Downloading New Version of Firefox

[m3m]

This is concerning an imac with SS 10.4.11 with 80 gigs of HD with 23.2 gigs available. I downloaded Firefox 2 and it worked but accidently ejected the Firefox icon now when I try to reinstall Firefoc the dmg icon comes on my desktop and when I try to open it I get the message that the disk is unreadable.
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks
m3m

[Dan Millar]

Okay - when you say you ejected the Firefox icon, that implies you've been working from the "disk image" - a virtual disk created on your desktop from a file that you downloaded and ends with the extension ".dmg". If you've been working from the "image" on your desktop - that's the problem. You were supposed to mount the disk image, which you see is now corrupted, then copy the firefox icon inside the disk image to your applications folder. Then, you can eject the firefox icon on your desktop and use the icon in the dock or in the applications folder from then on.

No worries though, just delete the "Firefox.dmg" you downloaded, and re-download it and COPY IT to your applications folder before using it. Your preferences should all still be there, as they are kept in the Library folders.

Lots of Mac developers ship their software electronically as "disk-image" or "dmg" files. Usually the file you download will be a compressed version of the .dmg file, i.e. "Firefox.dmg.gz"., which becomes "Firefox.dmg" after being un-g-zipped, which then opens to appear as a disk on your desktop.

As a safety precaution, no web browser should be set to automatically do this. In Safari, check under Safari->Preferences->General that "Open "safe" files after downloading" is NOT checked. You should only open and install downloads manually. When you're finished you can keep the download, or dispose of it - you can always download it again if necessary. Firefox already behaves properly, so you don't have to set anything.

Good Luck!

Dan

[m3m]

Thank you for your prompt reply.  Got the problem solved.

m3m