.NET Framework

I was looking at the program installed on my computer with Revo Uninstaller (LOVE that program) and found a bunch of >NET Framework/Service pack files that seem to be a little redundant. Here is the list:

.NET Framework 1.1 (no futher data available)
.NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2 (Version 2.2.30729 183.38 MB)
.NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2 (Version 3.2.30729 222.18 MB)
.NET Framework 3.5 SP 1 (28.18 MB)
.NET Framework 4 Client Profile (Version 4.0.31319 38.80 MB)

Can ANY of these "duplicate (?)" programs be safely removed? If so, which ones? ( I added the version codes/file sizes because I thought maybe someone would understand them. Even though I consider myself fairly computer savvy, I have no real idea what they mean.

Thanks!

 

Okay. I was just curious, because it seems like I get a NEW .NET Framework program every time I update ANY program, especially Security Esentials. My laptop is going on 5 yeras old and STILL runs well, and I don't want to mess that up!

Thanks for your advice.

 

So I probably shouldn't mess with the Visual C++ files either, huh? Got a mess of those too. Another question I may have asked before (think my mind is going!), is it safe to delete OLD Java updates? Don't have a lot of those, but they seem to take up a good amount of space.

 

Java's website says get rid of the old ones. For me on my XP that has been happening automatically.

I asked on Microsft's forum about the old NET Frameworks, and they said you have to keep them.

 

I'll leave the Visual C++ alone then. Not exactly sure what it does anyway. As for Java, I have 2 Java 7 updates: 17 and 21. Both are the same size (129.06 MB). I won't mess with them, either.

Question: if I'm running Advanced System Care (mine is V 6.2) and MS Security Essentials, is it necessary/recommended to also have IOBit Malware Fighter & Smart Defrag? Doesn't ASC already perform those functions??

As always, thanks for the replies and advice!!

 

You can have multiple AV programs, just make sure that only one is set for real-time scan. IMHO.

Also, you don't really need java, UNLESS you have a program that requires it. I don't have it on my computer at all.

Now my work computer needs it.

 

Most Microsoft applications (and lots of 3rd-party stuff as well) are written in C++. These applications need to have the C++ runtime environment installed, which is what all these MSVC*.dll files are. Applications written in a specific version need the RTE for that version; that's why you will end up having quite a few different versions of these (including .NET versions).

That is where Java differs; you only need the latest Java runtime to support all Java applications. (But if you don't have any Java apps, you won't need the JRE at all.)

 

Until a few weeks ago my AV was Microsoft Security Essentials, for over 2 years. Frankly, a lot of stuff, including Babylon Toolbar multiple times, got past MSE.

I think having multiple non-realtime malware detector / removers is desirable because no one program can be relied on to catch everything. I keep SpyBot, IMF, SUPERAntispyware free, and Malwarebytes free on hand.