Java executable not found error

Are you trying to run a Java based application or program and getting an error – “The system cannot find the file C:ProgramDataOracleJavajavapathjava.exe”?

It looks like the symlinks are not properly created when you’ve installed Java. When you install Java, it creates symlinks for java.exe, javaw.exe and javaws.exe under “C:ProgramDataOracleJavajavapath”.

If you do not find symlink folder “C:ProgramDataOracleJavajavapath” in your machine, you will get “The system cannot find the file C:ProgramDataOracleJavajavapathjava.exe” error.

There are multiple options to fix this issue.

Update PATH variable with correct Symlink

It could be possible that your new installation changed the path of the “javapath” symlink. If the “javapath” symlink is not found under “C:ProgramDataOracleJavajavapath”, check it under “C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesOracleJava”, if found, update the PATH variable with “C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesOracleJavajavapath”.

Recreate the Symlinks

If you do not find “javapath” symlink under “C:ProgramDataOracleJava”, we’ll restore the symlink folder along with java.exe, javaw.exe and javaws.exe by executing below command:

mklink /d C:ProgramDataOracleJavajavapath "C:Program FilesJavajdk1.8.0_271bin"

Update PATH variable with Correct Java Installation Path

If none of the above options work for you, you can try updating the PATH variable with the Java installation folder that you have it under “C:Program FilesJava” and remove “C:ProgramDataOracleJavajavapath”.

If you don’t want to remove the “javapath” entry, at least make sure to that the correct Java path is on top of the list.

For example, “C:Program FilesJavajdk1.8.0_271bin” is the Java Development Path you want to refer. Then you need to make sure that this path is on the top of the PATH list.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to add/update Java installation path under PATH environment variable list?

You can edit this PATH variable by following below steps:

• On your Desktop, right click on “This PC” or “My Computer”
• Select “Properties”, Control Panel will open
• Select “Advanced system settings”, “System Properties” will open
• Click on “Environment Variables” button, which is located at the bottom of “System Properties” dialog box
• “Environment Variables” dialog box will open
• Find “Path” variable under “System variables” section
• Add or Update the correct Java bin PATH

Do I need to set JAVA_HOME?

If you are working on Java Development, then it would be better to set JAVA_HOME as environment variable under “System variables”. Some IDEs or Servers refer to Java development kit using JAVA_HOME variable. So, in the absence variable you might face issues starting the IDE or Server.

Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is a powerful set of software that allow you to develop Java applications quickly and easily. It includes the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), essential core classes and libraries, and everything else you need to get started with Java. JRE is a part of the Java Development Kit (JDK), but can be installed separately. The Java Runtime Environment was originally created by Sun Microsystems Inc., a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation. It’s also known as the Java Runtime.

Installing Java in Linux should be easy using package managers, such as apt, yum, or pacman, depending on your Linux distribution. However, there are times that you may encounter «java: command not found» error, even though you think you have installed it. The full error message may look something like this :

Command 'java' not found, but can be installed with:

1.  sudo apt install default-jre
2.  sudo apt install openjdk-11-jre-headless
3.  sudo apt install openjdk-8-jre-headless

In this article, we will show you a few solutions that you can use to fix java command not found error.

Add Java to PATH environment variable

Most operating systems look for executables and binaries in a specific set of places. The list of all those places is stored in an environment variable, often named PATH.

If you knew where the Java binary is placed, you can add one of the Java path to PATH variable using the following command.

export PATH=$PATH:/path/to/java/binary/

Reinstall JRE

The quickest way to fix java command not found error is to reinstall JRE. In order to do so, run the following command:

sudo apt install default-jre

There are other alternative packages that you can choose instead of default-jre, which installs the latest version of JRE (11 at the time of this writing).

You can choose to install one of the two LTS version of JRE (8 and 11) by installing openjdk-8-jre and openjdk-11-jre. There are also headless packages that don’t provide any graphical functionalities, which often used in servers.

The difference between Java packages can quickly be summed up as the following:

• The openjdk-<version>-jre-headless package is used when you don’t need to draw anything in the graphical user interface. For example a background service or a terminal application. It’s commonly used on servers.
• The openjdk-<version>-jre package includes the openjdk-<version>-jre-headless package since it contains most of the Java features. Desktop users should install this package.
• The openjdk-<version>-jre package provides more functionality, but heavier than its headless counterpart. It’s not recommended to install on a server since it installs extra software that is not commonly used on a server.

