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SuSE Linux/Windows XP/OS X 10.4.1 Triple Boot Suggestions


Guest Ramm
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Hello,

 

Well, I have successfully installed OS X 10.4.1 along with Windows. Right now, I have it set up on a dual boot. I am ready to install SuSE Linux 10.1 (Beta 1 I think...). Anyways, I was wondering if anyone could give me suggestions on my SuSE installation. Should I use GRUB or LILO? Which one works better for triple booting? Just give me all the info, and I will do the same for you:

 

HDD: 40GB

 

Windows Partition: 25GB (will change when install comes around)

OS X Partition 14GB (will change to ~6GB)

Dual Booting

 

Will be changed to:

 

Windows Partition: 17GB

OS X Partition: 6GB

SuSE Partition: 16GB

 

So let's recap:

 

Should I use GRUB or LILO? Which one works better for triple booting?

-also-

 

Should I create the SuSE partition in the SuSE install, or before (in Windows [Partition Magic])?

 

 

Thanks,

Ian Pappas

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I would use grub to triple boot. the grub files can sit on a small fat16 partition so you can edit the files from any operating system.

 

This is would be my grub menu.lst file:

timeout 30
default 0

title  GNU/Linux
root (hd0,1)
kernel /kernel root=/dev/sdb4

title OSx86
root  (hd0,2)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title WindwowsXP
root  (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

 

 

One could mount all of these partitions in linux with an /etc/fstab file like this:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
# <fs>				  <mountpoint>	<type>		  <opts>		  <dump/pass>

/dev/sdb2			   /boot		   vfat			noauto,noatime  1 2
/dev/sdb4			   /			   xfs			 noatime		 0 1
/dev/sdb1			  /mnt/win	 ntfs			 ro				 0  0
/dev/sdb3			  /mnt/osx	 hfsplus		defaults		  0  0
/dev/dvdrw	  /mnt/cdrom	  iso9660		 user,noauto,ro  0 0
/dev/sda1			   /raid		   ext3			noatime 0 0
# NOTE: The next line is critical for boot!
proc					/proc		   proc			defaults		0 0
shm					 /dev/shm		tmpfs		   nodev,nosuid,noexec	 0 0

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Well, I went ahead with the install (I am on SuSE right now), but OS X's HFS+ partition is corrupt. I believe it says:

 

chainloader+1
ERROR
HFS+ PARTITION IS MISSING OR CORRUPT

 

Should I delete OS X's partition, then make a new one and do a fresh install? Will that fix the problem?

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Well, I went ahead with the install (I am on SuSE right now), but OS X's HFS+ partition is corrupt. I believe it says:

 

chainloader+1
ERROR
HFS+ PARTITION IS MISSING OR CORRUPT

 

Should I delete OS X's partition, then make a new one and do a fresh install? Will that fix the problem?

On Suse 10 Desmopro got also this error message when he used Yast2 for configure Grub. Once he configure Grub with an editor his quad-boot was working fine (Yast2 had add the wrong syntax in menu.lst ). The topic (in FR):

http://forum.osx86project.org/index.php?s=...indpost&p=57250

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SUSE can't resize hfsplus. It looks like you resized that partition. That killed it; you have to reinstall.

 

If you did not resize the partition, you can mount it from SUSE and see if it is intact. The syntax for 2nd partion in 1st drive would be:

su

<enter password>

mount -r -t hfsplus /dev/hda2 /mnt

cd /mnt

ls

 

If the partition is intact it should list your files.

 

If you need read/write access (it works) replace -r with -w

 

Grub works fine as a bootloader for this, but I prefer Boot Magic (comes with Partition Magic).

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I don't know why everybody is having such problems with dual or triple booting.

 

In fact it's very easy!

 

There are just a few things you have to remember:

1. You need a blank harddrive

2. You need a partition program like qtparted which is able to run without an installed OS (e.g. Linux Live CD's)

3. If you want to triple boot at least one OS should be Linux

 

First you have to create the partitions on your hdd.

- !Create only primary partitions!

- First! partition for Windows

- Then leave some space for your Mac OS X (we will format it later)

- After this as many partitions as you want

Now your hdd should look like this:

Partition - Free space - Partition - Partition (e.g.)

 

After you have finished install WinXP on the first partition.

When the installation has finished boot XP and type this into the consol:

>diskpart (hit enter)

>select disk 0 (hit enter)

>create partition primary id=af (hit enter)

>exit (hit enter)

 

Then reboot and insert your Mac OSX install dvd.

Format the Type AF partition with Disk Utility and install OSX.

Now you've got a working dual boot.

 

If you want a triple boot insert now your Linux DVD.

When you reach the installation screen it is important NOT to use the default installation settings. Change the installation so that it will only format the partition it should install on and do nothing else.

After you have finished this install Linux and open the Bootloader configuration menu.

Search for the option "restore MBR" or something similar. Click it and it will restore your MBR as it was before your Linux installation. Then make sure you choose the option "no Bootloader" in the configuration menu before you close it. Then reboot.

 

Now you've got a working triple boot.

 

Important: If your computer boots directly into OSX do this:

Startup OSX

1. open teminal and type:

sudo -s

nano /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist

2.add

<key>Quiet Boot</key>

<string>No</string>

<key>Timeout</key>

<string>15</string>

 

Now you should be able to triple boot with the darwin bootloader.

 

 

 

This is the best and smoothest way to triple boot.

 

Best whishes

Ragnarök

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I don't know why everybody is having such problems with dual or triple booting.

 

In fact it's very easy!

