Triple Boot OS X EL Capitan, Windows 10, Linux (GPT) on a BIOS-based system with three separate HDDs: what to do?

[SardusX86]

Hi Everyone,

I currently have a dual boot system (legacy-bios install) with OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard and Windows 10 on two separate hard disks that works fine.

Now I'm planning to make a triple boot system on three separate hdds, with Clover boot loader: OS X 11.10.3 El Capitan, Windows 10, Linux (>4 ext4 partitions with different Linux distributions, if possible).

Reading many threads about this problem i am considering two (hypothetical) possibilities:

a - install OS X, Windows 10, Linux with Clover boot loader, UEFI mode according to this guide:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/303615-guide-install-windows-8-uefi-on-legacy-bios-with-clover-and-dual-boot-with-yosemite/

but it is about a single hard disk and i don't know if it suitable in this case.

b - Install OS X, Windows 10, Linux with Clover boot loader, Legacy-BIOS mode, but i have not found information whether the bios_grub partition, in which install GRUB 2, can be recognized by Clover.

 

Is there a proper way to solve this problem?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice about this topic

[kosakgroove]

1- Install OSX on one HDD, and before install,  format all the HDD's with GUID partition scheme using OSX Disk Utility.

2- After succesful boot into OSX install Clover in your efi partition, but updating the MBR also, so you can boot legacy Clover from HDD.

3.Then I would install windows, but from a EFI USB, booting it from Clover, and install it to the other HDD

4- Clover should pick up the Windows HDD without a problem.

5-Then boot LinuxLive USB from Clover EFI also and do a regular UEFI install, it will install to the EFI partition of that hard drive, so  you can just copy that "Linux" folder that contains Grub and copy it to Clover directory, if you are having problems with Linux, but mostly, Linux is the easier step.

 

That's what I did in my Toshiba satellite L300 that doesnt count with UEFI boot, but has 2 separate HDDs

[SardusX86]

Thanks for your reply,
If I understand what you are suggesting is the installation of the three operating systems each on a disk in UEFI mode.
Since I am a real newbie I spent some time to list step by step some questions about your response to avoid having too many problems during installation:

 

1- Install OSX on one HDD, and before install, format all the HDD's with GUID partition scheme using OSX Disk Utility.

Which are the correct settings for the Clover Bootloader installation both creating the USB installer that in the post-installation phase? (Particolarly in the choice between “install boot0af in MBR” and “install boot0ss in MBR”)

 

2- After succesful boot into OSX install Clover in your efi partition, but updating the MBR also, so you can boot legacy Clover from HDD.

Do you mean that I should not select the “Don't update MBR and PBR sectors” in the “Bootloader” section of Clover setting?

 

3.Then I would install windows, but from a EFI USB, booting it from Clover, and install it to the other HDD

Can i Create a the USB installer with Rufus, eg according this guide? http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/306320-guide-dual-boot-with-windows-10-and-clover-legacy-or-uefi/#entry2132772

[kosakgroove]

1st. Install OSX on one HDD, and before install, format all the HDD's with GUID partition scheme using OSX Disk Utility.

Use Install boot0af in MBR , for Clover install, both in the HDD and in the USB , it's the most typical configuration. If that one doesnt do it for you you can experiment with the other one

 

2nd. After succesful boot into OSX install Clover in your efi partition, but updating the MBR also, so you can boot legacy Clover from HDD.

Q: Do you mean that I should not select the “Don't update MBR and PBR sectors” in the “Bootloader” section of Clover setting?

A: Precisely!

 

3rd - Yes, Rufus is the recommended way of doing a EFI Windows Usb, although one can also do a Windows EFI USB

 with Bootcamp Manager in Mac OS X.

 

Then you  install windows to the other HDD, from the EFI USB, booting it from Clover