JavaRa is a simple tool that does a simple job: it removes old and redundant versions of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). And it removes some log files and temporary files that JRE leaves behind.

Java software in general and the Java JRE in particular allow you to run applications called ‘applets’ that are written in the Java programming language. You probably have Java JRE installed on your computer because these applets allow you to play online games, chat with people around the world, calculate your mortgage interest, view images in 3D, as well as many others.

As with all software, the JRE is updated on a regular basis. Updates are necessary to add new functionalities, to remove programming bugs or to repair possible vulnerabilities.

Usually older versions of programs are removed during the install of new versions but Sun (the owner of Java) has somehow decided not to do this. The result is that a number of different versions of the JRE may exist on your computer. These older versions potentially pose a threat to your sense of security due to the possible vulnerabilities or security holes that may exist in them.

Java advises users to always have the latest version of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). The latest version is always the recommended version because it contains updates and improvements to previous versions of the JRE. The latest available version is always compatible with the older versions.

But they also tell you that you can keep older versions of the JRE installed, in case you have an applet or an application that still depends upon a previous version. But this warning is quite useless as all applets and applications should be kept updated to ensure a maximum level of safety and security.

Downloadable here.

[31mar08] JavaRa updated to version 1.01

- [Added] Small GUI-changes

[02apr08] JavaRa updated to version 1.02

- [Added] Cleaning feature of old JRE-files (log files and temp files)

[03apr08] JavaRa updated to version 1.03

- [Added] New button 'Clean Useless Files'
- [Added] New button 'About'
- [Added] Cleaning of Java .ERR files
- [Added] Feature in JavaRa that tells which JRE folders were deleted

Thanks for that fredvries, got it.

Sounds a very useful tool, with what is quite possibly a world record for updates.

Yes, we worked hard on it the last few days.

Fred

Much appreciated Fred.

[14apr08] JavaRa updates to version 1.04.

Changes:
- [Added] Options window
- [Added] Donate button
- [Added] Option to remove jusched.exe startup entry
- [Added] Removal of JRE files in the Temp folder
- [Added] Removal of JRE versions older than 1.6.0
- [Added] Alternate way to update the Java JRE
- [Added] New Update JRE Dialog
- [Added] Option to update JavaRa
- [Added] Command line switch: -runsilent
- [Fixed] Problems with removing certain JRE folders
- [Added] Removal of JRE registry values and keys

Sounds good. And that was a beautifully written post, post 1 that is!

This sounds like a very useful program, but is it for sure safe to use? I would hate to use it and end up with a corrupt Java installation. Just making sure before I use it.

EDIT: I just tried it and am very impressed! It removed two old version of Java and quite a few junk files. I wonder why Java leaves old versions when it updates...

@ Andavari:
Well, that IS a great compliment to someone who's not a native English speaker like me Thanks.

Hello TeeJay ,
Somehow I missed this thread until now.
I was just thanking some of the members and moderators in another thread yesterday.
There was a link to a very valuable tool for all users ,especially users with a lot of different software.
I went ahead and downloaded the Personal version.I then cleaned up a lot stuff I didn't know I had.
I am going to link you to YoKenny's reply in that thread.Use his link to get this necessary and valuable FREE tool.
Use this tool and you will realize the value of JavaRa also.
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...ost&p=99532
davey
P.S. Thanks to YoKenny and fredvries .

This is a great little tool. On my keepers list now.

I've used it and have some "recommendations."

Recommendations
• Make the program a complete stand alone for portability with the readme documentation build into it.
• Have the updater invisibly read an online version text document, and only download a new version if it's actually needed.
• Create a report "removed.txt" of exactly what files and folders were removed by JavaRa.
• Get rid of the UPX compression to negate any false positives from antivirus programs.

That would be nice.


avast! did not complain about it.

For now anyways. UPX compressed files are always getting tagged as malware by some antivirus software. Plus the decompressed size only means about a 1kb larger zip file to download so effectively it saves no space whatsoever - as is the case with most UPX compressed files.

[28apr08] JavaRa updated to version 1.05

Changes:
- [Added] Option to remove JavaRa logfile
- [Updated] Additional Tasks Dialog
- [Added] New registry keys for JavaRa to detect
- [Added] More accurate description of what JavaRa does after it is finished searching for JRE files
- [Fixed] Bug where program would not terminate if a user attempted to terminate it while in a YESNO MessageBox
- [Added] Instructions for Updating Java from Sun's Website
- [Added] New About Dialog
- [Added] Manual inside of program
- [Added] Code forcing only one instance of the program can be opened at a time

[01jun08] JavaRa updated to version 1.06

Changes:
- [Changed] Minor-GUI changes
- [Added] Removal of jupdate logs in Windows\System32

[19jun08] JavaRa updated to version 1.07.

Changes:
[Added] --removeSDM command line option
[Added] -p and --purgefiles. You can now delete useless JRE logfiles silently
[Added] --runsilent and -r as other -runsilent options
[Added] Option to remove the Sun Download Manager
[Added] Option to open JavaRa logfile from Additional Tasks dialog
[Added] Timestamps in JavaRa logfile
[Changed] License. Now licensed under the GNU GPL v2. See http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Nice licence, GPL

Which version is easy to use?

