Issue 1: Windows Does Not Recognize the JAR File If the JAR file doesn’t display a Java icon, indicating it’s unrecognized by Windows, the problem may be that JDK (Java Development Kit) isn’t installed. Verify this by typing java -version in the command prompt. If JDK isn’t installed, download and install it from the official website, ensuring you restart your system post-installation.

Issue 2: Java Version Not Detected After JDK Installation Even after JDK installation, if java -version doesn’t return a version number, check your system’s environment variables. Ensure the Java path is correctly set in the system variables. If not, add the Java path manually, and restart your system for the changes to take effect.

Issue 3: Running AEM from the Command Prompt If the AEM JAR file still doesn’t execute with a double-click, try launching it from the command prompt using java -jar [AEM_JAR_PATH]. This can often bypass issues related to file associations in Windows.

Issue 4: JDK Version Compatibility AEM might not start if your JDK version isn’t compatible with the AEM version you’re using. Check Adobe’s documentation for compatible JDK versions for your specific AEM version. You may need to install a different version of JDK and adjust your system’s environment variables accordingly.

Issue 5: Checking Logs for Errors If AEM doesn’t start, check the error logs in the crx-quickstart/logs directory. Look for any out-of-memory errors or other issues. You might need to increase the memory allocation for AEM using JVM arguments or take heap dumps for further analysis.

Issue 6: Manually Opening AEM in a Browser Sometimes, AEM starts but doesn’t automatically open in a browser. In such cases, manually open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:4502 (or the relevant port number) to access AEM.

Issue 7: Port Availability If AEM doesn’t start, the issue might be with the port availability. Change the port number in the AEM JAR file name (e.g., from 4502 to 5002) and try starting AEM again.

Issue 8: Editing Sling Properties In some cases, editing the Sling properties file can resolve startup issues. Navigate to the crx-quickstart/conf directory and modify the sling.properties file according to the guidelines provided in Adobe’s documentation.

Final Resort: Corrupted JAR File If all else fails, the AEM JAR file might be corrupted. In this case, obtain a new copy of the JAR file from a reliable source and repeat the installation process.

Conclusion: Troubleshooting AEM installation issues can be frustrating, but by systematically addressing these common problems, you can successfully set up your AEM environment.