Windows 10: Do I really need all these versions of MS VC++ 2005-2015 ??

Here is what I have installed with respect to MS Visual C++ deps:





I have multiple versions of each year present. Is it safe to remove all but the most current version of each package for 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 ? I know there is a 32 * 64 bit package for each of them.

Tim

:)

 

Trying to install anniversary update falis

I have been trying to install the new update "anniversary", but it hangs forever at 71% and displays and error related to VC++ but it is impossible to read on it cause the formulary is empty of text.

I repaired all related VC++ redistributables (from 2005 to 2015). I use te computer to develop programs using VS 2015 community.

Any clue?.. I NEED HELP urgently

Thanks

 

Do I really need all of these Microsoft Server Applications on my Windows 10 computer?

I uninstalled all of the programs on my list, restarted and installed the accu chek-360 program again, it installed all of the SQL 2008 programs again. So now I am without the SQL 2005 but no application I have seems to need it. So I guess the answer is
"Yes", I need the programs. Thanks.

 

@N9NU
You most likely have or had a program that depends on them, otherwise they wouldn't be there.
I would leave them.

 

You can use this, it will uninstall all versions and install the latest updated ones.

Visual C++ Runtime Installer Download

 

No its not safe, leave them alone, Applications install the particular version they require.

If you fiddle about deleting versions and apparent duplications/updates you may stop an application working properly.
They are small, so just not worth the risk.

 

Guess what?

I used that kewl tewl mentioned above and have no issues with any of the apps using them. Anyways, all that needs to be done if something does not work is to re-install it.

LOL

Tim

 

If you do need a particular version the program that included it will fail and probably prompt to reinstall it.

 

You could also 'hide' some of them by changing the Name from DisplayName to QuietDisplayName in Registry.

 

These are just redistributable packages, which typically consist of a couple DLLs and nothing else. If you have applications that rely on these packages, then yes, these packages are needed. Applications are hardcoded to use specific versions of these packages. You can't just delete an "older" version of the package and expect the application to "pick up" the newer one.

 

Even if the app installs them, Windows update may replace or upgrade them if they are out of date or improper. You can see that happen when you have installed something, and Reliability History shows MS has DL'd an update or replacement. They are not very big and could cause malfunction if removed. I have a bunch, too. Some as recent as 3 days ago. It's normal.

 

It is possible that you don't need all of those versions but making that determination is far from simple. As they are relatively small there is little to be gained in deleting them. In theory only the latest version should be needed but software doesn't always see things that way. Some applications will insist on a specific version and fail if it is not present. Maybe you don't have any such applications, or maybe you do. Finding out is the hard part.

 

As mentioned earlier, applications install the particular version they require. You might remove them and feel no effects now, but somewhere down the line something may complain, crash, or break and you may be left searching for the issue when the issue is a missing C++ version you removed.

I know it looks like a hot mess with all those versions installed, but there's a reason they're there. Couple that with the fact that Windows may just reinstall them anyway and well... And yeah, I've got a ton of them as well.

 

Leave them alone to avoid problems. I once had a problem with Lightroom failing to load which was traced to one of those C++ installations being corrupted.