Is it safe to uninstall old java updates

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site. In reply to Ganesh Achar B's post on October 31, Thanks for your response. In reply to Rosey21's post on November 2, Thank you. In reply to Ganesh Achar B's post on November 28, How do I know what programs are Jave related? SpiritX Volunteer Moderator. The simple answer is to allow Java on your PC, it's quite important.

Just leave it alone, it'll do your machine no harm. In reply to hovePlace's post on November 29, I recently purchased a new computer. No Java. After two months, have yet to run across anything that requires it. In reply to A. User's post on November 29, Thanks every body for your help. In reply to Rosey21's post on November 30, Hi Rosey21, If you have Java installed then disable it, see top link in my previous reply.

Then if you need it just enable it. If you never need it then you can uninstall it. Currently, you can uninstall an update, which basically means that Windows replaces the current updated files with the old ones from the previous version.

This same scenario is also generally true for Microsoft Office: updates are applied to the program directly. Other programs, however, often update themselves quite differently. Rather than just updating parts of the program or patching the program, they simply have you download a completely new version and install it. What you can delete is the old download from the original installation, or from the previous update, and this applies only when the program updates itself by downloading an entirely new copy.

And for the record, I do recommend that you save at least the most recent download installers, especially for programs that you may have purchased. Chances are the program is either cleaning up after itself, or the parts that remain are required for some reason.

Subscribe to Confident Computing! Less frustration and more confidence, solutions, answers, and tips in your inbox every week. I used to delete the older installation files of freeware programs like Firefox, Chrome, Thunderbird etc, and keep the latest version.

I eventually came to the conclusion that there was no reason to keep the latest version as 1. If I ever need to reinstall the program, my latest version might not be the latest version available. Without being able to obtain it from either my external harddrive or from the internet, I could not do what I needed to.

At least if I had kept a copy on my external I could have installed that. It might not have been the latest version, but at least I could have kept working until I could download an updated version. My goal being to keep the OS space on the hard drive as clean as possible!! It depends on the specific program.

Some you can, some you cannot. Older updates are not cumulative and can be removed using the Java Uninstall Tool or manually by the user. The Java Uninstall Tool will allow you to select which versions of Java and its updates you want to uninstall. Generally speaking, yes. It may be difficult to figure out which Java applications you have installed, as Windows does not list which programs are actually "Java applications".

I need more questions. If you have a question - or even a computer problem that needs fixing - please email me with your question so that I can write more articles like this one.

I can't promise I'll respond to all the messages I receive depending on the volume , but I'll do my best. About the author : Dennis Faas is the owner and operator of Infopackets. With over 30 years of computing experience, Dennis' areas of expertise are a broad range and include PC hardware, Microsoft Windows, Linux, network administration, and virtualization.

For technical support inquiries, Dennis can be reached via Live chat online this site using the Zopim Chat service currently located at the bottom left of the screen ; optionally, you can contact Dennis through the website contact form.

I use this program to uninstall older versions of JAVA. It will leave the newest version. I just looked at their website. The program is still there for download if you want to give it a try. Privacy Policy Terms of Service. Jump to Navigation. Search form Search. Is it Safe?