How To Use Dmg File
When you download a new program for your Mac, it often comes with a “.dmg” file. Easily identifiable by their disk-on-paper icon, the “dmg” extension stands for disk image. When you double-click on the dmg, it mounts (or, more properly, attaches), revealing its contents in the Finder. From there, users drag and drop the image’s contents into the Applications directory to install new apps on their Macs.
This process is very different from Windows’ installer-lead process and can lead to misadventures for new macOS users. When I was migrating from Windows, I had no clue this last step was required. After all, many programs can run perfectly from their disk image, and disk images don’t always explain the “drag-to-Applications” step. As a result, I launched Firefox from the disk image for about a month until I realized I didn’t have any bookmarks and couldn’t understand why.
The process of opening a DMG file using DMG Extractor is quite easy. All you need to do is to install the tool in your computer. After the installation is done, open the software and click on Open at the top of the main window and select the DMG file from the hard drive. After the file is opened, click on Extract and select the location where you want to locate the extracted files. /dmg-corporation-san-diego.html. Notice that with the free version of DMG Extractor, you can extract only 5 files at a time.
So why are DMG files necessary for new applications, and what’s the point of “mounting” something just to drag and drop a file?
Reason 1: The Mac Application Structure
While a Mac application is represented by an attractive icon that you double-click to launch the application, that icon conceals a secret. That .app file actually represents a package. That’s essentially a folder containing all the application’s files.
See for yourself: right-click on any application in Finder and select “Show Package Contents” to explore on your own. Because macOS applications are essentially folders, they need some kind of container to transport them to new computers without losing files. Transferring a naked folder can be messy, especially across networks.
It’s like transporting a dozen eggs without a carton. And it turns out that the DMG makes a pretty good egg carton. Of course, other formats can hold a folder; what else makes the DMG so enduring?
Reason 2: Aesthetic Customization
Disk images also offer a unique benefit: the ability to customize their appearance and the user’s installation experience. This includes setting features like custom icons, icon positioning, and background images.
When you open a disk image and see an arrow prompting you to drag the app into the Applications folder, you’re actually looking at the background image of the DMG. This isn’t possible with other container formats, and macOS developers are sensitive to visual design. ZIP archives can offer compression, but they can’t offer this degree of “installation experience” without running an actual installer. Instead, the unzipping program just drops files into a folder, offering the developer little aesthetic control.
Reason 3: Disk Images Are Similar to CDs
Remember that disk images became popular (and were adopted by Apple) in the day of physical media. In that ancient time, users would buy software by traveling to a store and purchasing a box containing an application’s installation CD. They would then insert the CD into their CD drive and drag the application from the “mounted” CD to the Applications folder. They would follow this by ejecting the CD and putting it back in its jewel case for future installations.
The disk image mimics that process, piggy-backing on a familiar user behavior. Images can also be read-only (just like a CD), preventing the user from damaging or altering the known good copy of the application. Users can archive disk images, knowing they’ll have a functional copy of the app shelved away in case of emergency.
Conclusion: Modern Alternatives and Package Installers
Disk images still see a lot of use, even today. Along with their benefits, DMGs have developed a crust of tradition and expectation. Users expect new software to be delivered via DMG, so developers provide it that way. But you’ll also find a reasonable quantity of bare .app files inside ZIP archives scattered across the Internet. This is especially true for applications from GitHub or smaller developers.
You might also see applications come in packages (.pkg) with installers onboard. Developers use the package format when the application needs to execute instructions upon opening. It’s especially useful when the program needs to copy files to directories outside of “/Applications.” For example, if the installer needs to install custom fonts or copy files to the Library directory, a package format can accomplish that with an installer.
How To Use Dmg File In Adobe Xd
If you’re interested in all this, you can read about the history of the disk image.
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DMG file is a compressed file format being used widely on Mac computer. Windows OS doesn't natively support DMG disk image files, so if you need to create a bootable USB drive from a DMG file, mostly for bootable Mac OS X or macOS installation USB, you need a special utility to help you complete the task.
