when we download a software/program, we receive many files in addition to exe/app file.?

Question

after executing this .exe/app file the program/software gets installed. Now my question - can we delete all other files after this installation. the other question is after installation if i copy this software/program from one folder to other or to other drive and want to delete from the first folder, it says that it is a program and deleting can cause problem. is it a routing warning and i should not take notice of it as i already have copied it to some other place thus not totally deleted from pc.
pl answer step by step. kindly also let me know how can i find in which dir i have installed the software and in which i have saved the installer if i don't remember now

what is the difference between installer and software

Answer 1

Most programs come as a .exe(executable) or some other form of self extracting program. When you click on the installation file, the elements of he program are extracted into however many different files it takes to run a program.
It does not matter where the installation file is located. If you are running any version of Windows, the main .exe file to run the program will be in Program files, in a directory named after the program or the program maker,unless you told Windows to put it somewhere else when you installed it. Other files, like .dll (dynamic linking library) files go into various directories in Windows.
Do not delete any of the files as they are necessary for the program to run. You can sometimes run into problems moving a program from the location from which it is installed, because elements of the program may not know where to look to find necessary files. If you have already moved it to another directory, you can delete from the original location, and it will always give you a warning, but most of the time, nothing bad happens.
To find where the installer is click Start, Search, All files and folders, and put the file name in the search box. If you know the exact file name this works great, but if you don't it will take longer to find.
Make yourself a note to make a Directory in the root drive (C:\) from which to install downloaded programs, then if you wish to access them again they will be there.

Answer 2

Installers sometimes pack a few other files along with the executable and should delete themselves (a good programmer would make sure of this).

However, to keep track of what is installed or unpacked, whenever I install programs, I put the file in it's own folder (C:\temp\) and then delete the installer after I'm done with it. If I want to move it to another folder (for archival reasons), I don't COPY it, I MOVE it.

Deleting a file you downloaded is normally ok to do unless that file is used by the computer, as in it not being an installer, but the program itself.

Answer 3

To your first question, you need to be careful about this. Many installation programs will delete "unnecessary" files as a last step. As a general rule, if you donwload some installation to, say, a "download" directory, then run it, install to "C:\Program Files\...", then more than likely you'd be safe deleting what you have in your download directory.

A "safe" way to test this would be to move the download files to a new location, then test if the program still works.


As to your second question, the majority of programs will add entries into your registry which includes, among other things, the physical location within your file structure of the required files. Moving these files to a different folder or drive invalidates this information in the registry, and you'll find that most programs will be unable to "find" required components.

There used to be a program for moving files which took care of these details; a part of "Clean Sweep", I think. There may be such programs floating around on the Internet today. The bottom line however is that you cannot arbitrarily move most programs with "breaking" them.

Answer 4

once you install a application you're unfastened to delete the installer. yet, because of the character of how classes function in abode windows, you won't be able to truly flow put in classes to distinctive folders with out inflicting blunders in the two this technique or to abode windows itself. in case you % to head the place this technique is put in to declare a distinctive folder or a distinctivechronic, then what i might reccomend is which you thoroughly uninstall this technique, and then run the installer lower back, yet this time whilst it activates you to the place you % it put in, be advantageous to alter it to the area the place you % it placed.