Typically, .dmg is a file exrension specially for Mac disk image and many apps use it as setup file of installation. In many ways, it is similar to the ISO format used in the Windows environment. However, there are some significant differences. The biggest difference is that while a DMG file that does not contain software installation files and can't be opened on a Windows machine in default. DMG that is meant for installing software can not be executed in Windows. In this article, we will show you how to open and view DMG files on Windows machines.
After install, several addition files are also saved on your system (for Vista there is a shortcut on desktop and files are actually in public download folder) The install file changes (Symantec is tricky here—I suspect it is the dll: NIS2010plugin.dll that is also downloaded) and when you open it AFTER INSTALL, there are options to uninstall. This article describes how to manually remove the files in order to avoid any unexpected behavior if and when the Receiver is re-installed. This article can also be used as reference to clean a system after having an older or legacy version of the Receiver uninstalled, and prior to installing the latest Citrix Receiver for Mac.
To view a DMG installation file on Windows 10, you will need a special application such as UUByte DMG Editor. Although you will be able to open the file in Windows, please note that the setup file can not be used as an executable in this case.
- After installing DMG Extractor, all you have to do is double-click your DMG file to open it up. You can browse the files right in the DMG Extractor window if you just want to see what’s inside the DMG file. If you don't need them, you can delete installer files.
- Open the.dmg you downloaded and drag Zotero to the Applications folder. After installing Zotero, you can eject and delete the.dmg file. Run the setlauncher.
Part 1: Open a DMG File in Windows 10/8/7 with PeaZip
PeaZip is a free and open-source file manager for varios types of compressed files. It can be used to open and view archive file formats such as DMG, ISO, RAR and many more. If the DMG file in question is not meant for software installation, you can use this program to view the contents of the file.
Step 1: Download PeaZip 64 Bit 6.6.0 on a Windows 10 64 Bit computer. Install the program and launch the application.
Step 2 : There are several ways in which you can open the DMG file at this point. The first way is to import the file from within the PeaZip software using the 'Add' button. The second way is to double-click the DMG file, but this will only work if DMG is not associated with another program. The third option is to right-click on the DMG file and open with the PeaZip archive utility.
Step 3 : Once you have the file open in PeaZip, you will be able to view the contents and copy them to another location if you require. Depending on the type of files inside the DMG, you will require different applications to open individual files.
Cons:
- Pop-up ads all the times.
- Big challenge to find the correct information on its website.
- Only available for 64 bit Windows OS.
Part 2: View a DMG File on Windows with UUByte DMG Editor
Can We Delete Dmg Files After Installation
The second app we recommend in here is UUByte DMG Editor, which is a robust application is available for both Windows and Mac OS X systems. Using it, you can directly view the contents of an DMG file as well as edit the contents of the file in several different ways. It is fully compatible with all the latest versions of Mac OS as well as the latest Windows 10 update.
One feature that makes DMG Editor stand out from the crowd is the extensive testing that it has gone through on different brands of Windows PC’s and a wide range of computers running Mac OS X. Another important feature is that it requires zero technical expertise to use. As such, if you are not very familiar with DMG and ISO file formats, this would be the ideal tool for you.
Key Features of DMG Editor
- Extract and view contents from any DMG File.
- Burn DMG file to USB or DVD.
- Add, delete or rename files contacted in DMG File.
- Create DMG file from local files and folders.
Step 1: Install UUByte DMG Editor
Download the installation file for UUByte DMG Editor and double-click to install the program on your Windows computer.
Step 2: Add DMG File
Launch the application and click 'Extract' on the main Window. This option allows you import DMG file into the app and extract content from it. Click 'Load DMG' button to import .dmg file.
Step 3: Start Extracting Content from DMG
Once the file has been imported into DMG Editor, you will be able to view the individual files contained inside. Tick the box before the files which you want to extract. After selection, click 'Extract' button to save them in a local folder.
For Windows 10, this is the best archive utility available. It allows you a great deal of versatility when handling DMG disk image files.
Can I Delete A Dmg File After Installation
Part 3: How to Extract a DMG File with DMG Viewer ($29)
Another utility to open DMG files in Windows 10 is DMG Viewer. This utility can be used to view two types of DMG files: Read only and Compressed. You can also use DMG file viewer to read mail files in the EML and EMLX formats. To open a DMG file and view its contents in Windows 10, follow the steps shown below:
Step 1: Download the SysTools DMG viewer utility and install the application in your Windows 10 computer.
Step 2: Launch the application and click on the File >Open. Browse and locate your DMG file, select it and click 'Open' in the Explorer dialogue box.
Step 3: You should now be able to see the contents of the file. If it contains any email files for the Mac OS format, you will be able to click on that file and preview the contents.
Cons:
- Out of date user interface.
- Bugs and errors on latest Windows 10 version.
- Not free .
