You can install version6 update7 first, then go to the control panel and remove previous or old versions, at least that's the way I do it.

yes you definitely want to go to add remove and get rid of the older versions the reason they update is to patch holes so you want those old vulnerable ones off your pc, most things do that automatically but java is one that does not.

you need the one that is the latests update only.

the secunia software inspector is free and a good way to find out what you have on your system that needs updating and where to get it.
Online Software Inspector

Thank you both. I was pretty sure I should uninstall the older versions, but wanted to double check. Thanks for the link Raven....

I also thank you, I didn't know that about Java.

There is a neat little program called JavaRa that makes this even esier, it will find our updates, install them and automatically remove those old versions with the push of a button.
JavaRa
{{gwi:1481807}}

Hi,
I just did a "search" using just he word java for files and folders, it foung 135. Are all these for java mentioned here? Did I do the seach right? Is there a different wording I should use to find java runtime? Thanks.
Sapphires

Don't make it harder then it has to be, simply run the program that ravencajun has a link to and it will do it for you...no need to search....

sapphires no you do not want to do anything to all those you found those are all the java files on your pc I would guess.

Either get the program I posted or go to start> controlpanel> java> double click on java select the update tab check for updates now.
Take note of the new version number, after the new version is installed, go to control panel add remove programs and look for any other java versions earlier than the one you just installed and select them then choose remove.

This can all be done much easier with the push of 2 buttons by using javaRa.

Using the secuinia tool I linked to earlier will scan your pc and tell you all the updates that are needed to be done on your pc.

I just went to the JavaRa link - and it directed me someplace else. I downloaded the windows binary zip file - but got scared when I tried to run it. First I had to extract all the files and when I selected Run, my computer asked if I was sure because it couldn't verify the source? Or something to that effect. So I stopped there.

Should I just have it run? Are the instructions still the same now that it's redirecting me to another site?

Thanks.
Lynn.

Lynn yes it is a .zip file so you do have to extract it then sure just run it. He set up a new site so it is re-directing to the new one. But if that site freaks anyone out you can get it from MajorGeeks download area also.
JavaRa 1.10

The author is Fred de Vries and that other link is to his site.

It is a trusted program. But as I always tell everyone just to be safe before you double click to run it/or any download, just right click on it first and select to scan it by your antivirus program so you know for sure.

Thanks Raven. I didn't know you could right click a program and run the antivirus program to scan it. That's useful to know. (I've been searching for places to download episodes I missed of So You Think You Can Dance - but they all seemed questionable and I wondered what bad stuff might come with it. I guess I can at least run the antivirus on it - maybe I can even run superantispyware - before or after?).

you can choose on superantispyware what it scans, it usually is set to scan your C drive but you can be selective, just remember to reset it back to C drive for your regular full scans.

If you use firefox there is a very good extension called dr.web which is a virus scanner you can scan with from your browser. You can scan a link before you click on it in fact, it will tell you everything it finds on that page before you even click to go there.
Dr.Web anti-virus link checker
This plugin allows you to check any file you are about to download, any page you are about to visit with online version of Dr.Web anti-virus! Just right click on the link or the download file button or the exe and it will list scan with Dr. Web on the list select it and it will quickly scan it and give you a result.

Lynn some other programs add a right click scan option to your context menu also you would have to look at yours to see. I know ewido did.

Lynn if you do not have the McAfee free site advisor for your browser I do advise using it. They have one that will go on IE or firefox. What it does is anytime you go to a website you have a bar at the bottom of your page that will turn green if the site is safe, if questionable =yellow, Red= do NOT go there. And when you do a google search it will put an icon at the end of each entry green,yellow , or red so you know before clicking, and Never go to the red ones.
McAfee SiteAdvisor Just make sure you select the correct one for your browser, If you use IE select the IE version.
From that site advisor page you can go to the analysis tab and enter the url of any website for it to check out also.

Well - I think I must have done something very wrong. I searched for updates, downloaded the windows binary zip file, extracted the files, ran javara. I first selected to download 2 files (one was optional) -
jdk-6u7-windows-i586-p.exe
jdk-6u7-windows-i586-p-lft

Then I hit the button for remove older versions.

Now when I went to my control panel, and add/remove programs to make sure the older versions were removed, I don't think there were any versions there at all. All I find is the Sun download manager. It says I downloaded those 2 files above. Do I need to reboot to finish installation? Does the fact that there are no other java programs listed suggest that I made have successfully removed older programs?

(I'm going to start another thread for my McAfee question - because I think that will be more helpful for people who are searching for certain topics).

Thanks for the Dr.Web anti-virus link checker. Since downloading firefox is on my soon-to-do list.

Lynn.

Lynn one quick and easy way to check on your Java is to go to Control panel> Java> double click > update tab then select for it to check for updates it will tell you if you have the latest version or if you need a newer one. Rebooting is always a good idea when you do anything from add remove especially Java so yes I would reboot.

I looked at the Control panel and Java wasn't there at all. it also wasn't listed in my programs. Luckily I saw 2 icons on my desktop. When I clicked on them I was prompted to download and install. Now I have them listed in my programs.

These are the three listed:
- Java DB 10.3.1.4.
- Java 6 update 7 (I know I need this one)
- Java SE development kit 6 update 7

I don't know if I need the first DB 10.3.1.4 or the SE development kit 6 update 7 (which seems to allow European languages). I don't need European languages - but I don't know if there's anything else in that program I need.

Thanks again.

ok you should show a Java option in your control panel now. Do you see the javara screen like in that post up there after you got the zip installed? if so from now on you can just use that, hit the search for updates button to find any new updates then hit that remove older versions for it to clear out your old ones. Just saves you having to go to add remove and doing it, and it is all in one convenient place.

Interesting info about Java I downloaded "JavaRa 1.07" opened the zip file and put it in a "download folder" on the desktop, when I go to the "control panel" I have the Java icon "version6-update 7" so am thinking I am up to date and have all the older versions out, but the icon for "JavaRa" is in the download folder will that be ok?
I did run the "JavaRa".

as long as you know where it is and can find it when you need it that is fine, you should be able to just right click on the icon and select create shortcut and then select desktop to put an icon on the desktop.