 

There are just a few things you have to remember:

1. You need a blank harddrive

2. You need a partition program like qtparted which is able to run without an installed OS (e.g. Linux Live CD's)

3. If you want to triple boot at least one OS should be Linux

 

First you have to create the partitions on your hdd.

- !Create only primary partitions!

- First! partition for Windows

- Then leave some space for your Mac OS X (we will format it later)

- After this as many partitions as you want

Now your hdd should look like this:

Partition - Free space - Partition - Partition (e.g.)

 

After you have finished install WinXP on the first partition.

When the installation has finished boot XP and type this into the consol:

>diskpart (hit enter)

>select disk 0 (hit enter)

>create partition primary id=af (hit enter)

>exit (hit enter)

 

Then reboot and insert your Mac OSX install dvd.

Format the Type AF partition with Disk Utility and install OSX.

Now you've got a working dual boot.

 

If you want a triple boot insert now your Linux DVD.

When you reach the installation screen it is important NOT to use the default installation settings. Change the installation so that it will only format the partition it should install on and do nothing else.

After you have finished this install Linux and open the Bootloader configuration menu.

Search for the option "restore MBR" or something similar. Click it and it will restore your MBR as it was before your Linux installation. Then make sure you choose the option "no Bootloader" in the configuration menu before you close it. Then reboot.

 

Now you've got a working triple boot.

 

Important: If your computer boots directly into OSX do this:

Startup OSX

1. open teminal and type:

sudo -s

nano /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist

2.add

<key>Quiet Boot</key>

<string>No</string>

<key>Timeout</key>

<string>15</string>

 

Now you should be able to triple boot with the darwin bootloader.

This is the best and smoothest way to triple boot.

 

Best whishes

Ragnarök

 

The Darwin bootloader don't see my ReiserFS partition (ReiserFS is default in Suse), so I need to install Grub or Lilo for Suse.

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Use ext3 and it should work

Too late, it's already installed :censored2:

But I will test it next on another PC with FC5 (will be released in a week). How do you pass the boot option for the Linux kernel? Do you type it in the Darwin bootloader?

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linux needs a special boot loader such as grub or lilo to load the kernel. This bootloader doesnt have to be in the MBR, but it can be stored in the Linux partition. Then you can "chainload" from ntldr or darwin.....

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linux needs a special boot loader such as grub or lilo to load the kernel. This bootloader doesnt have to be in the MBR, but it can be stored in the Linux partition. Then you can "chainload" from ntldr or darwin.....

If I still need to install a third party bootloader like Grub or Lilo, there is no advantage to use the darwin bootloader, it's more simple to put Grub or Lilo in the mbr and boot all OS directly with it.

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If I still need to install a third party bootloader like Grub or Lilo, there is no advantage to use the darwin bootloader, it's more simple to put Grub or Lilo in the mbr and boot all OS directly with it.

 

 

Grub or Lilo are necessary to boot Linux and can't be completely deinstalled.

With my "trick" you won't get an "chainload" or "hfs+ partition error". These errors will most likely occur if try to boot OSX with Grub or Lilo.

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If I still need to install a third party bootloader like Grub or Lilo, there is no advantage to use the darwin bootloader, it's more simple to put Grub or Lilo in the mbr and boot all OS directly with it.

 

 

Installing it to the mbr isn't a good otpion imho. When you try to uninstall it from your mbr, it fuxxors your windows install.

 

At least, that's what it did to mine. I'd say install grub on the linux partition or on a separate small fat16 partition.

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Installing it to the mbr isn't a good otpion imho. When you try to uninstall it from your mbr, it fuxxors your windows install.

 

At least, that's what it did to mine. I'd say install grub on the linux partition or on a separate small fat16 partition.

 

 

Did you try to boot OSX with Grub? I tried it several times and I always got a chainloader or hfs+ partition error. So if you don't have a waterproof solution to boot with Grub Darwin is the best choice to boot.

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Did you try to boot OSX with Grub? I tried it several times and I always got a chainloader or hfs+ partition error. So if you don't have a waterproof solution to boot with Grub Darwin is the best choice to boot.

Maybe it's just a error in your config (like Desmopro) or in your installation. I tried it myself on different PCs it works without problems. Many Linux user in this forum are also using Grub or Lilo without problems.

Grub also exist as floppy or CD version so you can make some test with it before you install it in the mbr.

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Oh its's a common problem. In the old days when win2osx was still up and running there where many who had this problem. I had it with 10.4.1/3/5 and for me I've found the ideal way to triple boot. It doesn't bother me that I have to click 2 times instead of one to start Suse.

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Did you try to boot OSX with Grub? I tried it several times and I always got a chainloader or hfs+ partition error. So if you don't have a waterproof solution to boot with Grub Darwin is the best choice to boot.

 

 

Personally, I boot with acronis.

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  • 2 months later...
Well, I went ahead with the install (I am on SuSE right now), but OS X's HFS+ partition is corrupt. I believe it says:

 

chainloader+1
ERROR
HFS+ PARTITION IS MISSING OR CORRUPT

 

Should I delete OS X's partition, then make a new one and do a fresh install? Will that fix the problem?

 

 

Copy the contents of /usr/I386/standalone on the OSX disc to your Linux HDD.

Stick it in a folder called OSX inside your boot/grub folder (or partition)

 

Then edit your Grub config files so the OSX entries options are

 

rootnoverify (hd?,?)

chainloader /boot/grub/OSX/chain0

 

 

Replace the question marks with your Linux boot partition number - 1 (If Linux is on first disc, 3rd partition then you would use (hd0,2).

 

Works fine for me. Windows Vista broke the Darwin loader, so I'm now Quad-booting Suse, OSX, Win XP & Vista!!

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