LimeWire version 4.9.0
Java version 1.5.0_02 from Sun Microsystems Inc.
Windows XP v. 5.1 on x86
Free/total memory: 625872/4923392

FATAL ERROR!

java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.awt.Dimension.<init>(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicProgressBarUI.getPrefe rredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicProgressBarUI.getMinim umSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getMinimumSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.BoxLayout.checkRequests(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.BoxLayout.minimumLayoutSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.minimumSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.getMinimumSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getMinimumSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.BoxLayout.checkRequests(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.BoxLayout.minimumLayoutSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.minimumSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.getMinimumSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getMinimumSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.BoxLayout.checkRequests(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.BoxLayout.preferredLayoutSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.preferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.GridBagLayout.GetLayoutInfo(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.GridBagLayout.getLayoutInfo(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.GridBagLayout.ArrangeGrid(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.GridBagLayout.arrangeGrid(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.GridBagLayout.layoutContainer(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.layout(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.doLayout(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.validateTree(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.validate(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Window.show(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Component.show(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Component.setVisible(Unknown Source)
at com.limegroup.gnutella.gui.GUIMediator$1.run(GUIMe diator.java:318)
at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForHierar chy(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarch y(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)


-- listing session information --
Current thread: AWT-EventQueue-0
Active Threads: 17

-- listing threads --
async gui initializer: 1
Image Fetcher 3: 1
IconLoader: 1
Thread-3: 1
NIODispatcher: 1
device search response: 1
Image Fetcher 2: 1
Java2D Disposer: 1
Thread-8: 1
TimerQueue: 1
main: 1
AWT-Shutdown: 1
AWT-Windows: 1
AWT-EventQueue-0: 1
Image Fetcher 1: 1
Timer-0: 1
Image Fetcher 0: 1


-- listing properties --
FILTER_HASH_QUERIES=true
APP_HEIGHT=984
FRACTIONAL_UPTIME=0.0029266805
LAST_EXPIRE_TIME=1119630504375
SESSIONS=8
RUN_ONCE=true
COUNTRY=
CLIENT_ID=6EB24AA3264C2F0C3ABFA085BBAF3900
LAST_SHUTDOWN_TIME=1119026805281
EVER_ACCEPTED_INCOMING=true
TOTAL_UPTIME=5607
PORT=6348
RUN_ON_STARTUP=false
UNSET_FIREWALLED_FROM_CONNECTBACK=true
APP_WIDTH=1280
INSTALLED=true
LAST_GWEBCACHE_FETCH_TIME=1118969746343
CONNECTION_SPEED=1000
WINDOW_Y=-4
WINDOW_X=-4

I am having the same problem, uninstalled and reinstalled both Java and Limewire several times.

same problem

See Problem opening Limewire - Crash on startup: Fatal Error for a possible answer.