To create a bootable USB drive from a DMG file on Windows, you will need to have the right utility. That's because DMG is not native on Windows. It is the Mac equivalent of an ISO file that has been in use since Apple transitioned from the IMG format with Mac OS X. A DMG file, like ISO, can be used to install macOS operating system or Mac apps. If the Mac computer was broken or crashed and couln't get into the system, but you only have access to a Windows PC, there's still a way to make a bootable macOS install USB on Windows.
- Apr 02, 2019 The file is downloaded from the internet from the software manufacturer’s website and upon mounting the DMG file, a virtual disk is generated from where the user can either copy the application to the applications folder or run an installation script depending on the type of installation.
- A.dmg file is kind of like an USB stick in a file and can be handled more or less the same way. To install from a.dmg file you usually do the following: double click the.dmg to make its content available (name will show up in the Finder sidebar), usually a window opens showing the content as well.
Now with the.dmg installer open proceed with the install from it as normal if it gives you trouble with the machines internal disk being mounted already the quit the installer from.dmg and Terminal go back to diskutil to unmount the machines internal hard drive.
This article looks at three applications that you can use to create a bootable USB drive from a DMG file in Windows. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages, which we have highlighted. You can make the best choice for you based on the information provided below. They are in no particular order of preference.
TransMac - Make DMG File Bootable USB on Windows
This is a fairly robust application for creating bootable USB on Windows from a DMG file. However, there's a preparatory step to be executed before you can create the bootable USB drive. The typical disk partition used is MBR, but you will need to do a partition with GPT for this to work. You can do so by executing the diskpart command in Windows CMD. Alternatively, you can do it from within TransMac, as shown in the instructions shown below the next paragraph.
Once this is done, you can download TransMac and use the two-week free trial period to get the job done free of cost. You can always upgrade if you like the utility and want to keep using it after the trial period has ended. Once you download and install the application, insert your formatted USB drive and follow the instructions below:
Step 1: If you haven't formatted the USB, right-click on your USB drive in the left panel and select Format Disk for Mac from the contextual menu.
Step 2: Right-click again on the drive in the left panel and this time select Restore with Disk Image.
Step 3 : Select the DMG file and click on Open. Once the process is complete, you can eject the drive and use it on a Mac. To boot from this media, hold down the Option key and fire up your Mac.
Convert DMG to ISO and Create macOS Boot USB from Windows
Since ISO is a better format for Windows, you can also convert the DMG to the ISO format and then use the ISO disk image to create the bootable USB. Please note that you can't boot your Mac from bootable USB made from an ISO file, which means you'll have to convert it back to DMG prior to that. Still, it's an effective way to create bootable media for a Mac computer. Here's how it works:
Step 1: Once you have the macOS install DMG file on a Windows PC, click on Windows + R to open the run dialog box, and type in CMD, then hit Enter. When the Command Prompt opens up, use the following command to convert the file to ISO:
hdiutil convert /path/sourceimagefile.dmg -format UDTO -o /path/targetmage.iso
Step 2: Download and install UUByte ISO Editor on your PC, insert the USB drive and launch the application.
Step 3: Click Burn button on the main screen and point to the converted ISO file. The drive will be automatically detected and click on Burn icon to burn the ISO to the USB drive.
Once the ISO is burned to the file, you can insert it into a Mac and convert it back into the DMG format. Since you're converting the file twice, there's a chance that the file could get corrupted in the process. If that happens repeatedly, then try this next method.
PowerISO: Make Bootable Mac Install USB on Windows 10/8/7
How To Install Dmg File
This Windows utility allows you do create bootable USB from DMG on a PC. You can also edit the DMG or extract the contents, and there's also an option to copy it to a disk. For this particular exercise, we'll show you how to use PowerISO to create a bootable USB drive on Windows without having to convert the disk image into another format like ISO.
Step 1: Download and install the application on your PC.
Step 2: Insert your USB drive and launch PowerISO.
Step 3: In the Tools menu, select 'Create Bootable USB Drive… '. You will need to give admin privileges to the software. Alternatively, you can run the program as admin when you launch it.
Step 4: Select the USB drive in the section called Destination USB Drive.
Step 5: Leave all other default as they are and click on 'Start' to burn DMG to the USB drive.
Install Dmg File Mac
You should be able to see the progress, and a new popup will appear when the bootable media is ready. You can now eject the media and use it to run the DMG on a Mac computer.
Conclusion:
How To Install Dmg File
All of these methods are workable, so select the right one for you based on your level of knowledge and your preference.