[SOLVED] DMG File No Mountable File Systems on macOS Ventura/Monterery/Big Sur

Mac operating systems offer unwavering reliability and stability, and it's one of the main reasons they are primarily used for productivity and work-related environments. However, despite their stable nature, they aren't free from errors or issues.

One such issue arises when Mac users try to open DMG files. Look! And behold, the unwanted no mountable file systems error comes into play. This annoying and unwanted issue in macOS isn't new, so there are ways to work around it.

This article will help you explore a few of them, as well as help you diagnose the reason behind them. So, let's dive right into it.

What Is No Mountable File Systems on macOS

DMG files in macOS aren't uncommon and are needed whenever a mac user wishes to install something or use new software. But, the scenarios can differ depending on the file. Yet, what doesn't change is the fact that the no mountable file systems errors can come into play at any time.

But, the underlying issues behind this error can tell you the same thing in many different ways, such as:

• No mountable file systems error
• Unable to find the DMG file
• File not found
• Access is denied

Either of these errors usually means the same thing related to DMG files in a Mac. Therefore, it's essential to be able to diagnose the issue behind it and apply the fix according to it. We'll explore both of these, so let's keep digging.

What Causes the No Mountable File System Error

No one issue causes the macOS to show errors when trying to open DMG files, and there are many reasons why this could be happening. So, as mentioned before, it's essential to understand the senses as much as it's crucial to apply the fixes.

In this section, we'll explain a few reasons that are usually the culprit when a DMG file is unreadable on macOS. So, let's explore each one:

Reason 1. The Format of the DMG File Is Corrupt

One of the premier reasons DMG files are not readable is that the file could be corrupted. People often download the corrupted file and think nothing else is the matter. So, sometimes, the most apparent issue is the problem; in this case, it's a corrupted DMG file.

Reason 2. The Format of the DMG File Is Not Compatible with Your macOS

It's important to understand that even though macOS seem similar, not all are made equally. That's why the file format of the DMG you're using may not be compatible with your macOS. An easy fix for this is to compare the compatibility of the file with your macOS and download the right one.

Reason 3. Malware Problem on the File System

Malware on a mac computer isn't uncommon and could be one reason the DMG file is unreadable. Another possible explanation is that your DMG file has a virus or malware, so the Mac refuses to read it.

Reason 4. Virus Attack on the File System

Viruses are another reason your operating system might refuse to read any DMG files. Therefore, ensuring your mac computer is free of such issues is essential before trying to mount a DMG file.

Reason 5. Bad Sectors on the Hard Drive

Another rare but possible reason is that your hard drive might have a bad sector on it. Therefore, it may not be the issue of your operating system or the DMG file itself. Instead, it could be a hardware issue; the usual suspect is the hard drive.

These are some of the most common reasons that any macOS may refuse to read the DMG file. Therefore, make sure you diagnose these issues before proceeding with the fixes. Check here to learn how to fix a corrupted hard drive on Mac.

Recover Mac Data When File System Corrupts

Before trying to fix the DMG issue, you must tend to the first aid of your macOS computer. You must ensure your data is secure if there is malware or virus on your device.

The reason behind doing this is that when you use the Terminal Command line or other methods to fix DMG files, you risk losing important data.

In this case, use a professional tool like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac. It's a remarkable file-recovery tool that allows you to restore, repair, or recover lost files when you lose them in various cases.

In other words, this tool can help you save your files regardless of how you lose them - even when trying to recover a DMG file or get it to work. Besides that, it gives you plenty of reasons to use it as your primary recovery tool, such as:

• A possible recovery or restoration tool to recover essential data.
• Saves files from operation errors, hard drive damage, or bad repartitioning.
• Ability to recover photos, videos, and other personal data.
• It has an unwavering ability to recover lost files and allows you to restore them comprehensively.

Walking through the following steps may help you operate it better:

Note: You can create a backup by clicking the "Disk Backup" on the left first. The software will recover the document from the backup image. It can prevent further damage to your disk and data, making it safer and more reliable.

Step 1. Scan for lost documents

Select the location where your important Word/Excel/PPT/Numbers/Pages documents were lost and click "Search for lost files".

Step 2. Find lost documents on Mac

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will immediately start a scan on your selected disk volume. Meanwhile, the scanning results will be presented in the left pane. Select "Documents" and you can quickly filter the DOC/PDF/PPT/XLS files you've lost earlier.

