New Mac User has question...RE .DMG files??

[wifeofpdx]

Example,

I download a trial of iWork 09. I get it in my download folder as .DMG file.

I click on that, and I get this "disk image" on my desktop, that I can eject.

If I want to backup on dvd what I just bought, do I burn the .DMG file or the "disk image" on my desk top??

Loving the mac overall!

 

[r.j.s]

The DMG. Think of it this way, the dmg file is a folder, when you open it a shortcut appears on the desktop and you can access the files in it.

 

[wifeofpdx]

So the DMG is the better file to burn?

 

[r.j.s]

So the DMG is the better file to burn?

As a backup, yes.

Especially since you can't burn a mounted disk to another volume.

 

[dukebound85]

So the DMG is the better file to burn?

yea. think of a dmg like a zip file sorta

 

[wifeofpdx]

What do you mean, can't burn a mounted disk to another volume?

I'm not sure I understand...

 

[ZMacintosh]

What do you mean, can't burn a mounted disk to another volume?

I'm not sure I understand...

Usually, when you double click on a DMG file it mounts a virtual disk that runs the installer of the application.

A mounted disk:

DMG stands for disk image, and is a format commonly used to distribute files and applications among Apple computers. A DMG file is like a virtual DVD or hard drive. DMG files can be “mounted” on your Mac in order to work with their contents, or even burned to an actual physical disk.
A dmg file mounted to Mac OS X


In order to understand the concept of a DMG disk image, think of a storage volume such as a CD, DVD, hard drive, or external hard drive. A DMG file is like one of these devices in that it serves as a means to encapsulate documents, images, software, and other files. The difference between a DMG file and one of those devices is that with a DMG, there is no physical storage medium. There is only the DMG file, which can be written to a hard drive, burned to a CD or DVD, or sent over the Internet.

In order to work with the contents of a DMG file, you must mount the disk image to your system. This may sound daunting, however “mounting” a DMG file with Mac OS X is no more complicated than double-clicking it’s icon. The operating system will load the disk image and place a new drive icon on your desktop. You’ll also see that icon appear in the upper left-hand sidebar of the Finder. The icon will have the same name as the DMG file, and you will be able to explore it’s contents with the Finder.
Unmounting a DMG from the Finder

Once you are done working with the contents of a DMG file, you will want to remove or “unmount” it from your system. Do this by opening the Finder and clicking the eject icon shown next to the virtual drive’s icon. You can also do this by going to your desktop, clicking once on it’s icon, and pressing CMD+E.

taken from: http://www.ofzenandcomputing.com/zanswers/780

 

[wifeofpdx]

So what RJ was saying is that I couldn't burn the mounted disk on my desktop to a cd/dvd drive (another volume)?

Leaving the only option for burning an install CD being to burn the .DMG file itself.

Is that correct?

Thanks for the reading below...just what I needed. Coming from a PC, there is nothing that I can relate.

 

[ZMacintosh]

So what RJ was saying is that I couldn't burn the mounted disk on my desktop to a cd/dvd drive (another volume)?

Leaving the only option for burning an install CD being to burn the .DMG file itself.

Is that correct?

Thanks for the reading below...just what I needed. Coming from a PC, there is nothing that I can relate.

Correct.

Not to complicate it or anything, but look at it this way when you extract an Apple/Mac Application from its Disc (cd or dvd) it will extracted as a DMG essentially.

so thats the type of file that will properly burn to CD/DVD medium.


hope that helped some more.

 

[sammich]

Correct.

Not to complicate it or anything, but look at it this way when you extract an Apple/Mac Application from its Disc (cd or dvd) it will extracted as a DMG essentially.

so thats the type of file that will properly burn to CD/DVD medium.

hope that helped some more.

Hang on a second...a .dmg file is a 'virtual disk'. Therefore you can replicate this disk wholly onto another disk which fits all of the data contained in that .dmg.

Open up 'Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility', drag your .dmg file (not the one you can eject) into the left hand side column (if it's not there already). Click 'burn' at the top of the window, and then insert a disk. Follow the drop down pane to burn.

This process will burn to the CD/DVD the contents of that .dmg, so that when you insert the CD/DVD, it will look exactly like the downloaded .dmg would when you double clicked it.