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jaws01

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 3, 2006
65
0
I am very new to Mac's and I don't fully understand how to install and uninstall .DMG files that I have downloaded.

For example, I just downloaded a file called "cyberduck.dmg". Now after it completed the download it places the cyberduck.dmg file on the desktop along with the little white box named cyberduck.

So I open up the application cyberduck (little white box) and click on the icon cyberduck.app The application launches and works good.

So my questions is ...what do I do with the "cyberduck.dmg" file? can I put it in the trash? are .dmg files similiar to .exe files on Windows?
 

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
What you are supposed to do is open the disk image file (so it shows the white icon on the desktop and then also shows a finder window). Then you DO NOT run the application from there. You copy it to your applications folder. If it opens in a window that has the left sidebar, you can just drag the icon of the program from inside the disk image to the apps folder on the left. Otherwise drag it to the HD icon, let it spring open, and then drag it to apps.

Then you drag the disk image icon to the trash to unmount it. You can also delete the disk image file itself from wherever you downloaded it at this point also. But you always run the application from the applications folder.
 

Warbrain

macrumors 603
Jun 28, 2004
5,702
293
Chicago, IL
You need to drag the application into the Application folder in order for you to continue using it. You can run the program off the DMG, but you will need to reopen the DMG every time to use it. If you copy it, then you can eject the DMG and delete the DMG file.

Damn you for beating me, mkrishnan.
 

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
18,375
2,801
Here are some screenshots to further the explanation. What you are dealing with is a disk image with an application bundle inside it.
 
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