Windows 10: Multiple Instances of Microsoft Visual C++ Installed

While doing some house cleaning on my system I noticed there were several instances of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable installed on my computer according to Control Panel/Programs and Features. The latest is version 2012 installed on 9/28/2016. The others go way back to version 2005 installed on 5/06/2005!

Can all of the older ones be safely uninstalled via Programs and Features?

Thank you.

:)

 

multiple versions of Microsoft visual C++

Browsing your Apps and Features Setting or Programs and Features Control Panel, you might see multiple versions of the redistributable installed. A particular app installed might be utilizing one of them, so, removing any version can cause an application
to malfunction. Some apps might even require updated versions of the Visual C++ Redistributable such as 2010 SP1 or 2012 Update 4.

A DLL helps app creators efficiently reuse common components that make a program work. Instead of reinventing the wheel and bloating their code each time, developers can reuse the libraries in the MSVCR.dll. This in return can reduce the size of a program and
provide better performance and memory utilization. Some applications are written using specific versions of the Visual C++ Redistributable. If your computer does not have the full Visual C++ development program installed (which you likely won’t unless you
are a software developer), a program will come with what is called a Runtime Component to facilitate that particular program. The Runtime Components are just the essential pieces of code that make the software work.

There are versions of the Visual C++ Redistributable that go back as far as version 2005.

Learn more:

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/fix-visual-c-p...

 

multiple versions of Microsoft visual C++

Hi yes you do need them . . .

When you install software that needs code from the Microsoft visual C+ Runtime, it will install the version it relies on, if it is not already installed.

Different software on your system requires different version(s) of this runtime

If you uninstall any of these, some software on your system will stop working.

These are nothing to worry about, they will not slow your system down and take up little space - best to leave well enough alone for the stability of your system!

 

Do you play games on your PC, in particular Steam games? It's common for developers to bundle their own particular version of these distributions because their games were made for that particular version of c++.

 

Not only Games require older versions, I would leave them alone, could cause problems for programs that need a specific version.

 

Thank you.

No I don't play any games other than Bridge Baron.

 

Don't uninstall any of the different instances of Visual C++ Redists. You need them all as none of them are compatible with each other. If a game or application has been compiled against (created using) VS C++ v2008, then that is the only redistributable package that will work for that particular application.

Even both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of the packages might be required for some applications though the version numbers are the same. 32- and 64-bit are not compatible.

 

Some programs may install them as well and require specific versions.

 

Thanks to all who replied. I have marked this as 'solved' and will just leave them alone.

 

Yes, leave them alone! Other programs e.g. Lightroom also use these libraries.