# ES doesn't start : 1) NoSuchFieldError\[LUCENE\_31\]2) NoClassDefFoundError\[Could not initialize class org.elasticsearch.common.lucene.Lucene\]

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-doesnt-start-1-nosuchfielderror-lucene-31-2-noclassdeffounderror-could-not-initialize-class-org-elasticsearch-common-lucene-lucene/4369>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [May 9, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-doesnt-start-1-nosuchfielderror-lucene-31-2-noclassdeffounderror-could-not-initialize-class-org-elasticsearch-common-lucene-lucene/4369 "2011-05-09T04:10:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![shruthi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shruthi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/shruthi)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-doesnt-start-1-nosuchfielderror-lucene-31-2-noclassdeffounderror-could-not-initialize-class-org-elasticsearch-common-lucene-lucene/4369/1 "2011-05-09T04:10:43Z")

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Hello,  
I have just decided to use ES and downloaded the archive  
elasticsearch-0.16.0. On trying to execute elasticsearch.bat, I get  
the following error.

[2011-05-09 09:24:27,357][ERROR][bootstrap]  
{elasticsearch/0.16.  
0}: Initialization Failed ...

1. NoSuchFieldError[LUCENE\_31]2) NoClassDefFoundError[Could not  
initialize class  
org.elasticsearch.common.lucene.Lucene]

I see that the Lucene jars are available in the lib folder. Any idea  
what could be the problem?

Thanks in advance!  
Shruthi

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**Author:** ![shruthi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shruthi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/shruthi)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-doesnt-start-1-nosuchfielderror-lucene-31-2-noclassdeffounderror-could-not-initialize-class-org-elasticsearch-common-lucene-lucene/4369/2 "2011-05-09T05:17:26Z")

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Problem resolved.  
My CLASSPATH was pointing to lucene 3.0 and hence was not picking up  
the latest version from lib.

On May 9, 9:10 am, shruthi [shruthiar...@gmail.com](mailto:shruthiar...@gmail.com) wrote:

> Hello,  
> I have just decided to use ES and downloaded the archive  
> elasticsearch-0.16.0. On trying to execute elasticsearch.bat, I get  
> the following error.
> 
> [2011-05-09 09:24:27,357][ERROR][bootstrap]  
> {elasticsearch/0.16.  
> 0}: Initialization Failed ...
> 
> 1. NoSuchFieldError[LUCENE\_31]2) NoClassDefFoundError[Could not  
> initialize class  
> org.elasticsearch.common.lucene.Lucene]
> 
> I see that the Lucene jars are available in the lib folder. Any idea  
> what could be the problem?
> 
> Thanks in advance!  
> Shruthi

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/es-doesnt-start-1-nosuchfielderror-lucene-31-2-noclassdeffounderror-could-not-initialize-class-org-elasticsearch-common-lucene-lucene/4369/3 "2017-07-06T04:06:40Z")

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