How do I know that this is the problem?

We identified this problem, because in the console log of your game crash we found the following error:

org.lwjgl.LWJGLException: Pixel format not accelerated
at org.lwjgl.opengl.WindowsPeerInfo.nChoosePixelFormat(Native Method)
at org.lwjgl.opengl.WindowsPeerInfo.choosePixelFormat(WindowsPeerInfo.java:52)
...

Why is this happening?

This issue is caused by the hardware on your computer not being set up to support the graphics processing needed run this version of Minecraft. 

More specifically this is a problem running the OpenGL 2.0 graphics library. Most computers with a dedicated graphics cards made in the last 10 years should have no problem running OpenGL. We run into problems more often when a computer needs to do its graphics processing through it's CPU alone.

My computer runs Minecraft, Why can't it run your software?

Some times a computer can run the released version of Minecraft, but can not run Minecraft in developer mode through Eclipse. This is because the released versions of Minecraft and even finished versions of mods are more optimized and require less computer resources. When testing out mods in progress, Minecraft has to work harder to display everything  and uses a more resource intensive version of OpenGL.

Can I update the drivers on my computer to fix this?

Yes, sometimes a computer that is few years old runs into this problem because it's graphics drivers are out of date. The drivers can be updated by either the Device Manager in the Control Panel on Windows or by downloading them from the device manufacture's website.

How To Update Drivers Using Device Manager on Windows

What should I look for in a computer to make sure it will run this?

Between the two major chip manufactures Intel and AMD, it is more likely that a Intel chip will run into problems with OpenGL, all things being equal. Lower end chips made by Intel sacrifice OpenGL compatibility for better performance with DirectX, a competing graphics library. 

In our office we use computers with Intel CORE i3s  without a dedicated graphics card and they run everything just fine. We also know for sure that a computer with just an Intel Pro Duo is not able to run the software even with the most up to date drivers.

Our current recommendation is a computer with an Intel CORE i3 or better or a computer with a dedicated graphics card made in the last 10 years.

Is there a way I can upgrade the computer I have?

Yes, if you have a desktop computer you should be able to buy a relatively cheap graphics card to correct this issue. You just need make sure it is compatible with your CPU and supports OpenGL 2.0 or higher.

I don't want to change anything about my computer, what are my options?

There is one more possible solution, however it will require us needing to schedule a screenshare. To schedule a screenshare, just respond to this article saying you would like to try the different version of Java for Minecraft. We will then give you information on how to schedule your appointment.