There is a hideous new "feature" (which you can't turn off) that DELETES previous versions of our game installers when we update a game!

Aside from the moral, ethical, and legal dubiousness of remotely deleting content on a computer that doesn't belong to GOG (this smells strongly of DRM), this can cause technical problems.

(1) It may be that the previous version of the game worked better than the latest on certain hardware/OS configurations, and now we no longer have access to it.

(2) If the game is installed, Windows records the location of the game installer in the registry for when it needs to uninstall it. Remove the installer (which doubles as the uninstaller) and we now have problems uninstalling our games.

So, GOG, please get rid of this ill-thought feature. I'm sure that it was done with only the best intentions, but it's causing much more harm than good. And since you probably don't keep archives of older installers, those of us who lost old versions lost them for good, which REALLY pisses me off because I PAID for those and it's MY money you threw away.

Whoah, when did that happen? Didn't encounter it with 3.5.2.0 and the downloader hasn't been updated. Can you give us a bit more info? What game did that happen with?
Also, uninstalling doesn't require the installer. Whatever gave you that idea?

Finally, there is a sticky for the downloader, it's preferred to post there.

The GOG Downloader will replace an existing installer if the installer has been updated at GOG's end without the version number increasing. Similarly, extras will always be replaced when updated since they always have the same file names. This isn't remote deletion, it's simply querying the file on the server and replacing it if it doesn't match.

I belive you need to cool down ...I don't think GOG downloader deletes any files (intentionally or not) with the exception maybe for chunk files.

EDIT: I see Arkose's post and he is right. Sorry I assumed everyone does what I do that is separate downloading location from storing location.

Well... Yes, if you point the downloader to the same location as the previous file was, it will get replaced as the file names are the same.

I'm afraid that's what I would actually call a working update function. I would expect to have only the most recent version on my hdd. An update that keeps all previous versions would also be possible but is not typical for such services.

I advise you to backup the folders manually or to not apply updates from the GOG downloader. Maybe you can convince GOG to include also a mode where all previous versions are kept, but I guess chances are low for this. Also I cannot detect any DRM because once the ways the GOG downloader works are clear, there are simple and effective remedies like copying all respective folders before update.

However actually if for some reason you actually need an earlier version you cannot download it from GOG. So for all cases where an update from GOG actually breaks the game they will have to contact GOG and ask for download of an earlier version. If then GOG would not react, then there would be reason to complain.

Doesn't EVERY game do that? I'm a tech moron so feel free to correct me here. I happen to have Commandos BEL on disc; if I install it, and THEN reinstall it, won't it replace the previous install akin to what the OP is describing the GOG installer did?

Now that I think about it, sometimes that isn't even the case with GOG. I did a fresh install a few weeks ago hoping to get rid of some save files that I couldn't find and it didn't even do that. I had to go into a forum because despite reinstall, the folder wasn't overwritten and I still had the files that I didn't want.

Thanks for clarifying, Fallen_Zen.

Ah okay. Thank you. :D I withdraw the comment.

I wish the GOG downloader would do that, but maybe keep it optional (tick box).

That's what I had been wondering before: if I redownload an updated installer, does the GOG downloader still keep all the old obsolete crap there too, even if I don't want to? So just to be sure, unless I knew I wanted to keep the old installer too (99% of the time I don't), I deleted the game directory before downloading the updated installers. I don't usually want to keep several different versions of the same game installer, I already have close to 600 gigabytes worth of GOG installer files (with only one set, not multiple versions).

One exception comes to mind: I wanted to keep the older 15th "Anniversary Edition" of Another World in place, just in case the 20th Anniversary Edition has any drawbacks. Anyway, the GOG downloader keeps them in two different subfolders, so the 20h Edition does not overwrite the 15th Edition. Probably the 20th Edition is superior in every way anyway, but I just want to be sure first.

Anyway, even if the downloader does remove obsolete (old) files, there's an easy workaround for that: keep the older installers in separate subfolders.

Usually GOG keeps the obsolete version of any game under bonus content section as separate installer. For examples, Broken Sword 1 and 2 and Oddworld Stranger's Wrath HD. Maybe Another World as well..

The only exception I can think of is when they updated Space Rangers 2 to the Reboot version. Dominators disappeared.... still they've lost the rights to sell any Space Rangers games now so it doesn't matter so much.

What? I've got Reboot I didn't really notice any difference aside from more content.