "Yes please", then the installer appears sporadically, asking me the same question of Java is already installed and would you like to reinstall it two times more. And then, nothing happens.

That's about it. Problem still persists. By the way, my computer speaks Swedish so I’m just translating those messages as good as I can.

Any of you fine folk feel like giving a stupid monkey who threw a wrench into his own plans a helping hand, I’d be very grateful.


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## Michael_Larsen (Apr 25, 2005)

Try this just for grins and giggles because it has worked for others.

1) R-Click on "my computer" and open,
2) Right Click and open "local disk (c "
3) Find and Open "Program files"
4) Locate "Java" Right click on it and delete, Send all of its contents to "recycle bin".
5) Then go to Java website and re-install update....

It's simple but just might work. Let us know.

Mike


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## biowon (Sep 21, 2010)

Oh if only it had worked, but it seems I do not have any files named Java in Program files. 
When I enter "C/Program files", I have 2 files, one names "Common files", which contains an EasyInfo file, which contains something I don't know what it does. It's in blue text though. 
The other is "Microsoft Office", which contains "Office" and "Setup". Still no Java, but practically everything is in blue text. That means it has something to do with the system right? And is important for the machine. I think. Well, thanks anyway Mike. Appreciate the effort.

EDIT: I used to have Java in C:\Program, not C:\Program files, in case that is any help with troubleshooting or whatever.


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## Michael_Larsen (Apr 25, 2005)

Ok. How about trying this...open a terminal window and let's take a look see there. A lot of things can exist there that don't show up in the "Program Files." 

1. Open terminal window
2. Change directories back to C:\Windows
3. Type "dir" to get the listing and look for a directory called "Sun" 

In that directory you'll find a folder called Java (or at least you should)
Once you verified that it's there, you can back up to C:\Windows and delete the "Sun" folder altogether. This might be where your system is getting the idea that it's still installed. 

To delete a directory requires an RMDIR /S command because the directory is populated. So the command would be c:\>RMDIR /S SUN

You could try that and then try re-installing Java from the Sun site.

Mike


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Browse to C:\Documents and Settings\_UserName_\Application Data delete the *Sun* folder. Do the Same in the All Users\Application Data folder. Browse to Program Files and delete the *Java *folder. Download Java


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## Michael_Larsen (Apr 25, 2005)

Thanks for the additional info, spunk.funk! 

Mike


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## biowon (Sep 21, 2010)

Funny, I couldn't find any application data folders using the terminal window (though I'm pretty sure I did something wrong) but when I entered C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data in the folder adress searchy-thingy it was right there. Pow, no more Suns, not for User Name and not for All Users either. Still, there exists no Java folders or files in Program Files, so I can't remove it from there. Tried reinstalling, said the same old "Already installed do you want to reinstall Y/N" and then hanging up on me-crap as before. Tried Minecraft, same message as last. Deleted the Suns again that had come back (still no Java folder in Program files though, even though I directed the damn Java installer into it), and tried to unistall it with the Add or remove program guide, didn't work. Tried the installation again, but kept the suns, and tried to unistall it with them. Still no luck. But I really appreciate the effort you chaps are putting into this.


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## biowon (Sep 21, 2010)

Bump.


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

How much free space do you have now? Windows needs to have a reasonable amount of drive space free to operate, otherwise operations such as deletions may fail (which may be what is happening here).

Use this program to see what is taking up the most space - although you may have some trouble installing it if your space is really that low!

http://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/download.shtml


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## biowon (Sep 21, 2010)

Thanks for the help, that solved my shortage on space for C. I have about 1,3 GB free there now, so that's that. Unfortunately, when I tried to unistall Java (again) I got the "A fatal error has occured" message (again) and therefore I'm back on square one. Terribly frustrating, but it's really nice that there are still people (and not just trolls) trying to help me.


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

Ok, now that you have space to work with, get rid of the current Java install (if there is any) with Revo Uninstaller and try again.

Revo - http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html


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## biowon (Sep 21, 2010)

Oh, I give up. Revouninstaller cannot do it either. With it I did manage to unistall the program (although there are still a bunch of files and whatnot everywhere that I lack the authorithy to remove, and trying to use them all result in some or other kind of error message) and trying to reinstall Java from their website results in the installer saying that it's already installed and would you like to reinstall it. Answering "Yes" just makes it spazz out and totally not work, while "No" has the predictable outcome of simply shutting down the installer.


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

biowon said:


> although there are still a bunch of files and whatnot everywhere *that I lack the authorithy to remove, and trying to use them all result in some or other kind of error message*


Which files are those? (take screenshots of the error messages and any other info)


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## biowon (Sep 21, 2010)

On a closer inspection, those files aren't really related to Java (except that it's in their name, like "javascpt" for ATI Technologies or "theme java_32x32" for the resources for Civ 4)


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

Ok, I re-read the thread. What location is your current Java install? Is it *C:\Program\Java\*

If not - then you will have to uninstall and install Java again, making sure to chose the "Program" directory as the install path.


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## AlbertMC2 (Jul 15, 2010)

Hi

You can try *JavaRa* to remove Java and reinstall.

I have never tried it but it is supposed to work.


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## biowon (Sep 21, 2010)

Well,

@ reventon, I do not have the program Java installed anywhere I can see (for example, "c/Programs/Java" ). Still the Java installer persists that I do have it installed.

@ AlbertMC2, I downloaded and installed JavaRa and used it to remove everything. Remove older versions and additional tasks were used. It's not very effective...
When trying to reinstall Java right off their website, the installer still thinks I got the program installed and wonders if I want it reinstalled. Pressing No results in the application closing down, and pressing Yes makes it spazz out before poping up another error message telling me that "This action is only available for products that are currently installed" (keep in mind, I'm translating from Swedish as I go).
So the paradox is, the program thinks it's installed, and simultaneously thinking it isn't installed, and the bottomline is, this thing just does not work or cooperate. I'm starting to suspect malware may be at work.


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## AlbertMC2 (Jul 15, 2010)

Hi

Try to download and install an older version.
If it installs then update it to the newer version.

You can get older versions here. (Start with ver 5)


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## megaJuice (Dec 14, 2010)

so uh, did you say that you moved your Java files to Drive D? You mean D:\? Maybe that's why searching through C:\ isn't working? Those files aren't on that drive anymore, but it's still going to C:\Program Files\etc. to find them.


Try going through your D:\ finding the Sun or Java folder or files, depending on how you moved them, and put them back in the C Drive.


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