Introduction

When the SQL Developer that is bundled with 64-bit Oracle 11G Client is launched, one is prompted for the location of java.exe.

As the SQL Developer is running on a 64-bit system, the more natural choice is to go with 64-bit Java run-time.

Doing so will be a mistake and if one would have done so, one would be greeted with this error message.

Text

WARNING: Could not find jvm.cfg! in 'E:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_26\jre\lib\jvm.cfg'
WARNING: Cannot find default VM "client" at E:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_26
ERROR: Cannot find VM at: E:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_26
Aborting!

Image

Correction

To correct:

1. Identify the folder where the sqldeveloper is located
2. In our case the folder is E:\app\oracle\x64\product\11.2.0\client_1\SQLDEVELOPER\SQLDEVELOPER\BIN
3. Open the sqldeveloper.conf in a text editor
4. Comment out the SetJavaHome that references the 64-bit Java.exe
   E:\Program Files and add a new line that references the 32-bit E:\Program Files (x86)

   #SetJavaHome E:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_26
   SetJavaHome E:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.6.0_26
   

5. Save the edited file
6. Relaunch SQL Developer

Credit

Crediting 561237.   He referenced the solution in a response he gave on the “OTN Community”.

Addendum

2016-08-30

Posted about changes post SQL Developer v4 here

References 

1. SQLDeveloper 1.5.1 won’t recognise JDK.
   http://kr.forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=672963&tstart=13