Do I have too much Java on my computer?

[batlowese]

When I look at the Software programs in my XP Control Panel, I see
about 10 Java programs of varying MB's, but all of them 133MB or more.
It seems to me that I do not really need all of those and that all can
be deleted except the latest: Jave 6, update 3. Could those others be
deleted?

 

[douggunnoe]

When I look at the Software programs in my XP Control Panel, I see
about 10 Java programs of varying MB's, but all of them 133MB or more.
It seems to me that I do not really need all of those and that all can
be deleted except the latest: Jave 6, update 3. Could those others be
deleted?

The only potential problem with deleting them is that you have loaded
on your computer several different versions of java's runtime
environment (jre). When you try to run a program or applet that was
written for a previous jre, it will not run. But if you don't have any
old stuff that uses it, you can delete it without any significant
problems.

If you come across an applet that uses an older jre, and you don't
have it installed, it will just prompt you to install it.

 

[Joshua Cranmer]

The only potential problem with deleting them is that you have loaded
on your computer several different versions of java's runtime
environment (jre). When you try to run a program or applet that was
written for a previous jre, it will not run. But if you don't have any
old stuff that uses it, you can delete it without any significant
problems.

If you come across an applet that uses an older jre, and you don't
have it installed, it will just prompt you to install it.

I think you mean newer? I have some applications that were compiled with
Java 1.1 and they still run fine with Java 6, update 3.

 

[Chronic Philharmonic]

I think you mean newer? I have some applications that were compiled with
Java 1.1 and they still run fine with Java 6, update 3.

Usually, programs written for earlier versions of Java will run with later
versions. However, sometimes there are problems, and some programs are
configured to look for the JRE in a particular location. This is
particularly true of Windows services written in Java. The service wrappers
often specify the Java DLL or a path to a particular JRE. You can fix many
of these configuration issues (often requiring manual intervention), but not
all. That is why Java updates do not delete or replace earlier versions.

 

[Lew]

The only potential problem with deleting them is that you have loaded
on your computer several different versions of java's runtime
environment (jre). When you try to run a program or applet that was
written for a previous jre, it will not run.

It should, actually, as newer Java versions can run code written for older
versions.

 

[douggunnoe]

I think you mean newer? I have some applications that were compiled with
Java 1.1 and they still run fine with Java 6, update 3.

I believe all browsers have built in support for 1.1.

 

[Roedy Green]

When I look at the Software programs in my XP Control Panel, I see
about 10 Java programs of varying MB's, but all of them 133MB or more.
It seems to me that I do not really need all of those and that all can
be deleted except the latest: Jave 6, update 3. Could those others be
deleted?

You only need one JDK. After you remove them, try reinstalling JDK
1.6.0_03.