Replacing the version number allows you to install multiple versions of Java in the same machine. In that case, you can run sudo update-alternatives --config java to manage which version you want to use at the exact moment.

There are 3 choices for the alternative java (providing /usr/bin/java).

  Selection    Path                                      Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-openjdk/jre/bin/java   1061      auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/gij-4.4                           1044      manual mode
  2            /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-openjdk/jre/bin/java   1061      manual mode
  3            /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun/jre/bin/java       63        manual mode

Press enter to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:

We hope that the information above is useful to you and helped you fix java command not found error. If you have any questions, then please feel free to ask in the comments below.

To start, javaw.exe is an executable file that belongs to the Java Platform and implements an important function related to Java services. It is also known as Java Web Start Launcher. In fact, this process is not essential for Windows, however, different malfunctions may lead to crashes and errors of apps that are run on Java Platform. After failing to launch a Java-based program, you will be presented with a pop-up message saying

Apparently, the problem means that javaw.exe is either missing or corrupted. Sometimes such violations may be caused due to manual or malware intervention that could modify the settings. This is why we have prepared a couple of methods that will help you easily solve the problem and continue using java software without errors.

1. Reinstall or update Java

One of the easiest ways to solve the “Windows cannot find javaw.exe” error is updating or reinstalling Java. This will ensure that you install a clean and latest Java version that can be downloaded from the official website. It does not require a lot of time and can be done via the attached instructions down below:

1. Press Windows + R combination, then paste appwiz.cplto and click OK.
2. Among the opened list of apps, find and right-click on Java. Then choose Uninstall.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete removal.
4. Restart your PC.
5. After that, go to the official Java website and download the latest version for your system.
6. Open the downloaded file and click on Install.
7. Finally, Java has been reinstalled and you can now try to open the conflicting apps.

2. Add the Javaw.exe Path to the Environment Variable Path

Since Windows claims that it failed to find the route of javaw.exe, we can then try to assign the path of the file manually. Rarely Windows fails to identify the location of the file, which needs to be indicated manually as a result. To do this, follow the underneath steps:

1. Right-click on This PC, then choose Properties.
2. In the opened window, select the Advanced tab and click the Environment Variables button at the bottom.
3. After, click the New button under System variables.
4. Once the New System Variable window appeared, type Path in the Variable name text box.
5. Then, in the Variable Value text box, paste the path of Java location. If you are not sure where it is located, then you can do the following:
6. Type javaw into the searching tab next to the Start menu button.
7. Right-click on it and choose Open file location.
8. You will then see the path of Java, which you can copy and paste into the Variable Value text box
9. Once done, click OK to save changes.

Hopefully, Windows will stop failing to find the programs’ path and will finally launch the intended applications without glitches.

3. Scan for malware

As statistics show, malware is now considered one of the most common reasons for many problems on devices. After penetration, it can alter the system settings, therefore, damaging various files that can result in multiple errors. The “Windows cannot find javaw.exe” error is not an exception and can pop up due to the presence of malware. This is why we recommend using Norton Antivirus to scan your device for potential threats. Norton Antivirus is high-quality antivirus program that detects malware, causing system problems. Instead of purchasing the program, first you can try free trial version. Periodically scanning your device is highly important to be aware of your system and prevent unnecessary interventions that can put your device under a risk.

Download Norton Antivirus

4. Run System File Checker (SFC) scan

Especially after removing malware that could change and damage some settings, Windows offers an in-built feature that is able to scan your device for errors and automatically fix them. To do so, run the following:

1. Open the Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching tab next to the Start Menu button.
2. In the appeared console, you should type the sfc /scannow command and click Enter.
3. After Windows scans for errors and fixes them, you should restart your computer.

These are the most relevant solutions that can be applied for eliminating the “Windows cannot find javaw.exe” error. Most of the steps mentioned in this guide are also effective in solving similar problems since most of the errors are typically related to inner system violations, out-dated, or corrupted software. There are also some utilities that can automatically detect the missing or damaged components and subsequently restore them. However, we insist on downloading such tools only from official/trustworthy websites in order to evade fake offers that can include trojans, viruses, ransomware, and other potentially dangerous malware that can damage your data significantly.