Registry key Error: Java version has value '1.8', but '1.7' is required

Question

While running

sencha app build production

I am getting the following error:

Error: Registry key \'Software\\JavaSof

Answer 1

The error is explicit ...

Error: Registry key 'Software\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment'\CurrentVersion' has value '1.8', but '1.7' is required.

Error: could not find java.dll

Error: Could not find Java SE Runtime Environment.

... you are attempting to use the java.exe 1.7 executable while the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment > CurrentVersion registry key has the value 1.8.

The recurring theme to proposed solutions is that the error is a configuration error. The error can be solved in various different manners (e.g. reconfiguration of the users environment or removal of java executables with fingers-crossed and hope that there exists another fallback java.exe in the users %PATH% and that the fallback java.exe is the correct executable).

The correct solution depends on what you're trying to achieve: "are you trying to downgrade from jdk-8 to jdk-7? Are trying to upgrade to jdk-8? ..."

Reproduction steps

1. install jdk-7u80-windows-x64.exe

notes:

• the java.exe executable available in the users %PATH% is installed in C:\Windows\System32
• the installation does not update the users %PATH%
• the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment > CurrentVersion string registry entry is created (among others) with the value 1.7

2. install jdk-8u191-windows-x64.exe

notes:

• the users %PATH% is updated to include C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath as the first entry
• the the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment > CurrentVersion string registry entries value is updated to 1.8

3. update the users %PATH% environment variable, remove C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath

4. in a new command prompt java -version

Error: Registry key 'Software\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment'\CurrentVersion' has value '1.8', but '1.7' is required.

Error: could not find java.dll

Error: Could not find Java SE Runtime Environment.

Solution(s)

1. OP's solution https://stackoverflow.com/a/29769311/1423507 is a "fingers-crossed and hope that there exists a fallback java.exe in the users %PATH% and that the fallback executable is correct" approach to the error. Given the reproduction steps, removing the java.exe, javaw.exe and javaws.exe executables from C:\Windows\System32 (only in my case) will result in no longer having any java.exe present in the users %PATH% resulting in the error 'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. which is not so much of a solution.

2. answers https://stackoverflow.com/a/35775493/1423507 and https://stackoverflow.com/a/36516620/1423507 work however you're reverting to using java.exe 1.7 (e.g. update the CurrentVersion registry key's value to match the java.exe version found in the users %PATH%).

3. make surejava.exe 1.8 is the first found in the users %PATH% (how you do that is irrelevant) i.e.:

   • update the users %PATH% to include C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath first (ensure that the executables in that directory are correct)
   • update the users %PATH% to include the absolute path of your java binaries first (set PATH="C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_191\bin;%PATH%")
   • set java specific environment variables and update the users %PATH% with them (set JAVA_HOME="C:\Program Files\Java"; set JRE_HOME=%JAVA_HOME%\jre1.8.0_191; set PATH=%JRE_HOME%\bin;%PATH%)