Is it safe to delete .dmg files?

[extanker59]

I have 33 dmg files totaling over 1 GB of space. Is it safe to delete these files or should I keep the newest one of each application in case the application doesn't start at a later date? Sorry for the basic question but since I was in the Mac Basics section...

 

[TheBritishBloke]

So long as they're ones that you downloaded.

1GB is nothing though, I say just keep them.

 

[Makosuke]

I personally tend to keep the latest version of everything I use regularly, so I am able to do a quick reinstall if for some reason my internet is down or I can't get at the site (say, the company goes under). Can also save time if it's a big download (say, Fusion @ ~150MB).

That said, more often than not there's been a minor/major update to the software since I last downloaded it (particularly if it does auto-updating), so I'll end up redownloading anyway when it comes time to reinstall. Based on that, probably makes the most sense to just chuck stuff.

Paid apps with limited downloads are of course in a different category, since you wouldn't want to lose those .dmgs.

 

[extanker59]

OK, thanks guys. I'll delete all but the latest dmg files of all my downloaded applications. I'll stay away from all the dmg files that appear to come from the initial installation. Unless someone answers "NO NO, you idiot, I didn't mean that!" I'll do that soon.
Thanks for the answers.
Chris

 

[Hisdem]

I keep all installers in my external hard drive. It has a partition for TM and another one for spare files, I keep programs and things I don't need to have on the computer there.

 

[gorby]

From another noob's perspective--- I usually delete them as well

I kinda thought you were meant to-- I mean:

Delete the firefox dmg, try firefox, hmm yep it still works. Why do I still need the dmg?

 

[Makosuke]

Why do I still need the dmg?

For most people, in most situations, the answer is as you've assumed--no reason at all. If you do need to reinstall for some reason, you'll just download it again, probably a newer version at that.

As for those of us who do keep a copy around, it's a combination of paranoia and convenience. The two times I use them are if I need to reinstall for whatever reason (this would generally be a full-OS reinstall, not just the app, as there's no reason that would normally have issues), in which case it saves time downloading everything again (though I might anyway to make sure I have the latest version), and because I have three computers in the house, so I can always grab whatever the latest version I've downloaded on one system to install on others (I use a file server, where all the .dmgs end up).

The one other reason is that if you have a lot of apps, and you do a fresh system install for some reason, the folder of .dmgs is a handy reminder of what all you had bothered to install before--I've a few times forgotten to reinstall something until later when I went to use it.

There are also those increasingly rare times when the developer kills the product, and you actually can't find a download when you want it. Have a couple of apps that were EOL'd that I was glad I kept copies of, just in case.