Part 4: Convert DMG to ISO and Open ISO File in Windows
If you dislike all the apps suggested above or all failed due to some reasons, then the last option is to convert DMG file to ISO. Why? Becasue there are tons of applications on Windows that can open and view ISO image. The biggest problem is how to successfully convert dmg file to ISO. We have tested a few apps and take AnyToISO ($29.95) as an example at here becasue of higher success rate.
Step 1: Download and install AnyToISO on a Windows PC. Then purchase a Pro license to activate the program.
Step 2: Now, open the program and import the dmg file to it.
Step 3: Check the option 'Convert to ISO Image ' and select a local folder to save the converted ISO file. After that, you can mount and view the ISO file with the stock Windows app.
Cons:
- Expensive for a single license.
- Less of advanced features .
- Only work on Windows PC.
Summary
Opening dmg file on Windows is no longer an issue. I am dare to say at least one of the suggestions above will help you complete the task without any problem. Kindly try out the ones you prefer and leave your feedback in comment section if you still have problems.
When you want to install a new app on a Mac, more often than not they will let you download a .dmg file. For a long time, I thought that dmg file is just a special install package, but when working on the post about hiding files on Mac I found out that it is not so simple and I decided to investigate more.
General Information
What DMG stands for?
DMG stands for Disk iMaGe. macOS uses them to package multiple files and folders in one container which can be downloaded over the internet. Think of DMG files as virtual disks, they can be mounted and unmounted like any other drive. They do not have auto-run capabilities.
How to open a DMG file?
To start working with a DMG file it needs to be mounted. To mount the disk image double click on the DMG file. Double click on DMG files invokes DiskImageMounter app which is associated with these files by default. Once the image is mounted a new icon will appear on the Desktop.
Another way to mount DMG files is opening them from the Disk Utility in LaunchPad.
If the image contains an app installer you can see its contents by right-clicking on the app icon and selecting “Show Package Contents”.
Are DMG files safe to install?
Since DMG file is a disk image its safety depends on its contents. DMG files are neither safe or unsafe, but they may contain viruses or malware inside. When downloading from the internet always make sure that the web site you are downloading is from a trusted developer.
Downloading a DMG file does not compromise Mac security. To understand this better imaging someone packaged a virus in a compressed file, etc. zip file. Viruses get installed only when the container gets executed.
Downloading viruses or malware over the internet on the computer or copying files from one folder to another does not make any harm.
For instance, if you want to download Flash Player or QuickBooks from the internet go to their original web sites: Adobe and Intuit. Do not download software from unknown web sites.
How to check DMG files for a virus?
If you don’t have an antivirus installed on your Mac, you can try the site called Virus Total. The site was developed by a Spanish company, but later it was acquired by Google. It is totally free.
When a file is uploaded to the Virus Total it runs a number of different antivirus applications and prints the results of the scanning.
Can I Delete Dmg Files After Installation Mac
For instance, when I was working on my article See How Easy Is To Format External Hard Drive For Mac And PC I was able to identify that Minitool DMG contained a malware.
Is there a fake Adobe Flash Player?
I’ve seen many forum posts about fake Flash Players that install malware on Macs. The way they get installed is the web site pops up a warning message “Adobe Flash Player on your computer is outdated” and they provide a link to an updated version or immediately download Flash Player DMG on your Mac.
When this happens, Force Quit the browser and then delete the DMG file from the Downloads folder.
Flash Player (or any other app) will not install if DMG is not mounted and the installer app is not started.
Where do DMG files go?
When downloading DMG files go to the current user Downloads folder by default. However, the browsers may have other folders configured as Downloads, so if the browser didn’t download in the default folder check the browser settings.
If you can’t find the file, learn how to find files here. Just search for files with dmg extension.
When user double clicks on the DMG file the drive mounts and can be accessed either on the Desktop or from a sidebar in the Finder. If the drive is not visible in the Finder go to Finder’s Preferences and enable External disks box under Locations in the Sidebar tab.
Working with DMG files
How to create a DMG file
Anyone who has a Mac can create a DMG file using Disk Utility. With Disk Utility you have options to create a black image or an image from an existing folder. There is a number of things that can be configured for a blank disk image: size, file format, encryption method, partition type, and disk image format.
Let’s review some of the options:
Size: the maximum size of the disk image. Once the disk image is created its size can be changed with Resize option in the Disk Utility.
Format: Use the following rules when deciding which format type to choose:
- If the image will be used both in Mac and Windows choose MS-DOS (FAT) format for images less than 32GB, or ExFAT for images larger than 32GB
- If the macOS version is Sierra or earlier than choose Mac OS Extended
- If the macOS version is High Sierra or later, e.g. Mojave, choose APFS.
There are case-sensitive and case-insensitive options for macOS images. The safest approach is to stick to case-insensitive; they are defaults in macOS. Additionally, some applications may fail when accessing case-sensitive images.
