[news.eclipse.newcomer] Re: URGENT: Eclipse won't start

["Walter Harley" <eclipse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Alain "Désilets"" <alain.desilets@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message 
news:d1260e4a0df75a3bac173cf470181592$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> PLEASE HELP! I'M UNDER A VERY STRICT DEADLINE
>
> Been using Eclipse for 6 years with very few glitches.
>
> Suddenly, when I start Eclipse, it won't and tells me to look in the log 
> file.
>
> See below for the message I find in the log.
>
> It seems lot of people experience this problem:
>
>   http://tapestryjava.blogspot.com/2004/10/worst-eclipse-crash-ever.html
>
>
> And the solution that seems to work for most people is to remove this 
> file:
>
> \.metadata\.plugins\org.eclipse.core.resources\.snap
> and
> \.metadata\.plugins\org.eclipse.core.resources\.root\.markers.snap
>
> But I have neither of them!
>
> I also tried the Workspace Rebuilder listed on this page:
>
>   http://www.eclipse.org/eclipse/platform-core/downloads.html
>
> But when I run the command line:
>
>  eclipse -application org.eclipse.core.tools.restorer.application
>
> I see the Eclipse splash screen for a few seconds, then it goes away. If I 
> restart Eclipse after that, still crashes. I also tried the -data option:
>
> eclipse -application org.eclipse.core.tools.restorer.application -data 
> myworkspace
>
> giving it both the name of the workspace ("eclipse_workspace" in my case) 
> and the full path ("D:\Documents and Settings\Desiletsa\My 
> Documents\eclipse_workspace") and neither of them did anything.


Given the urgency, I would suggest brute force:

1. Make a backup copy of the entire workspace somewhere.
2. Delete Eclipse.
3. Install a new copy of Eclipse (same version as the old one).
4. Create a new workspace.
5a. If you are using version control and do not have much stuff checked out 
right now, re-import the individual projects from version control and 
reapply your changes (by manually copying files from the backup, if needed).
5b. Or, if you aren't using version control (why not??), re-import all the 
individual projects from the backup, using Import -> Existing Project.  You 
might want to check the "copy files to workspace" folder.

Perhaps there is a way with more finesse, but it sounds like you have 
already explored that, and at least this way is pretty much guaranteed to 
work in a finite and predictable amount of time.