what are .dmg files??

[fjs08]

Hi,

While installing programs like Virex from .mac, I notice two files sitting on the desktop. One looks like paper with the file name olf Virex_7.2.1.dmg. The other is an icon that looks like an external cd burner and is named Vires 7.2.dmg. The program is installed and runs. Can I "trash" these files sitting there without causing any problems.

Frank

 

[patrick0brien]

Re: what are .dmg files??

Originally posted by fjs08
Hi,

While installing programs like Virex from .mac, I notice two files sitting on the desktop. One looks like paper with the file name olf Virex_7.2.1.dmg. The other is an icon that looks like an external cd burner and is named Vires 7.2.dmg. The program is installed and runs. Can I "trash" these files sitting there without causing any problems.

Frank

-fjs08

Yep! You can. The .dmg file stands for "disk image". Think oof it as a .zip file that decompresses into a faked disk. It's not really a new media, but OS X treats them as such. And, as such, when you log out or shut down, that disk image (faked disk) will unmount and therefore disappear.

You have, however found an interesting thing. I, for instance, created a disk image (.dmg) of some of my favorite games CD's. This allows me to fake out the OS on a game that looks for a CD to be mounted, but I have two advantages to this: 1) No need for the actual CD to haul around, and 2) much faster access, as it is really on my hard drive, and not on a CD that can never match the spindle speed of an HD.

Oh, and you make .dmg files with Disk Copy in Jaguar.

 

[edesignuk]

A dmg is a mountable disk image, to mount the dmg you just double click it, this then mounts the image as a drive, you can then access this drive just like any other to access the data held within it.

edit: Do'h! patrick0brien beat me to the post!

 

[patrick0brien]

-edesignuk

Har-har! pblbtpblbtpblbt!