Encryption: 128-bit is recommended, but no encryption provides a faster image.
Partition: Select Single Partition – Guid Partition Map. It is used with Intel-based MacBooks. Apple Partition Map is used with older PowerPC Macs. Master Boot Record Partition Map is used for bootable Windows images.
Image format: If you are not DVD/CD master, then you have a choice between read/write disk image and sparse images. When image format is set read/write then the new image will claim the entire size on disk as soon as it is created.
Sparse images allow creating a small initial image which will expand up to a predefined size. For instance, you can create a 100 MB file and upload only 5MB initially. The size of the image will be 5MB until you add more files. Note, however, the file will not shrink if you delete files. Once expanded it does not contract.
The difference between the sparse image and sparse bundle image is that the former consists of one giant file and bundle consist of a bunch of smaller files. When choosing between two options go with sparse bundle image (the other option is for compatibility with older Mac versions).
It is possible to change either encryption or image format after the image was created. To change encryption or image format start Disk Utility. In the menu go to Images -> Convert. Select the image, change the settings and click Convert.
The Disk Utility will create a new image, it will not override the existing one. So before converting make sure that you have enough storage for both images.
Another way to create an image is from an existing folder. For instance, you may want to create a secret image to store personal files.
Installing apps with DMG files
Since DMG is a container for an app or its installer the process of installing can be one of two following scenarios:
- When DMG file is mounted then it may ask to move the app to the Applications folder. All you need is to drag and drop the icon to the Applications folder icon.
- If the file contains the app installer then double-clicking on the installer will start a wizard which will ask questions and eventually install the app in the Applications folder.
Once the app is installed it is safe to delete the DMG file. In fact, it is recommended to delete unused DMG files to clean the space on Mac. First, unmount it by right-clicking and select Eject from the pop-up menu and then delete the image file.
Can’t delete DMG file?
If any file from DMG file is in use (open with another application) then macOS will not allow deleting the file. Close the application that uses the files from DMG. In case when it is not clear which application is using files from the image restarting Mac will unlock the files.
Additionally, make sure that the disk is unmounted before deleting its DMG file. Sometimes, macOS allows to delete the image file while disk is still mounted, but this is not a good practice.
Why developers use DMGs to install apps on Mac
There are multiple reasons for choosing this format to install the software. Among them are:
- DMG files can be signed. macOS has an option to install software from the App Store only or from the App Store and identified developers. If a developer is a well-known company, e.g. Microsoft, then it gives the user additional assurances that the software came from the developer they trust.
- DMG files cannot be tampered with. So if Microsoft has signed the Skype package it is safe to copy from another computer and install it.
- DMG can be branded with custom icons and background images.
- DMGs can be encrypted.
DMG on Windows
Do DMG files work on Windows?
By default, Windows does not support DMG format. If you want to create an image which can be used between Mac and Windows, then install an application such as 7-zip to open DMG files on Windows.
Note however that 7-zip will only open the image as read-only, you will not be able to add new files or change existing ones.
But make sure that selected configuration for the image file is supported with 7-zip on the Windows you are running. I was able to open an image file with Mac OS Extended and MS-DOS FAT formats, but couldn’t open the one in ExFAT.
There are other options which can extract from DMGs in multiple formats. One of the DMG extractor from reincubate. It’s a paid app, but they do have a free version. Another app is a DMG viewer from Data Forensics which works also with corrupt DMG files.
One thing to remember is that macOS and Windows are different operating systems and applications written for macOS will not work in Windows and the opposite is also true.
So, if you were hoping to install a Mac app on Windows by opening a DMG file on Windows then I have to disappoint you – this won’t work. You can exchange files that are supported on both systems, e.g. .docx or .txt, but binaries are not compatible.
DMG conversion
DMG file to ISO
ISO is another virtual disk image usually used to make a copy of a DVD/CD. It also has to be mounted just like DMG. If you need to convert DMG to ISO format you will need a third-party application.
An example of such application is dmg2iso, it’s free, but it was not maintained for a long time. Another example is AnyToISO – a paid application from Crystal Idea.
Using with VirtualBox
Oracle VirtualBox is virtualization software. The beauty of VirtualBox is that you can run the entire computer inside another computer. For instance, if you need to run Windows on Mac one option is to run a VirtualBox and install Windows OS on VirtualBox instance.
VirtualBox supports DMG formats as one of the external devices. In order to use DMG with VirtualBox add the image as a virtual optical drive. The image cannot be used a hard drive because it cannot write into it.
Using with VMware
Currently, VMware does not support the DMG format. If you want to use the image with VMware you have to convert it first to ISO.
Conclusion
DMG is not a self-extracting archive which runs and installs software on Mac. It is, however, a container which includes the software to be installed. Disk images by themselves are not dangerous, but they might carry malware inside, so be careful when downloading them over the internet.
Disk images can also be used for personal use, e.g. when you need to package personal files in one container.
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