Update Java and remove old Java versions from your system

JavaRa is a small application for Microsoft Windows that serves two purposes. The first is to check if a Java update is available and if that is the case download and install it on the computer. The second scans the system for previous versions of Java, if any old versions are found on the system they are removed from it. This second option is very handy because Java, more precisely its Java Runtime Environment, tends to install itself in separate directories with each new version that is released.

Four different versions of the Java Runtime Environment were installed on my system and JavaRa removed the three versions of JRE that were the oldest from the system. I started by scanning my system for old versions of Java which were removed, then checked if there was a Java update available. I should have done it the other way round because an update was found and a new version of Java was installed on my system.

Which led to the fact that the previously newest version was not the newest anymore so I had to run the cleanup process again to remove that version. The best way to use the application is therefor to run the Update first and check for old versions once the software has checked for and installed possible updates.

Tags: java, java runtime environment, java update, jre, sun, Windows
Categories: Operating Systems, Windows, software

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10 Responses to “Update Java and remove old Java versions from your system”

1. Dan says:

   April 9, 2008 at 1:42 pm

   That’s great, thanks! Now all we need is a similar tool to update and remove old versions of Flash, QuickTime and other oft-updated plugins that don’t clean up after themselves.

   Reply
2. FileMaker Plugin says:

   April 9, 2008 at 1:42 pm

   Very useful little tool! I found 5 old versions on my pc! Thanks for sharing!

   Reply
3. cheetah says:

   June 22, 2008 at 8:58 pm

   Really cool tool! I got stuck trying to recover some disk space to install Win XP SP3…. this tool helped me getting the required space :-)

   Reply
4. Hasan says:

   September 2, 2009 at 2:22 am

   Great Help.Thanks a lot.

   Reply