Step 3. Recover lost/deleted documents

Select the target files and preview them by double-clicking them. Then, click "Recover" to get lost documents back at once.

How to Fix the Error No Mountable File Systems on macOS

In this section, we're going to explore a few simple fixes for no unmountable file systems errors for DMG files. It's important to understand that these fixes are tried and tested—but if one doesn't work for you, the other might work.

So, from the simplest to the most complicated, let's explore each fix.

Method 1. Restart Your Mac

An easy fix for you to try is to restart your Mac. There are times when caches and NVRAM (Non-volatile random-access memory) have a lot of junk built up. So, when you renew your Mac, it can fix that issue. That's why you should try to restart your Mac and rerun the DMG file.

Method 2. Download the DMG Again

Another fix you can try is to download the DMG file again. As mentioned before, many a time in macOS, the most apparent issue is the one you should try to fix. In this case, it's a corrupted DMG file, and you should try to download it again.

For a complete download, you can try the Terminal. Here's how:

Step 1. Open Terminal on your macOS

Step 2. Type curl -0 URL (download URL) and press enter

Step 3. Wait for the download to finish

As you can see in the image above, the download URL comes after the curl command. So, copy and paste the URL after entering the Mac terminal command.

Method 3. Check the File System Format

The third method is to check the file system format and whether it's compatible with your OSX. It's one of the significant reasons DMG files aren't mounted on macOS, as the file isn't compatible with the macOS installed on the device.

To keep it simple, older OSX versions don't support the APFS file system. The other file system is HFS, and to find out which one is yours, here's what you can do:

Step 1. Open Terminal on your mac device

Step 2. Type "diskutil info /" and press enter

Step 3. Check the file system personality

Once you check this, ensure the DMG file you download is compatible with this file system personality.

Method 4. Mount the DMG with the Terminal

If your file system is compatible with your DMG version, then you can mount the DMG using the Terminal. To do that, you'll have to use a few commands once again. Here's how:

Step 1. Open Terminal on your Mac

Step 2. And open the folder of the DMG file

Step 3. Type this command "hdiutil attach -verbose," but don't press enter

Step 4. Drag and drop the DMG file from the folder into the Terminal

Step 5. Once done, press enter to mount the DMG file

Step 6. You will notice the DMG file will show up on your desktop, or the Finder utility

This will mount the DMG and help you explore it or use the installed application after the terminal mounts it.

Method 5. Repair the Corrupt DMG File in Recovery Mode

This method will help you use the DMG file in recovery mode. But for that, you'll have to turn off your computer. Therefore, you'll have to find out whether Mac won't boot into recovery mode or not using the Intel or Apple methods. Once done, here's what you'll do:

Step 1. Restart into Recovery Mode on your Mac

Step 2. Click on Disk Utility in the recovery menu

Step 3. In the disk utility, open the toolbar options and click on "Show All Devices."

Step 4. Head into the location for your DMG file

Step 5. Open the DMG and select First Aid

Step 6. Confirm when prompted

Step 7. Please wait for it to finish

This will run the repair on the file and anything contained within it. Once done, restart your Mac and try to rerun the DMG.

To Wrap It Up

These are some of the most viable methods to help you run a DMG and mount it successfully on your mac device. It's important to understand that not all DMG files are compatible with all macOS versions. So, it would be best if you tend to each fix accordingly.

Besides that, you also need to ensure complete backup before using these methods. And you will have to use a viable professional tool - data recovery software like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac to recover or repair any lost files in the process.

No Mountable File Systems FAQs

Here are some of the FAQs to help you answer any additional queries.

1. What is a DMG file?

A DMG file is an Apple Disk Image file, which allows users to install or use new software on their mac devices. In simple words, DMG is to Mac what exe is to Windows.

2. How do I mount a DMG file on a Mac?

You can double-click the DMG file to open it on your Mac. But, if it has a problem mounting, you can use the fixes and methods mentioned in this article to run it more smoothly.

3. How to install DMG files in Ubuntu?

You can use a variety of commands in Ubuntu's Terminal, but this command is suggested: dmg2dmg /path/to/name.dmg /path/to/name.img. Just make sure you use the right way and DMG name.

4. Why can't open mountable file Linux?

Like macOS, the file might be corrupted or not supported with your Linux version. So, make sure you tend to those requirements before trying again.