.dmg files? can I delete?

Question

Level 1

97 points

.dmg files? can I delete?

When installing applications or updates on your Mac, can you delete the .dmg files?

I've installed a few freeware applications such as MSN Messenger, Lab Tick, Flip4Mac, aMSN etc... and also updates for various applications.

Once i've an application installed or updated (and working ok) can I delete the .dmg file?

I've tried to delete the .dmg file for MSN Messenger in the past only to find that it wouldn't work and I'd have to install it again, but i've deleted .dmg files for other applications (as it told me that I could delete if I wanted to after successful installation)

So what can and cannot I do with .dmg files?

 MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.11),  iPhone 8GB

Posted on Jan 12, 2008 7:17 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Kappy

Level 10

361,731 points

Jan 12, 2008 7:59 AM in response to dherron

Once you've installed the application onto your hard drive you can delete the .dmg file unless you prefer to save it as backup.

Reply

Answer 2

Jan 12, 2008 8:37 AM in response to dherron

Hey dherron,

If you're a Windows switcher, a .dmg is the same thing as an .iso file basically. It's a disk image. Mac appears to like to use image files for programs downloaded through the internet, while Windows usually use .zip files or direct .exe files. So I would say treat those .dmg files as you would .zip files in Windows. All apps should work without the .dmg file.

Reply

Answer 3

dherron Author

Level 1

97 points

Jan 12, 2008 9:20 AM in response to dherron

Thanks guys!

I think I had some applications installed incorrectly - when I open MSN, a white drive opend also on the desktop, and the same happened with Firefox, the white drive with a Firefox logo would appear on the desktop anytime I opened these applications.

I think this was because I didn't install some things properly, I think I may have dragged the icons to the task bar along the bottom before adding them to my applications folder. I've uninstalled some applications and reinstalled them correctly and now everything is working fine. I can also delete .dmg files now, because in the past - seeing the applications weren't installed correctly, deleting the .dmg file caused the application to partially uninstall as it was running the incorrectly installed application.

Problem sorted!

Reply