Eclipse error: 'Failed to create the Java Virtual Machine'

1. Open the eclipse.ini file from your eclipse folder,see the picture below.

2. Open eclipse.ini in Notepad or any other text-editor application, Find the line -Xmx256m (or -Xmx1024m). Now change the default value 256m (or 1024m) to 512m. You also need to give the exact java installed version (1.6 or 1.7 or other).

Like This:

-Xmx512m
-Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.6

OR

-Xmx512m
-Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.7

OR

-Xmx512m
-Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.8

Then it works well for me.

Try to add

-vm
D:\Java\jdk1.6.0_29\bin\javaw.exe

FYI: Refer sunblog

For others who might have problems with Java 7, as per Eclipse Wiki - eclipse.ini vm_value (windows example)

This might not work on all systems. If you encounter "Java was started but returned exit code=1" error while starting the eclipse, modify the -vm argument to point to jvm.dll

e.g.

-vm
C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin\client\jvm.dll

Also note that

The -vm option must occur before the -vmargs option, since everything after -vmargs is passed directly to the JVM

Try removing the -vm P:\Programs\jdk1.6\bin lines.

---

Also, a general recommendation: set -Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.6, not 1.5.