HELP NEEDED WITH: .dmg - installing apps, deleting apps.

If it has one, run the installer/uninstaller.

If not, just drag to the Applications folder/Trash.

Everything else can be thrown in the trash. The bin, dmg, etc are like zip files.

Joe

You can run an installer from the disk image, there's no need to put it onto the computer's hard drive first.

There is no easy answer to the deleting Macintosh programs question. The short answer is, drag the application (or its folder) to the trash and empty the trash. In some cases you'll get an error message when you attempt to empty the trash. If you do, log out, then try emptying the trash again. That should do it. If you don't want a long involved - and more accurate answer - mark your problem solved and stop reading.

Still with me? Okay, the messier answer is this:

There are two ways to install a program - lots of them are simply dragged into the Application folder and that's it. Others have an installer and those are potentially doing something different.

A new program gets put into your Applications folder. That program will have a preference file (a plist) that will be put into the ~/Library/Preferences path or into the /Library/Preferences path. (Note the tilde in the first path, that's yourpreference folder, the second is the global preference folder. If the preference file gets put into the global folder the program preferences will be the same for every user and not just for you. (When you want to delete the program, look in both to remove the prefs file)

The new program (or the installer) may also put a folder into the ~/Library/Application Support/ or the /Library/Application Support path. Again, one is yours and the other is global. Application Support is a holdall for stuff the program will use but doesn't belong in a prefs file. Your addressbook and iCal data are kept there, for example. (When you want to delete the program, look in both to remove the program's support folder, assuming it has one)

Typically (but not always) a program that uses an installer is going to put a file - or more - somewhere else and the installer is needed to inject those files there. Many, but not all, installers have an uninstall function. I check for that whenever I run an installer program. I also read the readme file to see if there are any uninstalling instructions. If the program's installer has an uninstall function or if the readme file has uninstall instructions, I'll be sure to put that program into its own folder (if it isn't already in one) and I'll put a folder inside it called UNINSTALL INSTRUCTIONS. Inside it I'll put the readme file or a little note reminding me the installer is also an uninstaller.

By now lots of experienced Mac owners will be yelling, "Don't forget AppZapper!" or one of the other programs that claim to be Mac application de-installers. I say claim because none of them reliably look everywhere and remove every bit of stuff. Even what I told you won't do it all because not all Mac developers follow Apple's rules. Luckily though, in most cases just dumping the application into the trash does the job and doesn't leave much disk wasting data behind.

Here is what I watch for. If a window opens and it has a file that ends in .app I drag that file to the applications folder.

Some programs you try to install open a window and have a different extension. Those I usually double click to install. Then before I erase anything I look in the application folder and see if it was really installed. If it is installed there will either be a program folder and in it will be a .app file or just the program with the .app extension. Adobe uses folder in this way.

A file that has .dmg has to be started even though some start themselves. A lot of these will open a window and have folders and an .app file. Read the text fie to be sure what to do with the folders contents. It will tell you if there is anything special and where to put them. The .app files is dragged into the applications folder as before.

The only sure way I have found to delete all files is to do a search for the program name in finder. It usually brings up all the files that have that name embedded in them. Just delete and empty the trash.

I personally use AppZapper
and I am aware it doesn't get everything but it gets the biggies.

You could also try AppDelete. I have never sed it but it is supposed to be OK.

I hope I didn't confuse you more:->

Reason I aked was because, when i downloaded MSN for Mac i just double clicked the installer ad installed MSN, but then wen i deleted the .dmg file and the installer from my desktop, after restarting the macbook, there was a Black "?" on the MSN icon in the Dock

Oh - the light goes off in my head - you weren't asking the question I thought you were! Okay, let's rewind and try again. When you open a disk image you are going to see one of two different things - a program or a program installer.

You can tell it is an installer a few different ways - its filename may include the word installer. It's icon may look like an open cardboard box. It's extender might be 'mpkg'. A dead give-a-way is what happens when you double-click the icon. An installer will take you through a multi-step process telling you it is going to install a program, letting you read the license and force you to agree to it, telling you where it is going to install it and requesting your password. At the end you'll be told the installation succeeded and wait for you to press the quit button.

So, an installer doesn't need to be dragged into the applications folder. And if it isn't an installer it DOES need to be dragged into the applications folder.

Thanks - as an old hand, I've learned a new lesson - it isn't always obvious what to do after you've opened a disk image.