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Help - how do I move updates from documents!

jmd
Grafter
Posts: 2,933
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Help - how do I move updates from documents!

I now have my nice new shiny Dell laptop.  So started by doing the Dell updates once I got it working with router.  But do not remember seeing anything that gave me a choice of where they should go but may have missed it as the phone went!  So they have installed themselves in documents................ but don't think drivers/etc should be there!  How do I move them - I knew how in XP but cannot work it out in Vista!  Please advise..................
[I hope I do not have to delete them and start again!!]


ps at present my kitchen table looks really good - 2 laptops - one new shiny and Vista, the other dull dusty and on Ubuntu [that is why I can send this though - handy!]
10 REPLIES 10
jmd
Grafter
Posts: 2,933
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

The update are Dell drivers etc so have put them onto DVD and deleted from documents.  If I find I need em will do something with them!
Lurker
Grafter
Posts: 1,867
Registered: ‎23-10-2008

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

Generally they download as self-extracting executables;
You have to specify a location for it to be saved, and then when you run the exe (most likely by clicking 'run' after you clicked the download link on the website) it will extract the relevant files into the folder you saved it to, and will then automatically run the installer.
Once its run the installer, its perfectly safe to delete the drivers as you have done.
HTH. Smiley
jmd
Grafter
Posts: 2,933
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

Yes, but don't want drivers etc in documents do I - so where should they be?  should they be is applications/programmes or what?
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

Windows is so written that it inter-mingles their software and your data.
I would suggest you create yourself a directory - one that doesn't start with a prefix of My and put your documents etc in there... Lips_are_sealed

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

Like James_G said, the updates will be downloaded to your My Documents initially, then the installer will put the drivers in the appropriate locations in C:\Windows, not in My Documents. Anything left in My Documents is just temporary, so it should be safe to delete them.
Lurker
Grafter
Posts: 1,867
Registered: ‎23-10-2008

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

Yep - as I said - its safe to delete them once the installer has run and the drivers have been installed. Smiley
The drivers are not installed into that folder, its just the location that the program saves to that in turn puts them into the right place in your Operating System file structure.
The only time the files you see are used is to install the drivers - after that they are doing nothing at all.
Your choice whether to archive them and keep them in case you want to use them in future, could be helpful to bring a machine back into operation without net access, whether this is relevant or useful or not is up to you. (But even if you used them in this way, you'd still want to check they were the latest versions at some stage anyhow)
Personal prefs, personally I use Shift+Delete for filing stuff like that...
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
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Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

If it's Vista downloaded files usually will go to the Downloads folder alongside Documents ....... Wink
(unless the download process overrides that)
Dell updates, if installed from a downloaded executable file will normally decide where to put themselves for the extract/install process, typically in a subfolder of C:\Dell
The primary downloaded file is then superfluous and can be deleted.
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

In Vista the default location for downloads is a folder called Downloads (which is a sub-folder under your user name).  Dell updates are usually in a zipped format and unpack themselves to a folder in the root of your main drive.  I think this is called Dell (i.e. C:\ Dell ).  There is no need to keep the unpacked updates. 
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
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Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

Snap! Grin
jmd
Grafter
Posts: 2,933
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Help - how do I move updates from documents!

I think they landed in Documents because due a phone call I received I did not act on the request asking where the files were to go!  But thabks for your help - will make sure they go in downloads and then Dell next time!!