Have 14 MS Visual C + + 2008 Redistribulatable files - are they needed

Hello,
I show a number of programs in CCleaner that I don't have the knowledge to identify or know if they are necessary. I was hoping one of the groups many knowledgeable members might help and maybe I can delete them. They have dates going back a ways. Here is a list:



Thanks for any assistance!
Glenn

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 9.0.30729.6161 (x86, x64) is the latest version....you can uninstall older versions.

I bet you break something if you remove the older versions. I'd make a restore point before you do anything just in case. There may be programs tied to the older versions. You'll see the same thing for Dot Net Framework and from what I have read it's not a good idea to remove the older entries. You're only talking kilobytes for most of them so is it really worth removing them? If you do nuke the older versions I would be interested to know, for future reference, if it does mess anything up.

I like my Control Panel clean, so I allways uninstall old versions of V C++ 2008 and download the latest version from here:
Download: Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package MFC Security Update - Microsoft Download Center - Download Details

Never had a problem!

Hello and thanks to all who have responded so far. We seem to have a difference of opinions and I am certainly not capable of knowing which is correct. I have all the updates, so I don't know if I need to be concerned with Cata's info on MS security issue. Still open for more opinions.
Regards
Glenn

I have the same (but larger) listing of C++ installs on my machine. I've noticed that they are placed there when I start games for the first time using Steam.

It seems that some games need a specific release of C++ to operate. I've tried uninstalling a couple, only to watch games automatically re-install them again when I start them up.

Bongo said:

You asked for opinions so here is mine, would be to leave them alone they are not doing any harm and take up very little room on your hard drive.
Jerry

Thank you Jerry for you experienced opinion.
Glenn

Gromit1710 said:

I have the same (but larger) listing of C++ installs on my machine. I've noticed that they are placed there when I start games for the first time using Steam.

It seems that some games need a specific release of C++ to operate. I've tried uninstalling a couple, only to watch games automatically re-install them again when I start them up.

Hello and thanks for responding. I understand your thoughts, but I don't use any games, but the files do not really take up too much space!
Glenn