Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

rb99

3505 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1830

Lifetime subscriber

#201607 26-Aug-2016 12:34

Just wondering how many copies of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable I might need on a PC ? I have 13 versions, from 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 32-bit 64-bit, I mean do I really need all this stuff ? any one know if I can just keep the 2015 versions or will I bugger everything up if I delete the old ones.

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

gzt

18679 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 7809

Lifetime subscriber

#1617847 26-Aug-2016 13:11

It is hard to know if you need them all.

Potentially you could have 13 or more different applications each relying on a different version of the runtime. Unlikely (because you may have uninstalled some of those applications already) but that's the idea.

So, yes, you could have problems if you uninstall versions of the c++ redist.

nova

260 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 143

Trusted

#1617856 26-Aug-2016 13:28

It is quite likely that you will cause applications to break if you uninstall the old versions. Applications are compiled against a specific version of the runtime libraries, and won't start if they can't find the specific version of the DLL that they are built against.

rb99

3505 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1830

Lifetime subscriber

#1617858 26-Aug-2016 13:30

Pity. Guess I'll leave them alone then. Thanks for the info.

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99