I just did the default Java (8) installation of Eclipse on my Windows (8, yikes) laptop, and it seems to work just fine. However, I'm not as good at Java as I am with C and C++, and for some work it's more expeditious to use C/C++ than Java.
Unfortunately, the Eclipse installer for Windows doesn't make it very easy to set up Eclipse for C/C++. It looks like I'd be fine with Linux or BSD, but then I'd have to scrounge up another laptop (because I need the mobility) and install Linux or BSD on it. Yes, I need to leave Windows on this machine, so Windows hate isn't going to help me.
My lazy web search turned up this article: "Install Eclipse for C++ Development on Windows 7 64-bit". Is there a better installation guide than that, or does anyone care to describe the process in more detail?
Even though you have CDT features installed, you need to install a GCC compiler for windows such as MinGW or Cygwin. Once you install them, add the 'bin' folder in the installed path to the environment variables and then restart eclipse. You should now see MinGW compiler when you select "Create new C Project". After this step, proceed with your C programs and this should resolve your problems.