If you want to convert DMG to ISO, it's good to learn a little about disk image file types and what they're meant for. Essentially, a disk image is a snapshot of the content on a DVD, CD, BRD or even a hard drive. It could be just a set of media files, but it can also contain software installation files. In the second case, the disk image will also need to contain boot information in order to boot from the media.
Ubuntu is a common variant of Linux, complete with a user-friendly interface and full flexibility in customizing it via the Terminal window. Windows and Linux share the ability to open ISO files, which are similar to DMG files. A DMG file is a mountable disk image used to distribute software to the macOS operating system. The file is typically downloaded from the Internet by a Mac user, then double-clicked to install an application on the computer.
Specifically, DMG is what Apple uses for the macOS environment, while ISO is more widely used in Windows-based and Linux environment. At times, you may need to convert DMG to ISO so you can mount it as a virtual drive on a Windows machine to extract the contents, view them or burn them to create bootable media. The process to convert DMG to ISO is different based on which operating system you're using for the conversion. This article shows you how to convert DMG files to ISO files on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Method 1: How to Convert DMG to ISO on Windows 10 (DMG2IMG)
DMG2IMG is a software utility that converts DMG files into Apple's older IMG format as well as the universally used ISO format. The process is simple, but it requires some command line work. The steps to use DMG2IMG to convert DMG to ISO have been detailed below:
Step 1. Download and install DMG2IMG on your Windows computer. Once the installation is done, open File Explorer and go to the location where you downloaded the application.
Step 2. Right-click on the folder where the software has been downloaded, and select 'Open command window here…' to launch Command Prompt.
Step 3. In Command Prompt, execute the following command (click Enter after typing in the command):
dmg2img 'C:UsersSample UserDesktopsample.dmg' 'C:UsersSample UserDocumentsConvertedRandom.iso'
Step 4. Please note that the double-quotes are required only if you have a space in your file path. In this example, there's a space between Sample and User, so the quotes are needed. If there are no spaces, you can do away with the quotes.
This method only works in 32-bit Windows versions. The conversion is usually done accurately, but you may come across errors that can corrupt the output ISO file. If you're going to be doing a lot of such conversions from DMG to ISO, we recommend getting a proper software utility.
Method 2: How to Convert DMG to ISO on macOS (Disk Utility)
Mac OS X and macOS offer an easier way to convert DMG to ISO, which is only natural because DMG is the native disk image format used by Apple. The Disk Utility that's built into Mac will help you do the conversion from DMG to ISO. Follow the steps below to convert your disk image files:
Step 1. Launch Disk Utility in Mac from Applications > Utilities.
Step 2. Open a Finder window and double-click on the DMG file to mount it. You should be able to see it on the left panel in Disk Utility.
Step 3. Right-click the DMG file in the left panel and select 'Convert'. In the new window that appears, select 'DVD/CD Master' as your output and click on Save. This will save your DMG file in a format with the extension .cdr.
Install Dmg File On Linux
Step 4. Rename the file by replacing .cdr with .iso. The file is now in the ISO format.
The exported ISO file can now be burned to a disk, or mounted within Mac as a virtual drive so you can view or extract the contents. The conversion process is quick, and it's convenient because it does not require any additional software.
How To Install Dmg File On Linux
Method 3: How to Convert DMG Files to ISO on Linux
How To Install Dmg File On Linux Mint
In a Linux machine, you can use Terminal to convert DMG to ISO. For this, you will first need the Linux version of DMG2IMG. You can get it using a Terminal command, as shown below:
Install Dmg File On Linux
Step 1. Execute the following command in Terminal:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install dmg2img
Step 2. You can now proceed with the conversion command: dmg2img example.dmg example.iso
Step 3. You can also define a specific file path for the output (converted) file, but this basic command is what you need to use for the conversion.
As with any file conversion, the process to convert DMG to ISO could present some hurdles, such as corrupted files at output. If you see this happening multiple times, it's possible that the source file itself is corrupted. In such cases, it's better to try and get an authentic download rather than struggle with a corrupt file. In any case, if you're sure the DMG file is verified, these methods to convert DMG to ISO in Windows, macOS and Linux should work for you.
