Resolved Which folder to find a web installation file

Generally you have the option to Run or Save - select the second option and save to hard drive. Some programs download a small installer which, when run, then proceeds to download the full program to a temporary location prior to installation..

As to where the temporary installation file(s) are stored that depends on your OS and the file name may not be obvious or indeed usable. .....

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In Win 7 look in Users Temp files ...

Start > Run - type in the Run box %temp%

Same in XP I think, but I don't have an XP box to check.

 

That is correct - the program will be installed from a temporary download to the hard drive, not directly form the internet source. This also applies if the Run option as opposed to Save/Save As is selected - if offered.

However that temporary download is likely to be deleted from the temporary location once the program is installed - some remnants may remain.

Using Firefox I can save the initial installation file for Panda AV, but as it is only an ~1MB file it is clearly not the full program. I think you may be out of luck as far as Panda is concerned.

 

As stated above, some sites offer only a small file to download and when it runs it downloads the rest of the files. Adobe, Mozilla and Panda are examples. But these sites usually have a link to download installers for "other systems ". Clicking that link usually takes one to a page where one can get the full download. Mozilla sites have that feature. Panda does not.

Usually the files get downloaded to the user temp directory.
On XP its is:
C:\Documents & Settings\<username>\Local Settings\temp
On later systems it is:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\temp

These are hidden directories and files. If you want to copy the downloaded installation files you should first delete the contents of the temp dir, then run the small installer. That makes it easier to locate the downloaded files.

There are other places these files can be found. Sometimes the small installer will use Temp Internet Files dir.
On XP it's:
C:\Docs & Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp Internet Files
On later systems it's:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temp Internet Files\Content.IE5\string of letters & numbers\

This dir is also often used:
C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files

By default, most all modern browsers put downloads here:
XP - C:\Docs & Settings\<username>\My Documents\Downloads
Others: C:\Users\<username>\Downloads