Too many microsoft visual c++ versions?

Question

i have 7 versions of microsoft visual c++ installed in my Windows 7 machine

microsoft visual c++ 2005 ATL update 252kb
microsoft visual c++ 2005 redistributable 2.69mb
microsoft visual c++ 2005 redistributable (yes there is 2) 344kb
microsoft visual c++ 2005 redistributable (x64) 702kb
microsoft visual c++ 2005 redistributable (x64) 620kb
microsoft visual c++ 2008 ATL update (x64) 212kb
microsoft visual c++ 2008 redistributable (x64) 788kb

i usual uninstall unnecessary programs to keep my windows clean so keeping all these version are necessary? is there a single version to replace all of them?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Without knowing exactly what those are, I would advise against getting rid of any of them. There's just the possibility that one or more applications on your machine needs a specific version (they didn't get there by themselves -- the installation of something is likely to have put each of them there. That's why they're called "redistributables" -- Microsoft lets software developers redistribute them) and will kick and scream (virtually) and refuse to run if it can't find it.

Hope that helps.