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[How-To] Simple XP + OSX Native Dual Boot


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revision: i thought this was working without a bootloader, but as cbmkgd pointed out, there's a bootloader at work after all, so i renamed the title of this post.

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original post:

 

Ok, long story short...

 

I was trying to install JaS's new release with the 10.4.8 kernel, which is now pulled off from demonoid due to problems people having. I was quick enough to finish the download. After multiple times of install and reinstall, I ended up with a dual boot that doesnt need any bootloader, not even OS Selector. I "discovered" this totally by chance, or a mistake rather.

 

I don't know if this will work with anyone other than myself, I just wanted to share my experience.

 

Do this at your own risk! Backup your stuff before you try this!

 

Ok, here's what you need:

  • a SATA HDD
  • a PATA HDD
  • XP/Vista Install CD/DVD (XP works fine for me, Vista RTM also works.)
  • OSX install DVD (I used JaS's new install DVD with 10.4.8 kernels)

 

The reason I used a PATA HDD in the first place was that the Semthex kernel in the new OSX DVD wiped the partitions in my SATA HDD, I wanted to run Acronis's recovery function from the PATA HDD to recover them. that was it.

 

What I did:

 

First, I plugged in my PATA HDD. I had to enable the PATA HDD in BIOS, and set the jumper, not sure if you have to do this also.

 

Then, I installed XP on one of the partitions on my SATA HDD.

 

Finally, I installed OSX on the PATA HDD.

 

What happened to me:

 

I installed OS Selector in XP, but it didn't pick up OSX after the install, only XP showed up on the list, and it booted up with no problem. I am not sure if you can reproduce this, but that's what happened to me. Anyway, I deactivated OS Selecotor, and XP still boots up with no problem.

 

How to boot OSX? Here's the cool part!

 

Well, when my computer starts, two commands shows up on the screen for a few seconds:

 

F2= Setup menu F12= Boot menu , like screenshot below:

 

post-27365-1162409900_thumb.jpg

[image from google search]

 

If you have used my dual boot guides, you know about this already. You may have to press a different key to get the boot menu.

 

I press F12 and the Boot Device Menu will show up, like screenshot below:

post-27365-1162409968_thumb.png

[image from google search]

 

I got the following 3 options (your options may be different.):

 

onboard SATA Hard Drive

 

onboard IDE Hard Drive

 

onboard or USB CD-ROM Drive

 

In my other guides you would choose the third option to boot the OSX install DVD, but here I use the second option.

 

So now everytime I want to use OSX, I just press F12 on boot, choose "onboard IDE Hard Drive", and OSX happliy boots!

 

the strange thing is, there was no sign of darwin bootloader, it booted right into OSX. But who cares, I have dual boot without using any bootloader!

 

Now the question is...will this method work for you?

 

Let me know!

Edited by dilnalomo
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hah thats pretty awsome.

I will definetly try this when i get the chance!

 

but every time i do try, it leads me to an error dilnalomo. :pirate2:

I have tried everything to fix it, and once its fixed, i will love to try this out.

 

click here to find my error

 

:'(

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I too am all for this. I am builiding a system based on the 975XBX and was having a bad time with the OS selector. This is a much better soln. The only question unanswered now is whether or not the 975xbx BIOS will give a quick boot menu like you have. Anybody know the answer to that? I'm at work now and can't check right away.

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hah thats pretty awsome.

I will definetly try this when i get the chance!

 

but every time i do try, it leads me to an error dilnalomo. ;)

I have tried everything to fix it, and once its fixed, i will love to try this out.

 

click here to find my error

 

:'(

 

i used to have that problem, what i did was i made a partition on another part of the HDD, and it works for me. i read elsewhere that you have to make your osx partition before any extended partitions.

best thing would be something like this:

 

windows(primary)|osx(primary)|backup

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wow thanks dilnalamo!

I will definetly try that shortly.

 

If it works,

i plan on shooting a nice high quality video of a set up walkthrough for other users, and also I am probably translating your XP + OSX native daul boot to arabic and/or farsi.

 

Thanks again!

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Well, when my computer starts, two commands shows up on the screen for a few seconds:

 

F2= Setup menu F12= Boot menu , like screenshot below:

(...)

I got the following 3 options (your options may be different.):

onboard SATA Hard Drive

onboard IDE Hard Drive

onboard or USB CD-ROM Drive

(...)

So now everytime I want to use OSX, I just press F12 on boot, choose "onboard IDE Hard Drive", and OSX happliy boots!

 

the strange thing is, there was no sign of darwin bootloader, it booted right into OSX. But who cares, I have dual boot without using any bootloader!

Bootloaders are always needed.

In both cases above, bootloaders are used (ntldr for windows, darwin bootloader for osx), but are transparent.

For Windows, probably because the "timeout" line is commented in the boot.ini. For osx, silent boot is on; pressing F8 really fast (and often) as you boot on your ide you might catch that darwin boot menu in time to reveal it (or edit the ...boot.plist file with non-nul timeout).

 

This 'method' isn't really new, but is usefull when different os's are installed on separate drives; I think it was described somewhere in the old "official dual-boot thread".

 

Another advantage of this procedure is to test a problematic os install on secondary drives by removing a possible source of conflict, which would be a third party bootmanager; check this link for example.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I would love to do this... I hate the chain0 method as I use Windows the VAST majority of the time. I can hit F12 and get to the selector menu, but when I press Primary Slave (The drive I have OS X installed on), it simply sits at that screen. I'm running on a Dell 4600, Intel P4 2.8 800 MHZ FSB. Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Sujaan

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Hello you guys,

why all this trouble with dual-booting?

 

If you just set the mac partition as active,

you can always boot any other OS by pressing F8 when darwin loads, and selecting its partition...

 

ya i got it tat way..

 

i installed acronis initially.. then i just deactivate the acronis os selector.

 

now it boots directly into OS X passing Darwin bootloader. to get into Darwin and select other OS, i just have to press the F8 continuously before OS X boots up.

 

and i am using two hard drives (pata for OS X and sata for XP)

 

it seems diff combination, pc system, installation etc get diff way to dual boot

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