Where have my Windows 10 installation files gone?

For a few weeks I've had folders on C:\ $WINDOWS.~BT and $Windows.~WS which totalled several GB and contained the Windows 10 downloaded installation files. I've noticed this evening that the actual install files are no longer there. I can see them on my archive so I know they were there.

Going by file dates & times it looks as if they were removed when I re-downloaded the Windows 10 .iso a couple of days ago.

Why would they have disappeared and how do I get them to download again (without actually initiating the install)?

In reply to a post by cheshire_man:

For a few weeks I've had folders on C:\ $WINDOWS.~BT and $Windows.~WS which totalled several GB and contained the Windows 10 downloaded installation files.

Have just checked mine & they are still there!!

Have you downloaded the ISO recently?

I believe that after 30 days Windows automatically deletes the "windows.old" folder and the installation files to free up disk space.

Nobody's told them discs are bigger these days?

Just download the.... installation thingy from the Microsoft website, you don't need to worry about the stuff in those folders.

I've realised that I hadn't siad that I'm still running Windows 7. Apologies.

I haven't yet done the upgrade. I'm still running Windows 7 but had for the files for when I did do the upgrade. As I've already done on my laptop.

Edited by cheshire_man (Tue 03-Nov-15 21:24:37)

A lot of computers nowadays, particularly ultra-portable ones, have quite small SSDs. 64 or 128GB is not uncommon, and you don't want to waste that sort of space.

Ah. In that case I guess that Windows is intelligent enough to realize that, having downloaded the ISO, you no longer need those install files.

In which case it's a wrong assumption, and an arrogant decision to make without asking. All too typical of many software writers these days.