osx86+osx86+winxp+vista+ubuntu

[fishyeah]

Why would you want two osx86? - if you screw one during upgrading you still have the other to help fix the one you just screwed up.

 

I don't use Linux much once switched to Mac OS X, but I believe Grub bootloader is the best for multi-booting. You could have more than one WinXP or Vista installed on your PC by using Grub.

 

Note one hard drive only allows you to create at most 4 primary partitions. You can install OS on different hard drives to get around this issue. Again Grub can boot from different hard drives.

 

First, install WinXP or Vista, then hide the partition (using Hiren's BootCD or any other liveCd). If you install two WinXP (or two Vista), this is essential, otherwise they would interfare with each other - e.g. later if you wipe one off, the other may become unusable.

 

Install another Windows OS (use part of the unallocated disk space), again hide the partition.

 

Install Mac OS X, hide the partition, install another Mac OS X (I doubt two Mac OS X would interfare with each other, but better be safe then sorry).

 

Last, install Ubuntu - Grub would be the default bootloader. Configure grub (/boot/grub/menu.lst) use any editor:

• hide/unhide command allows you to hide some OS partitions while booting into another OS
  
• map command allows you to boot from different hard drive (switch between primary and secondary hard drive at boot time)
  

Example:

title MacOSX

hide (hd0,0)

unhide (hd0,1)

root (hd0,1)

makeactive

chainloader --force +1

 

title Windows XP

hide (hd1,1) #another windows OS partition

unhide (hd1,0)

map (hd0) (hd1)

map (hd1) (hd0)

rootnoverify (hd1,0)

makeactive

chainloader +1

boot

[cbmkgd]

A few additional details:

1. osx doesn't like to be installed on a primary partition situated after an extended partition;
   
2. try as much as possible to install osx on a primary partition;
   
3. rather than install the second osx, clone it (ccc, hatchery, etc);
   
4. if you install a second osx on a logical partition, it should be the first logical within the extended partition (don't know why) (i suggest to stick with point (2)).
   
5. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law... No, wait! Wrong list!
   

(jfyi: you should correct the "madeactive" line in the second item)

[fishyeah]

Thanks for pointing out the typo - corrected.