Removing old versions of Java

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I've been reading lots about how one should remove older versions of Java for the sake of security. Looking in the Add or Remove Programs panel, I see I've got several listings for Java, back to Java 5, as well as some older updates to Java 6 before Java 6 started removing older versions itself when it installed updates. If I were to use Add or Remove Programs to remove those older Java versions of 5 as well as the old updates of 6, would I be left with a functional version of the latest Java? Or do these updates build on what is already there from previous versions, resulting in one being better off just uninstalling ALL Java and starting over again? Things are working fine, but I would just like to plug any potential security holes if I can (but I don't want to break my Java in the process). Seems to be a whole rash of nasty business on the internet these days with these rogue "security" software installers sneaking in via drive-by downloads. The lastest crop is disabling the tools we would normally use to remove the malware, too. Better to prevent if one can possibly do so.

 

Just manually delete the older versions of Java and you will be ok.

 

try using this
http://majorgeeks.com/JavaRA_d5982.html

 

Thanks, Novice.

Thanks, Pistol, I'll try that if I have any problems uninstalling via Add/Remove Programs.

 

g'day Amethyst_08

i would definitely go with the javara program as it will also clean out any registry items associated with the old versions of java that the add and remove program leaves behind