There is also the possibility of converting the file into a format more suitable for Windows, which is the ISO file format for disk images. Considering the above, let's look at different ways to create a bootable drive from a DMG file on a Windows computer.
Part 1: Convert DMG to ISO and Make Bootable USB from ISO
Since Windows doesn't offer native support for DMG files, you can first convert the file to ISO. Why? A lot of easier to find an app for making a bootable USB from ISO file. The easy way to do this is to use Command Prompt. Don't be intimidated by the non-GUI environment even if you don't have any experience. If you follow the steps below, you can convert any DMG file to ISO and then create a bootable USB using the converted file.
Step 1: Open Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Run windows and hitting Enter.
Step 2: In the command interface, go to the directory in which the DMG file is saved. You can do this by using the 'cd' command followed by the file path, then pressing Enter. For example, if your disk image is in D: and Command Prompt is currently in 'C:', then type 'd:' (no quotes) and press Enter. If it is in a subfolder, type 'cd subfolder', and so on.
Step 3: Use the following command to convert the DMG file to ISO:
hdiutil convert /path/sourceimagefile.dmg -format UDTO -o /path/targetmage.iso
Step 4: Once the ISO file has been created, you can use a burning tool to create the bootable USB drive. To do that, continue with this guide.
Cons:
- File damged or broken after conversion.
- Failed booting from burned USB disk.
- May not work with the latest DMG file.
- Complex and take more time.
Part 2: Create Mac OS X Bootable USB Installer from DMG
Androidphonesoft DMG Editor is a powerful software application for Windows that will allow you to manage the non-native DMG format even if you have no experience. The interface is uncluttered, and you can even use the tool to view files, extract them, edit the DMG and even copy it to a disk. The burn function has one of the highest success rates in the industry, which makes this an ideal utility for our purpose.
Created by the talented team of developers at Androidphonesoft, DMG Editor is currently the most intuitive Windows app for handling Apple's disk image format. Each of its functions have been tested on various Windows versions, with different types of DMG files and on different PC brands. This thorough testing means no wasted DVDs or corrupted files. As long as your DMG file is in good shape, you can directly create a bootable disk.
Step 1 Install DMG Editor
Download and install DMG Editor on your Windows PC.
Step 2 Plug in USB Drive
Launch the application and click on the 'Burn' section. You will also see other modules such as Edit, Extract and Copy.
Step 3 Start Burning ISO File to USB
Now import the DMG file by clicking the 'Load DMG' button, and click on 'Burn'.
In a few moments, your bootable USB flash drive will be ready for use. Since you haven't done any conversion, you can use this directly on a Mac for program installation, which you cannot do with the first method.
Part 3: Create Bootable USB from DMG in Windows Via PowerISO
Another well-known disk image utility is PowerISO. Apart from being ideal for burning ISO files, it can also burn a DMG file to USB to create a bootable drive. There are some settings that you have to keep in mind when burning with this software, but it's easy to get the hang of it once you do it a couple of times.
Step 1: Download PowerISO and install it in your Windows PC. Launch the app and insert a USB drive into a free USB slot in your computer.
Step 2: You can import the DMG file directly by clicking on ‘Burn' in the toolbar or going to Tools >Burn. In the Burn window, select the DMG file from the Source File section.
Step 3:Now review the settings to select the burn speed. The default will be the maximum your hardware can handle, so you can reduce that. You can also choose to finalize the disk and verify it. Finalizing means you can't save any more files on the drive, but it primarily applies to DVDs and CDs. Choosing ‘Verify' will prompt the software to execute an additional process after the burning is done. Any errors in the bootable USB will show up at that point.
Step 4: Now click on 'Burn' and wait for the progress bar to reach 100%. Your bootable USB is now ready.
Cons:
- Expensive for a single license.
- Higher failure rate for bootable device.
- Ugly user interface.
The Bottom Line:
The second two methods are recommended if you don't have much experience working with DMG files, but DMG Editor will appeal to novices and experts alike. The clean interface and minimal user input means a lower chance of errors while creating the bootable media.
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