Problem of triple boot

[globilux]

Hello,

 

I've installed a dual boot (Linux and Windows) on my machine. Now, I want to extend this and put a triple boot (with mac os x on my PC).

I'm meeting trouple with the installation. In fact, the mac os x installer say that my ext3 partition (linux) is read only so he can't install any partition more.

I've even try to use disk utility to create a partition on my disk boor, but this utility show me that I can't create a partition on my disk boot since this disk is full (even I have just a ext3 partition of 38 Gb and a ntfs partition of 16 Gb on a disk of 80 Gb).

 

I'm new in mac os x (on PC) world, so can you give me some advices to install this great system on my desktop ?

[Balto]

You can use a Partition Manager like Gparted to format your free disc space or resize any partition.

 

What are you currently using to boot your dual boot configuration? If you're using Windows Boot Manager, you can use the chain0 method to boot your Mac OS X, but you'll have to make sure you don't install any boot loader while installing Mac OS X.

[globilux]

You can use a Partition Manager like Gparted to format your free disc space or resize any partition.

I can directly format it in HFS (in fact I just create a blank partition for osx).

I'll try to formaqt with fdsik (commad line power, gparted is just a GUI to fdisk, mount and mfs) but I don't know if the HFS+ (if its proponed), is a strong (stable) as the HFS+ proponed on a mac software

What are you currently using to boot your dual boot configuration? If you're using Windows Boot Manager, you can use the chain0 method to boot your Mac OS X, but you'll have to make sure you don't install any boot loader while installing Mac OS X.

I'm using grub, because it's one of the rare software who can be me from all device I want

EDIT : I've run fdisk, I'm seeking for partition type but there is just "UFS darwin" and "Boot Partion for Darwin" but the Mac OS X installer doesn't recognize it (some times I can't mount sometime there are read only)

[Sotirios Papakonstantinou]

As far as I have understood, you have a single disk with currently two partitions and you want to create a third

 

partition to install MacOS X. If you are running Windows XP, you need a software such as Powerquest Partition Magic

 

to do it without losing data. If you are running Windows Vista, you can do it without any extra software (it looks

 

like Vista have some positive points afterall...) Vista's Disk Management will most probably see the Linux

 

partition as unknown but you should be able to work with the Windows partition.

 

The procedure is:

 

Right click on the Computer icon (click on START, if not on desktop) and select "Manage". This will open Computer

 

Management, just like in Windows XP. You should find the usual options, including Disk Management. In Disk Magagement

 

click on the Windows partition to highlight it. Right click and select "Shrink Volume". In the section "Enter the

 

amount of space to shrink in MB", make sure you give at least 8192 MB (8 GB). The remaining space should appear as

 

unallocated. Don't create any partition, you will do it later during MacOS X installation.

 

Restart the computer and boot with MacOS X DVD-ROM. Before doing anything, go Utilities->Disk Utility and format the

 

unallocated space as MacOS Journaled (I don't remember the exact name, but you get the point). Now you should be

 

able to see this partition and select it to install Leopard. complete the installation. I don't know about Linux and

 

Grub, but if you are using the Windows boot loader, MacOS X should replace it with Darwin and you should be able to

 

boot only in MacOS X at first. Don't panic! To restore Windows boot loader, boot with Vista DVD-ROM and select

 

"Repair my Computer" instead of setup. You should see a list with options. You select the one that corrects the

 

startup problems and you should return to Windows boot loader. Now you most likely boot only into Windows and Linux,

 

if available before in the boot options. Boot into Windows and use these instructions below to add MacOS X as an

 

option:

 

http://dailyapps.net/2008/03/hack-attack-d...-windows-vista/

 

To save you time and effort, you can download chain0 file here:

 

http://riccardo.raneri.it/blog/eng/wp-cont...6/08/chain0.rar

 

If you were using Grub and now is not available you may have to install it again and configure it again. Sorry, but

 

I cannot help you in this case. If Vista Disk Management doesn't allow you to create a large enough space, the only

 

option (withing Windows) is to use Partiiton Magic or similar software. The same is true in Windows XP as its Disk

 

Management doesn't support volume shrinking and expanding.

 

If you ask me, I would rather use a separate disk for MacOS X and disconnect my main disk during installation, just

 

in case something goes wrong. Later I would follow the instructions above to add MacOS X in Vista boot loader.

 

Good Luck. Let us know how did you go.