Java Older Version Removal?

[FastEddie57]

I downloaded the newest version of Java and on the website it said to remove older versions of Java. I have the newest version Java 7 Update 7 and what I had previously, Java 6 Update 23 (64-bit). Should I remove the Java TM 6 version? PC is working fine.

[Tarun]

You can, but there may be something dependent on the older Java. I personally do not have Java installed nor do I see any need for it.

[greenknight]

Java games are all I ever use it for. Not really a need...

OpenOffice also uses Java for some functions (which I never use). It used to come bundled with Java, but I guess they finally quit that.

[James_A]

Unless you have something that will not run without Java, don't install it at all.

Now is a particularly bad time to be installing Java as there are unpatched exploits available. Oracle took 4 months to issue the Java 7 update 7 and it was broken by a new exploit the very next next day (less than 24 hours later). The new exploit is not yet public, but it's only a matter of time before the bad guys find it.

To answer the original question: it is usually best to have only ONE version of Java installed if you absolutely must have it.

Since there is very little on the web that requires Java, the next thing to do is to disable it in both Internet Explorer and in Firefox and in any other browsers you may have.

See the following for whichever browser(s) you have:

• Firefox: How to turn off Java applets
  
• Google Chrome: To disable the Java plug-in, visit the Plug-ins page by entering chrome://plugins/ in the address bar. Find the Java plug-in that you’d like to disable and click Disable.
  
• Safari: How to disable the Java web plug-in in Safari
  
• Opera: Enter opera:plugins in the address bar and disable the Java plugin, similar to Chrome
  
• Internet Explorer: IE is complicated, because "Kill-bits" have to be set in the Registry. The easiest way is to visit the Microsft KB article "How to disable the Java web plug-in in Internet Explorer" at http://support.micro....com/kb/2751647 and then edit the Registry by cutting & pasting the example text given by Microsoft, saving it with a .reg extension (NOT a .txt extension) and merging it into the Registry by double-clicking the file.
  

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[FastEddie57]

Thank you for all the replies. Very helpful.

[greenknight]

For my part, I use the NoScript extension in Firefox. I have it set to block all embedded content - Java, Flash, iframe, whatever - unless I specifically allow it. Bit of a hassle, but it blocks most exploits - and ads as well.

If you decide to install that, you might want to disable "Show the release notes on update" - otherwise you'll be sent to the developer's website every day or two, since it updates frequently. It's in the extension's Options > Notifications tab.

[fredvries]

To answer the original question: Oracle has now created its Java Uninstall Tool. See here.

The blurb: The Java Uninstall tool helps you improve your computer security by simplifying the process of finding and uninstalling older versions of Java. The Uninstall tool shows you a list of the Java versions on your computer and then removes those that are out of date.