Where is the Windows 10 installation file stored?

Lack of free space to download system updates is not a new problem. Most of us have access to the Internet and of course we download everything different files. We have games and other programs installed that can take up a lot of space on our hard drive. The most a big problem occurs when downloading updates to system disk Windows, usually drive C, because there is no or little free space on the drive, updates stop downloading. Windows will not prompt you to change the update download location.

In this tutorial, we'll look at how to move the Windows 10 update download folder to another drive. Before you begin, you should know that you will need administrator rights to do this.

Change the location of the Windows 10 update download folder.

Default Center Windows updates uses the folder. That is, all downloaded files are located in the folder SoftwareDistribution and later installed by the system.

Step 1. Since our goal is to force the system to download updates to another drive, create a new folder on the drive for this D. You can name this folder as you like, for example, let's call the new folder WindowsUpdate. Let's assume that the path to it is

Step 2. Then using the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys, open " Task Manager".

Step 3. In the manager, switch to the tab "Services", and then find and click right click mice on duty wuauserv and stop her. (see picture)

Step 4. Now rename to

Step 5.

To create a symbolic link, open a command prompt. From the Start menu, start typing CMD in the search results, right-click on Command line and run it as administrator. Then type the following command and press Enter:

Now you can copy all the files from to the new download folder. This ensures that the download will continue; otherwise it will start from the beginning.

Step 6. Restart Windows Update Service

After this, you need to start the Windows Update service - wuauserv. You can use Task Manager to launch it like we did above, or run the following command in CMD:

Step 7 Check if Windows Update is working:

Open “Settings” → “Update & Security” → “Windows Update” → “Check for updates”. If the system starts/continues downloading updates and does not generate an error, you have done everything correctly.

We recommend using a disk for downloading system updates that has enough free space. Although you can choose SD card (NTFS format) or external drive, we advise doing this only if it always remains connected to your PC.

That's it, I hope the information is useful!

Every user who actively works in the Windows 10 operating system knows that absolutely all files downloaded from the Internet are dumped into separate folder called "Downloads". There is a shortcut to it in the Start menu, on the desktop, as well as in the navigation menu of Explorer (file manager) and many people get used to entering this directory in this way. But as a result, when the shortcuts disappear as a result of a failure or a virus, users become confused, not knowing where the “Downloads” folder is located in Windows 10 and not having access to downloaded files. What to do? If you also encounter this situation, know that you can find your files using this path:

C:\Users\<имя_пользователя>\Downloads

If the operating system is installed on another logical drive, then the drive letter will not be C:\, but the one you use. I'm running under the "Administrator" user and my path to the "Downloads" folder looks like this:

Sometimes you may encounter the fact that this directory does not open even this way. This usually means that a virus has taken over Windows 10 and changed the file attributes. To return everything to the way it was, you need to click on the “Start” button and select “Command Prompt (Administrator)” from the menu that appears. In the window command console you need to enter the command:

Attrib –s –h C:\users\<имя_пользователя>\downloads

Press the “Enter” key and wait until the command is executed. After this, access to the Downloads folder will be restored.

P.S.: Be sure to check your computer for viruses, otherwise you again risk that it will work and you will again be looking for where to find the Downloads folder in Windows 10 on your computer or laptop.

Questions about installing updates tenth Windows versions, however, like any other from this family, concern many users, since the process of downloading and installing them does not always go smoothly. The appearance of many errors can sometimes be eliminated if you know exactly where the Windows 10 update files are saved. In the same way, you can simply reinstall some update packages manually or cancel their installation, so issues of managing such processes must be considered in the context of determining the location of downloaded files and how what actions can be performed with them.

Where are Windows 10 updates downloaded?

So, first, let's look at the questions regarding the direct location of saving files for downloaded update packages. Most ordinary users do not know where Windows 10 updates are downloaded. In fact, first of all, you need to pay attention to the fact that the downloads folder, which is available in user documents and is intended by default for downloading certain content from the Internet, is not involved in the process of downloading and installing system updates. So you don’t have to look for updates there. But then where are Windows 10 updates downloaded?

For this purpose, the system provides a special SoftwareDistribution folder located in the main directory operating system. True, it also contains a Download directory, intended for downloading the contents of packages, but after they are automatically unpacked, the downloaded files, combined into folders, can be located directly in the specified software folder. We’ll look at what actions you can perform with all these components a little later, but for now let’s briefly look at the packages that are loaded on HDD when switching to Windows 10 from systems of a lower rank.

Where are Windows 10 update files downloaded when upgrading to it from an older OS?

For these purposes, a special directory is created, which, like the directory described in the previous case, is not visible to the user because it is hidden. Where are Windows 10 updates downloaded in this case?

This is the Windows.~BT directory. In the event of a user-authorized transition from an outdated OS to the tenth version, the system provides the possibility of a rollback, and the folder old system Windows.old is stored for thirty days. But here’s what’s interesting: files for installing build updates (upgrades) of the tenth modification itself are also placed in the same directory. In other words, they are, in a sense, files new system. Therefore, it is better not to touch this directory unless necessary. On the other hand, if you completely disable the installation of updates even for assemblies (but after downloading necessary components), you can get rid of this folder quite simply, but it is advisable to perform this operation not in manual mode, and using the “C” drive cleanup tool ( system partition) with additional cleaning activation system files, where the corresponding item is marked in the list. But it should be taken into account that critical updates in the form of Anniversary Update and higher will not be subsequently installed. And this may affect the performance of some installed programs, for which such updates are initially required.

Practical benefits of the ReportingEvents log file and the folder with downloaded updates

So, we figured out where Windows 10 updates are stored. Now let's look at the practical side of applying such knowledge. First of all, attention should be paid to the text file magazine, opened in the most common Notepad.