Use the latest version, which is the rolling update link in Post#1.

Very easy to use. Just a simple double click exe file.

1: Search for updates. If there is one, save it to a place on your hard drive. (Where you can find it again)

2: Remove Older Versions.

3: Install the new version.

[29jun08] JavaRa updated to version 1.08.

Changes:
[Added] Removal of extra registry entries
[Added] Link to lunarsoft.net support forums
[Updated] Source Code Package

Thanks Fred,
New JavaRa removed an old Java version that had not been removed before.

The JavaRa removal process was started on Mon Jun 30 05:19:44 2008

Found and removed: Software\JavaSoft\Java2D\1.6.0_05

davey

Isn't the latest version of Java version 6 update 6? Well according to THIS page, I have version 6 update 5 installed. However, when I use JavaRa to check for updates, it tells me I have the latest version installed. Obviously I don't, so why doesn't JavaRa correctly report that and give me an option to upgrade?

I am not sure how Java themselves checks.
Have you used JavaRa to delete all old versions first?'Old versions of JRE that is.
P.S. Are you sure your icon isn't linked to an old version of JavaRa itself? Try clicking on the new JavaRa itself.
It has happened to me a member I know.
Try things like that first.If still no joy then supply more info about you system,OS, versions of Java on your machine etc.
Good luck,
davey
P.S. What's all this username and password stuff as regards Java.Honestly,I have never seen it before.
I must live a "charmed" PC life or the "Piriform fairy" watches out for me or something.

Yeah, I'm using the latest version of JavaRa (its says "1.08" at the top), I've removed old version of JRE, and done all the cleanup functions that JavaRa offers.

I currently have Java Version 6 Update 5 installed (the latest version is 6 Update 6). This is on a Windows 2000 machine. When I check for updates, I use the jucheck.exe method, but it still tells me that no update is available, even though I'm using an outdated version.

I always go to the Sun Java site to download the latest release as their update application only checks for major updates and not minor updates:
http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp

Go to Add/Remove Programs and un-install Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 5.

Scroll down to Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 6 then download and install the update.

Then runSecunia: Online Software Inspector:
http://secunia.com/software_inspector

@ TeeJay3800:
JavaRa uses the Java Runtime Environment inbuilt update feature to update the latest version but that didn't work when JRE 1.6.0_06 was released. Somehow JRE's update wasn't working right. That's why we were forced to add an alternative download possibility to JavaRa.

@ YoKenny:
We just wanted to create an application that would automate and simplify the actions you describe. Plus most computer users haven't got a clue that Java doesn't remove older versions or how to manually remove these older versions.

That is right Fred.
I am still learning about Java and updates and versions and downloaders and .I know what you mean.This is a tremendous help to all users.For the longest time it was just something else in the Control Panel I didn't understand.
Are you saying that right now we need to be using the alternative method in JavaRa?
Has Java fixed the problem and will it be in the next release of JAVA.?

YoKenny thanks for providing the old fashioned method.

Now ,how the heck did I get the latest Version of Java.I must have used the alternative site.

And I don't ever remember putting in any user names and passwords at Java.com but I probably never updated it either until JavaRa came out.
Thanks for JavaRa.Now I have eliminated all kinds of versions and downloaders and things I still don't know what they were but they were clogging up my software files.
davey

@ davey

Yes, you should use the alternative download for now. We do not know if Sun, the owner of Java, will have fixed the update problem in the next version of JRE. Sadly, we do not have any direct communications with them.

I would leave it as "most computer users haven't got a clue"

Most computer users just want to power up their system and get their email from Hotmail or Yahoo and maybe download Free stuff that their buddies have told them is the next best thing to sliced bread.

With the availability of large hard drives who is going to worry about a few megabytes between friends?

@ davey You're welcome.

[12jul08] JavaRa updated to version 1.09.

Changes:
[Note] Sun has released Java Runtime Environment 1.6.0_07
[Added] Removal of redundant JRE 1.6.0_06 entries
[Added] Removal of lots of extra registry entries

Does that "Remove useless JRE files" mean Java cache files?

@ CeeCee
No, it doesn't.

It removes the error files (.ERR), the install.log files, the jusched.log files, the jupdate.log files and JRE files in the Temp folder.

Ok. I ran it + i checked "Open JavaRa logfile". Log file wasn't opened or created. So there weren't any useless files then?

Hi CeeCee,
That is the way it worked for me.
Sure did remove 17 old Java registry entries though.They went back to the Java stone age.
davey

Yeah, but that's the "Remove older versions" option. From me it removed old Java Web Start entries.

Yeah the other option just said report follows after line and no report.

JavaRa 1.08 Removal Log.

Report follows after line.

------------------------------------

The JavaRa removal process was started on Thu Jul 10 01:41:11 2008

Found and removed: C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05

------------------------------------

Finished reporting.



JavaRa 1.09 Removal Log.

Report follows after line.

