dmg files on desktop

Question

Level 1

7 points

dmg files on desktop

Hi,

When I launch SuperDuper! from my finder >applications folder, I receive popup-window that reads: Please attach or mount volume named "LaCie". If you can't find this volume, or it was erased outside SuperDuper!, click cancel.

Now I notice on my desktop there is a SuperDuper! dmg file. Clicking on it brings up the window saying: To install or update, drag (SuperDuper Icon) to applications and run!. I did this previously when the initial disk image was mounted onto desktop after dowloading from internet. Hence, the app already resides in my applications folder.

Really confused on what to do about this. Should I drag this desktop dmg file including the (drag icon relating to SuperDuper!--not an dmg file)to the trash? Also, have lots of other dmg files on my desktop such as wordcounter, yasu, and backup 3. Again, these apps presently reside within applications folder. Can't figure out as to why they're on my desktop when I'd already ejected these disk images beforehand when they appear on my desktop.

Btw, is this happening with superduper because I'd created 2 partitions on my external drive? Now on my desktop there are the two Lacie icons representing each partition. I'm assuming this is how it works. Another matter -- when double-clicking on an iWeb_112.dmg file it immediately downloaded. Don't know where this went to. Why did this particular dmg file suddenly appear on my desktop? Delete or Keep?

Help most appreciative. Cheers.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Sep 20, 2008 9:56 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 20, 2008 10:20 AM in response to Junieart

Downloaded applications often come as .dmg files which you mount and from them you copy the application to the Applications folder. Once this is done you can delete the .dmg file, and any .zip version if it was downloaded in that form. If a .dmg file has been mounted it appears as a separate icon, so you have the mounted volume which you have to eject, and then the .dmg file which you delete.

When you partition a hard disk it appears as if it were two separate disks (actually Volumes - one disk can contain several volumes)) and thus you have an icon for each.

when double-clicking on an iWeb_112.dmg file it immediately downloaded.

You mean from a web page? that's what you would expect,.dmg files will always download as the browser can't display them. The usual destination would be your Desktop unless you have set somewhere else. Whether you delete it or keep it is up to whether you want its contents.

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Answer 2

Junieart Author

Level 1

7 points

Sep 20, 2008 10:42 AM in response to Junieart

Hi Roger,

Thank you. I trashed all dmg.files off of desktop. However, when I open SuperDuper! app, from my finder, still getting the message: Please attach or mount volume named "LaCie". If you can't find this volume, or it was erased outside SuperDuper!, click cancel.

Why is this continually showing? Where do I look for the volume if it is not showing on my desktop? What is presently on my desktop regarding volumes are my mac HD, Lacie HD (2partitions).

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Answer 3

Sep 20, 2008 10:46 AM in response to Junieart

Use Spotlight to locate missing files.

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Answer 4

Junieart Author

Level 1

7 points

Sep 20, 2008 11:56 AM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

Hi,

Using spotlight but seeing vast files. Can't see where this is going to help by trying to find the file.

As mentioned earlier, I see my Lacie volumes on the desktop. So regarding: If you can't find this volume, or it was erased ouside SuperDuper! message, perhaps I must have erased it. Did I do this when I trashed the dmg file even though I got the message before trashing?

I suppose it would be best to ask this problem differently. Am I suppose to re-emount my Lacie?

Er, help someone.

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Sep 20, 2008 12:45 PM in response to Junieart

In finder, select Go menu>Go to Folder, and go to "/volumes".

Volumes is where an alias to your hard drive ("/" at boot) is placed at startup, and where all the "mount points" for auxiliary drives are created for you to access them. This folder is normally hidden from view.

Drives with an extra 1 on the end have a side-effect of mounting a drive with the same name as the system already think exists. Try trashing the duplicates with a 1, and reboot.

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Answer 6

Junieart Author

Level 1

7 points

Sep 20, 2008 2:55 PM in response to BDAqua

Hi BD,

I found volumes and looked at the hard drives (mac hd, the two lacie partitions), but I'm not seeing 1 on the ends. There are only black arrows representing alias.

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Answer 7

Sep 20, 2008 3:04 PM in response to Junieart

What volume did you want to back up to? Does it mount? If you partitioned the LaCie did you rename both the volumes? If one of them has the original name SD may get confused because it isn't in fact the same volume as the unpartitioned version. Substitute the volume you now want to back up to for what SD now has (even if it has the same name) and see what happens.

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Answer 8

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Sep 20, 2008 3:35 PM in response to Junieart

Hi, I think Roger is onto the problem/solution/answer. 🙂

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Answer 9

Junieart Author

Level 1

7 points

Sep 20, 2008 4:05 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Rodger,

You're smart! Yes I renamed the lacie volume when creating the two partitions.

Not sure how exactly to follow your directions about substituting. Newbie to backing up things using the lacie and superduper so please bear with me. When I did my very first backup using superduper 3, I did a Copy: mac hd to lacie firewire external hd. Unfortunately having filevault on during this process made for a very slow backup. Nine hours! No matter, everything worked. At least I think it did. Never did try rebooting the system. But no matter, I then installed iLife 08 which unfortunately decreased my disk space drastically.

So, having learned that when filevault is ON you lose about 30 percent disk space, I began deleting unwanted apps and files including moving IPhoto 07 over onto my lacie external. But before doing so, I had to erase previous clone backup because I wanted to have 2 partitions. So I created 2 partitions (one for entire system clone and the other set aside for iphoto and miscellaneous stuff). Once the partitions were created, I have only managed to actually move the iphoto and miscellaneous onto my 2nd partition. Happily doing this has increased my disk space to nearly 30 percent.

Before I do the entire system clone geared for 1st partition, I have been trying desperately to turn off filevault. I want to completely get rid of it. SuperDuper! advises filevault should always be OFF whenever backing up. Also, want to gain another 30 percent with it off.

So, regarding filevault... keep getting errors when restarting. Says that home folder will still be encrypted. Irritating that it can't be turned off!!!

Another problem is that I'm afraid I didn't make my 1st partition large enough to hold my entire system. On my internal system it has -- capacity: 232.57 GB; Available: 56.48 GB; Used: 176.08 GB. My firewire lacie external drive is 500 GB. And on this -- first partition: 235.24; 2nd partition: 230.27... with a total capacity 465.8 GB. I'm doing the mac os x Extended (Journaled). Before doing my entire clone will I have to erase what's in my 2nd parition (iphoto and misc)?

There you have it. Hope it's not too confusing. Sorry for all the questions!

So, now that you know what I've been doing, if you could give me more specific directions on substituting, etc. including filevault problem, maybe I'll be able to resolve all my problems.

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Answer 10

Sep 21, 2008 12:34 AM in response to Junieart

You should be able to turn FileVault off in System Preferences>Security. Unless there is a likelihood of other people having access to your computer you probably might as well leave it off.

Your internal disk has 176GB in use. Your first partition on the LaCie is 235GB: so you can clone to this OK. You can't clone to more than one volume at a time so erasing the contents of partition 2 woldn't help in any case.

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Answer 11

Junieart Author

Level 1

7 points

Sep 21, 2008 6:19 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

I've already tried turning filevault off in system preferences. Still no luck even after deleting numerous files, iTunes and moving Iphoto 08 onto external. To bad Apple decided to make this so difficult!! Guess I'll have to start searching hard for other alternatives such as completely uninstalling iLife 08 and starting all over. Really frustrated!!!!

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