It contains all the information regarding the processes of downloading and installing update packages, with a description of the errors and failures that have arisen for each of them. Thus, if the report indicates that errors occurred during the installation of a package, knowing its number, you can install the update again yourself. To do this, go to the online catalog resource Microsoft updates, search by the number of the faulty package (it is not necessary to enter the abbreviation “KB” before it, which marks all packages), and then download the desired package in MSU format and install it by running the downloaded file.

Note: from the directory with the saved data, execute manual installation impossible, because it contains not installation files, but cached data.

But if there is a need to reinstall the entire system, you can first copy the files from the SoftwareDistribution folder to removable media (and only those packages that you consider necessary), so as not to wait for all updates to be checked and installed after the installation of the system itself is completed. Pay special attention to the fact that if the package name contains the prefix “EXPRESS”, such files and directories can not be copied, but can be safely skipped (all the same for them forced installation manual type is not provided).

How to cancel updates using the simplest method?

As for canceling the installation of updates, there should not be any particular difficulties. The most primitive, but not always appropriate, method is a standard rollback to a previous state.

The nuance is that when returning to a certain point (date), absolutely all updates that were installed after that will be deleted, that is, it will not be possible to selectively get rid of, for example, unnecessary or faulty updates.

Manual removal of updates

Such actions can be performed directly in the programs and components section, which is located in the standard (and not the new) “Control Panel” (control in the “Run” menu).

In it you should go to the item for viewing installed updates, highlight the one you need and click the delete button. In the same way, you can simply get rid of any package by using special uninstaller programs like iObit Uninstaller.

In them you can find a special section with a list of recently installed updates, in which, as in the previous case, you need to select a package and click the delete button. The use of uninstallers is advantageous in that they are able to get rid of all residual components, since built-in system tools very often leave a lot of unnecessary entries in system registry, as well as files and directories associated with the main package or application being removed.

Actions with the update saving directory

But when deleting the folder itself, described above, knowing where Windows 10 updates are downloaded will come in handy. It goes without saying that when you try to simply delete it from Explorer, you will receive a message stating that you first need to stop the directory associated with it. process. This applies to the Update Center service.

It can only be deactivated in the services section (services.msc) by first clicking the stop button and then setting the startup to disabled. If this is not done, even actions directly in the update management section will be ineffective. Terminating the process in the Task Manager will also lead to nothing, since after some period of time (very short) the process will start again on its own.

Windows 10 updates

I think it's no secret to anyone that the most latest version operating system from Microsoft Corporation receives regular updates, which are downloaded first and then installed. Next, after installation, update files remain in the system for a fairly long period, although the need for them further storage completely absent.

And most importantly, most likely won't suit Windows users 10 , updates are stored on drive "C", the main section that many is an SSD drive, whose excessive loading of files can negatively affect the fate of the computer in the future. So what should we do? Disabling updates Although it is possible to implement, the feasibility of such an action questionable. Drive size is also that simple you won't increase it. It turns out that the only way to solve the problem that has arisen is changing where updates are downloaded, so that they do not load the SSD, and their long-term storage is not annoying.

How to change the folder for downloading updates?

So, to increase SSD lifespan, and in general to save space on drive "C", we need to change the location, where to Windows 10 will download update files. To do this, in order, we perform the following actions:

That's it, now everything is downloadable in the future Windows 10 updates will be stored in the folder, which you created yourself, which means drive "C" will not be loaded with this task and will remain operational for a much longer period of time.

Happy update!

On this we can finish because now you know how reduce the burden on your SSD drive , who is very capricious and requires a reverent attitude towards himself. And if you are interested in other ways optimize the performance of your solid-state friend, then write about it in the comments, and I will definitely prepare additional material on this topic.

Recently, more and more users have complained that files are being sent to their computer to update the operating system on Windows 10. Moreover, this happens without their knowledge, regardless of whether they reserved a new OS or abandoned this step. But you can overcome this, we will tell you how to do it.

Where to find downloaded files and delete them

Before deleting something from your computer, you need to find out where the installation files are located. Windows files 10. They are usually installed on the computer in hidden folder, that is, if showing hidden and system files is disabled in Explorer properties, then you won’t be able to see them that easily.

To determine the location where Windows 10 installation files are downloaded, you need to follow these steps:

1. Using a conductor.
2. Go to the system drive (usually drive C:) and find a folder with the following name - “$Windows.~BT”, since it is hidden, its icon will be translucent.

This folder takes up 3–6 GB, which could be used for your own needs. Therefore, if you are not going to upgrade to Windows 10, you can safely delete this folder.

How to prevent installation files from being downloaded again

In order to prevent further problems with automatic download Windows 10 installation files, you should remove the updates responsible for this and block their subsequent installation.

We remove updates responsible for installing Windows 10

For this operation we need:

1. Go to Control Panel and find the “Programs and Features” section.
2. Open the section with installed updates.
3. In this section you need to find and remove several updates.

Important! For Windows 7 and 8.1, the updates to be removed are different.

For Windows 7 the following can be removed:

• KV 3035583;
• KV 2952664;
• KV 3021917.

For Windows 8.1 the following can be removed:

• KV 3035583;
• KV 297698.

After uninstallation, you need to restart your computer.

Block automatic installation of updates

1. In Control Panel, open Windows Update.
2. We find a section there with important updates.
3. Right-click on the updates that we deleted and click “Hide”.

After these steps, you don’t have to worry that the installation files for Windows 10 will be downloaded to your computer again.

Conclusion

Once you learn how to properly remove Windows 10 installation files from your system, you don’t have to worry about them being downloaded again. In addition, by deleting unnecessary updates, you free up up to 6 extra Gigabytes of memory on your computer.