Deleting old updates

[CajunMama]

Can you delete old updates? Such as old java updates, antivirus updates, etc or do they have to stay on your computer?

[O Town]

Depends on what it is your talking about. Most of the Microsoft updates you can find and delete in your list of programs, in your control panel. Start> control panel> Add or remove programs. If your talking about Java and antivirus updates thats a different story. Depending on what antivirus you have you can go into the program you have and it will list the updates you have had and what date you downloaded it on.
As for Java if there is an older version you would rather have then you can just go in and uninstall the one you have now and the re install the version you want.......
Also you could go in and do a system restore if you are having problems and restore your computer back to a time when everything was the way you wanted it.
I could go on, lol.
So what is the real issue mama? Are you having some sort of problem? Get to the point......


EDIT: after re-reading your post, are you wondering if you can delete all the updates you have for a certain program and still run that program the same? I don't think so, if you delete the updates then it will be gone and your Java, antivirus, ect. won't be up to date any longer. They need to stay for your programs to stay secure and updated and still run the way they are currently.

[CajunMama]

It's for my desktop. I've done everything i possibly know to help speed it up some. Some of the update files are big. Now the java...couldn't i just delete all those for java 5.0 (j2st runtime environment 5.0, java runtime environment 5 upadate 10, java runtime environment 5 update 11) since i have java 6.0 with updates?

[O Town]

It's for my desktop. I've done everything i possibly know to help speed it up some. Some of the update files are big. Now the java...couldn't i just delete all those for java 5.0 (j2st runtime environment 5.0, java runtime environment 5 upadate 10, java runtime environment 5 update 11) since i have java 6.0 with updates?

Yep now that you could delete. All the old junk that has nothing to do with your current version.
Seems like once they slow down its so hard to get them back. I do have a good website I go to if I have any computer problems and they are a great help and free. I don't know if you want to do all the involved steps in trying to clean your computer, because it can be time consuming, but they will help you get your computer running alot more efficiently. It could be adware/malware that is making it run slow too. Heres the link if you are interested.
Geeks to go

[CajunMama]

thanks o'doodle!

[coriolis]

That's some good advice, O-Genius.

Here's my two cents:

You could poke around in Task Manager and MS config and see what's actually running in the background.

Does your virus scan scan every file on access? That will slow a computer down considerably. It's the ultimate in protection, but it comes with a price. Also, the Spybot Teatimer scans files on access too.

You could check the settings on your virus protection and adware protection and see if they are doing that. You could turn that feature off and see if it helps much.

Also, since I buy computers that are already slow, I've learned that McAfee is a resource hog, and even AVG has become more so too, in the later versions. I'm using Avast which seems to have fewer bells and whistles and runs a little faster.