------------------------------------

The JavaRa removal process was started on Sat Jul 12 16:58:06 2008

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Plug-in\1.6.0_05

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment\1.6.0_05

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Web Start\1.0.1

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Web Start\1.0.1_02

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Web Start\1.0.1_03

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Web Start\1.0.1_04

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Web Start\1.2

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Web Start\1.2.0_01

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Web Start\1.6.0_05

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{CAFEEFAC-0016-0000-0005-ABCDEFFEDCBA}

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{CAFEEFAC-0016-0000-0005-ABCDEFFEDCBB}

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{CAFEEFAC-0016-0000-0005-ABCDEFFEDCBC}

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\Classes\JavaPlugin.160_05

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\{CAFEEFAC-0016-0000-0005-ABCDEFFEDCBA}

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{3248F0A8-6813-11D6-A77B-00B0D0160050}

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\8A0F842331866D117AB7000B0D610005

Found and removed: SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\8A0F842331866D117AB7000B0D610005

------------------------------------

Finished reporting.



JavaRa 1.09 Removal Log.

Report follows after line.

------------------------------------

The JavaRa removal process was started on Sat Jul 12 17:00:24 2008

------------------------------------

Finished reporting.



JavaRa 1.09 Removal Log.

Report follows after line.

------------------------------------

The JavaRa removal process was started on Sat Jul 12 18:14:19 2008

------------------------------------

Finished reporting.



davey

@ CeeCee:

See the About section of raproducts.org for the answer to that question

[02aug08] JavaRa updated to version 1.11.

Changes:
- [Added] Option to remember translation selected
- [Added] Dutch Translation. Thanks to Fred de Vries.
- [Added] Spanish Translation. Thanks to Gabriel Llamas Llopis.
- [Added] Italian Translation. Thanks to Matteo Turconi.
- [Added] Loads of new registry keys for JavaRa to detect.
- [Added] Better support for Windows Vista filesystem
- [Added] Closing of jucheck.exe and jusched.exe when JavaRa is removing older versions of the JRE, in order to prevent locked file conflicts.
- [Fixed] Some minor bugs.
- [Fixed] "Internal Error 2753. RegUtils" error.

Just a small issue, but not with JavaRa itself. It's on the SourceForge.net project download page, it doesn't list the package version unless looking at the release notes.

Edit:
The SourceForge.net download also downloads the old version 1.10.

Thanks, that found a bunch of new registry entries.

I'm new to using CCleaner, and looking at some other things here. Also
reading the comments concerning JavaRa. I'm learning things trying to
stay ahead of the grand-kids.
I checked Java files in Add or Remove. I have listings for:
Java™6 Update 2 111.00MB
Java™6 Update 3 111.00MB
Java™6 Update 5 114.00MB
Now I have Java updated to Java™6 Update 7 (build 1.6.0_07_b06)

I have a simple question. Wouldn't it be just as easy to remove updates
2, 3, and 5 in Add or Remove, or better to use JavaRa? Sorry to bring
this up, but I'm trying some new things, and using CCleaner for the first
time.

You could uninstall them in the traditional way, however the Sun Java Runtime always leaves junk behind, hence the reason to use JavaRa. Also with JavaRa you can remove all the older versions more quickly with a few mouse clicks all without having to individually uninstall each one.

That's why I run Secunia: Online Software Inspector to check that the junk is gone:
http://secunia.com/software_inspector

I would prefer to use 'Add/remove program' first, and then use JavaRa to remove any left over crap.

Thanks folks for the replies. Around midnight here, and I couldn't sleep. so I spent
some time and down-loaded JavaRa 1.11. First I checked Add/Remove to see what
was there. Then installed JavaRa, and checked things again. ALL Java updates except
the current "Java™6 Update 7" were removed like supposed to be. Checked other
programs, and since all working okay, then I ran "Disc Cleanup", "Disc
Defragmenter", "CCleanup", then went to bed. Took around an hour to do all
of this, but things are easier for me around that time.
Thanks for the program, and the suggestions. It's nice to have a place to ask and
get straight answers.

With the introduction of version 1.11 JavaRa a language module is now included. At this moment JavaRa is available in English, Dutch (Nederlands), Spanish (Español) and Italian (Italiano). We have offers to translate the program into Polish, Sri Lankan and French.

If you are interested in adding your language to this already immensely popular program and want to be an official translator, please contact the team on the Lunarsoft forums to help translate JavaRa!

[14dec08] RaProducts' JavaRa updated to version 1.12 beta

Changes:
- [Added] JavaRa registry definitions file.
- [Added] Program now asks Windows to delete locked folders upon reboot.
- [Changed] Minor GUI changes.
- [Changed] Method of finding and deleting old JRE folders. Dramatic code reduction.
- [Fixed] Registry key bug.
- [Fixed] MessageBox continually showing regardless of silent mode selection.
- [Added] French Translation. Thanks to Pierre Lacaze.
- [Added] Swedish Translation. Thanks to Eldmannen.
- [Added] Finnish Translation. Thanks to Tero H.
- [Fixed] Minor bug.