HELP encrypted file is too small; can't get files out of it

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Level 1

9 points

HELP encrypted file is too small; can't get files out of it

HELP! HELP! I recently created a password protected file [.dmg]. As I was adding files to it, suddenly realized that my .dmg did not have enough space for what I wanted to use it for. Because I didn't know how to edit the .dmg to add more space, I thought that maybe I could create a new .dmg with plenty of space and transfer what I have over to that so I could add what I wanted to and couldn't in my present .dmg. But now I discovered that I cannot drag and drop those files. Also, I cannot even do some corrections in files within the present .dmg and be able to save the corrections. And I don't want to trash my first .dmg or I will lose all my work. What can I do???? This is REALLY important right now.😢

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Aug 3, 2015 6:38 AM

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Answer 1

brenden dv

Community Specialist

Aug 5, 2015 6:21 AM in response to designer_02

Hi designer_02,

I'm sorry to hear you are having these issues with your Mac. I also apologize, I'm a bit unclear on exactly what you are seeing, or what error message you are getting, when you try to copy or move files out of your current encrypted disk image. You may want to double-check the steps outlined in the following article; in particular, you may want to see if it was created as a read-only image and if you can convert it:

How to create a password-protected (encrypted) disk image - Apple Support

Disk Utility 12.x: Create a disk image

Disk Utility 12.x: Convert a disk image

Regards

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Answer 2

designer_02 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 5, 2015 7:17 AM in response to brenden dv

Finally, figured out my problem. I did not have an established file to encrypt. I encrypted an incomplete file and was trying to add things to it. Apparently, you need to have everything in it to begin with and then just edit things. I see nothing in the process to indicate the size I would like for the file to be which is what my problem was. So what I did was to create a new "full" file and delete my former .dmg and start all over. Wish I could see a way to ask for a size. I do not see what other instructions say I should. I am using Mountain Lion on an iMac.

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Answer 3

designer_02 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 5, 2015 7:20 AM in response to designer_02

Finally, figured out my problem. I did not have an established file to encrypt. I encrypted an incomplete file and was trying to add things to it. Apparently, you need to have everything in it to begin with and then just edit things. I see nothing in the process to indicate the size I would like for the file to be which is what my problem was. So what I did was to create a new "full" file and delete my former .dmg and start all over. Wish I could see a way to ask for a size. I do not see what other instructions say I should. I am using Mountain Lion on an iMac.

I To add I never see a "Size" pop up even after following all the instructions in one of the links you gave me.

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Answer 4

brenden dv

Community Specialist

Aug 5, 2015 7:43 AM in response to designer_02

Hi designer_02,

I'm glad to hear you were able to get it sorted. As to setting the size, it should be in a drop down menu option directly under where you would set the name for your new disk image (between Name: and Format:). If you are unsure of the size you will need, you can also create the disk image as a "sparse" image; that way, the image will grow or shrink to size (up to the maximum set under Size:), depending on what you put in it.

Cheers

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Answer 5

designer_02 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 7, 2015 4:35 AM in response to designer_02

Brenden,

I reviewed your link Disk Utility 12.x: Create a disk image. It had more info than the How to create a password-protected (encrypted) disk image - Apple Support which I had used. I see now that I was not using a blank disc image. When I did that I could see where I had the option of selecting a size. Tried this, but now have a new question. I dragged things to it just to experiment. But now I want to trash it and am wondering if I do that, will I also be trashing the files I put into. Right now it looks like the files are in the same place in my Finder in their original places while also being in the disk image. Does that mean that if I want existing files to exist only in my newly created disk image, that after I drag them to the disk image I should then delete them from their original places in Finder? I. e. if I don't do this, will those files still be in Finder as well as the disk image?