"White Drive"

[kern]

I am a brand new OS X user from windows and just would like to ask a stupid question or two.

Why do FireFox and MSN messenger appear as removable 'white' drives on my desktop? and why when I remove the .dmg files off the desktop the programmes will not start up?

 

[Zammy-Sam]

The mounted white drives are some kind of virtual CDs. You will need to drag the files to your disk (preferable Application folder) in order to not mount the image all over again. Once you dragged the content of such a virtual drive to your disk, you can unmount it and even delete the dmg file. The application is sorta installed.
And welcome to the forum, kern.

 

[bobw]

The white drives are just volumes. If you open them, you'll see the main application or application folder and whatever readme files that come with it.

Hold the Option key down and drag that white icon to your Applications folder, or wherever you want to put it. The eject the white icon.

 

[Satcomer]

I am a brand new OS X user from windows and just would like to ask a stupid question or two.

Why do FireFox and MSN messenger appear as removable 'white' drives on my desktop? and why when I remove the .dmg files off the desktop the programmes will not start up?

Others have pointed out the solution to your question. I am now going to suggest a smart, easy read help books that will be loads of help for a new Mac user (even for some older Mac users). There is a couple of of books by David Pogue like Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, Panther Edition and Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual that will greatly help your understanding of your new Mac.

 

[delsoljb32]

youve already done one of the smartest things you can do for a new user: reading and posting on this site (and others im sure) where veterans and newbies alike can share knowledge. when i came back to mac i started coming to this site for info and help. you'll find people here very helpful, and very smart. not me of course, im still new! hahah