Java could not open/create prefs error

Question

I am trying to get MIDI audio to play, but when ever I do this it keeps returning the error `

May 18, 2014 10:23:29 AM java.util.prefs.WindowsPreferences <init>
WARNING: Could not open/create prefs root node Software\JavaSoft\Prefs at root 
         0x80000002. Windows RegCreateKeyEx(...) returned error code 5.

I have gone into regedit and my permissions are on EVERYONE, but it just doesn't want to work.

CODE

import javax.sound.midi.Instrument;
import javax.sound.midi.MidiChannel;
import javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem;
import javax.sound.midi.MidiUnavailableException;
import javax.sound.midi.Synthesizer;

public class Sound {

    public static void main(String args[]) throws MidiUnavailableException {
        int channel = 0;
        int volume = 80;
        int duration = 200;

        Synthesizer synth;
        synth = MidiSystem.getSynthesizer();
        synth.open();
        MidiChannel[] channels = synth.getChannels();
        channels[channel].noteOn(60, volume); // C note
        synth.close();
    }
}

Possible duplicate: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/16428098/groovy-shell-warning-could-not-open-create-prefs-root-node — Jiri Patera, May 18 '14 at 09:39
Tried that but when creating a new key it returns `cannot create key` — Harry Kitchener, May 18 '14 at 09:39
May not it be an insufficient rights problem? Have you tried to create the key as an administrator? — Jiri Patera, May 18 '14 at 09:43
Thanks, I fixed it, I realized that I was just going to the menu and selecting `new`. I didn't actually go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\JavaSoft` — Harry Kitchener, May 18 '14 at 09:44

score 10 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 04 '19 at 07:35

10

I was faced this issue on Windows 10 64-bit and was able to resolve the problem by manually creating the following registry key.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\JavaSoft\Prefs

Hope this helps for the Windows users.

answered Jun 04 '19 at 07:35

Osanda Deshan

1,473
3
14
30

Work for me, thanks. More details, just **right click on "JavaSoft" - "New" -"Key", and rename the key to "Prefs"**. Re-run the gradle task, the warning message is gone. – MadHatter Jun 04 '21 at 06:41

score 8 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 03 '18 at 01:14

8

It's a known Java bug, still around on Windows 10 and update 112. Just run the program once from an elevated command prompt and it goes away.

answered Jan 03 '18 at 01:14

david.pfx

10,520
3
30
63

score 6 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 29 '19 at 15:45

6

It's a very well known Windows problem. Just try it:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft.....Right click the icon, then change the permission to full operation

edited Nov 29 '19 at 15:45

Sean

45
7

answered Mar 10 '17 at 19:08

szaroblekitny

130
1
5

Gegomu · Answer 4 · 2019-03-15T08:10:09.560

It's java problem

I've try to solve using only USER_PREFERENCES, but the WindowsPreferences class has this code

static final Preferences userRoot = new WindowsPreferences(USER_ROOT_NATIVE_HANDLE, WINDOWS_ROOT_PATH);

static final Preferences systemRoot = new windowsPreferences(SYSTEM_ROOT_NATIVE_HANDLE, WINDOWS_ROOT_PATH);

So it try to read systemPreferences yes or yes.

I've try changing priviledges on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE but now in win-10 it doesn't works. In the past, in win-7 it worked. It does not important, it's only a trace if you use USER_PREFS

This is my (tricky) solution... write this code in the main method or before using Preferences

static {
    PlatformLogger logger = PlatformLogger.getLogger("java.util.prefs");
    logger.setLevel(Level.SEVERE);
}

This is not a solution, it only make the WARNING log disappear and shouldn't be used. — lmo, Nov 04 '19 at 14:46

Java could not open/create prefs error

4 Answers4

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