Java update removals

I was reading in one of the malware posts that to cure a problem, to remove the Java j2se runtime updates. I am not having any issue with malware that I know of, but I notice on my laptop, in the change/delete programs area, that I have several versions of java, and am wondering if I can safely delete them. Collectively, they take up more than 1 gig of space on a old laptop that only has a 20 gig hard drive. I have on this laptop the following: Java Runtime Environment 5.0 updates 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, & 11 Also, Java(TM) 6 updates 2, 3, 5, 7 & 11
Can I just go in there and delete all that stuff?

Thanks

 

Thank You for such a fast reply. I'll tend to those issues right now.
I don't know why I had never found you guys long before now.
Thanks again

 

Once you remove the old versions, you may not encouter this issue of mutliple versions of Java again. With Updates 12 and 13, the update automatically removed the older version.

 

It is supposed to remove. But someone posting elsewhere discovered that build 12 was not removed - so there might be a glitch for a small % of users. At least the JavaRA tool will take care of anything remaining.

cvasara, you might also want to go to Secunia and either run the online scan or download a scan tool.
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online/
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/
The tool will scan your computer and tell you if anything you have needs patching.
I run the scan on our home computers about every two months. It is impossible to keep up with everything that needs security patches.