QUAD boot: Win XP, Win 7, Retail Leo, Ubuntu

[subFIGHTER]

I have been working on this problem for almost 2 weeks now with no success… I am trying to quad-boot my laptop:

 

hd0,1 – Windows XP

 

hd0,2 – Windows 7

 

hd0,3 – Mac OS X 10.5.6 retail (but this partition is blank as of now)

 

hd0,4 – Linux Ubuntu 9.4

 

To make this short and sweet, I just want a definitive answer – in your expert opinions, what is the easiest way to add retail leopard to a tri-boot of XP, Win7, Ubuntu (using EasyBCD to handle these 3)?

 

I am not usually one to ask for help here, I can usually find everything I need just by reading threads, but this thing has gotten the best of me. So I figured I might as well just send out my SOS and ask for some help.

 

Does anybody know how to do this without a hitch?

 

Thanks

[Suprjacob]

I have the exact same setup. Kinda. This is what I did:

 

1) Install OSx86.

 

2) Install XP

 

3) Install 7 (Yes, this will mess up XP's boot, it's okay if you're using EasyBCD)

 

4) Install Ubuntu. >>Except when installing set it to install GRUB to root, not MBR.<<

 

5) Install EasyBCD on >>Win 7<<. Set up your boot loaders here. The only thing with my install is that I have OSx86 on a EFI/GUID drive, not a MBR drive. This screws up EasyBCD. So, I had EasyBCD install NeoGrub, and then editing NeoGrub to boot the OSx86 drive as a whole.

 

^ Reply if you need more help with Step 5, as it's a bit tricky. Or, if someone could tell me what I'm doing wrong that'd be great too

 

 

 

~Ennon

[subFIGHTER]

is it absolutely necessary to install leo first? specifically, is there a way to install it after XP?

 

the reason being, I have a special edition of XP that was preinstalled on my machine and did not come with any install/recovery media specifically for this edition of XP (it is XP tablet edition). I cant find any bootleg installs of tablet edition XP anywhere, (not suprisingly) so if i am forced to reinstall XP, it will only be the standard version. I've been clinging to that XP partition throughout this whole project because I do use the tablet pen a lot and whatever... basically it IS something that I would miss, so I am trying to do this without having to reinstall XP.

 

also... just some questions...

why does it matter if OS X is installed on GUID or MBR? I was under the impression that EasyBCD was made to handle that (aside from maybe being temporarily bumped)... unless im mistaken...? But ok, assuming I'm wrong, I can see how you are using NeoGrub to get around it... but what problems are you having with that then? cuz you are asking if anyone knows what you are doing wrong...? unless you just mean that you dont want to do it that way....? sorry if I sound kind of confused, my mind is slowly escaping me

 

thanks

[genius128]

Hello, I'm interesting in it but with the XP, Vista, Leopard and Ubuntu.

 

But I've got this problem when I install the Windows XP after Leopard

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.

Please re-install a copy of the above file."

It's only happen when I install the XP after Leopard.

How Can I install the four operative systems ?

 

I've read that the correct steps are:

 

- Install Leopad

- Install XP

- Install Vista

- Install Ubuntu (and not overwrite the mbr with the Grub).

 

Use EasyBCD to select boot options.

 

Could you said me, the correct for create the partitions ?

 

I've done 4 partitions since Leopard and use GUID, the other re formated with Disk Util in FAT32, but I get the (hall.dll after XP installation)

 

Thanks for all

[Suprjacob]

is it absolutely necessary to install leo first? specifically, is there a way to install it after XP?

 

No, I just said that's the way that I did it. Leopard should not affect your XP install.

 

why does it matter if OS X is installed on GUID or MBR?

 

GUID is necessary for a vanilla kernel install and improves stability, as far as I know. I haven't noticed a difference.

 

but what problems are you having with that then? cuz you are asking if anyone knows what you are doing wrong...?

 

I have no idea why EasyBCD won't boot Leapord with its Mac OSX loader. It's supposed to work, but apparently on my PC it isn't.

 

 

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.

Please re-install a copy of the above file."

 

Arg, I've had this problem before. This one is a pain, and I forgot how I fixed it lol. I think what I did was: If you are installing XP on a separate PHYSICAL drive (not partition), try disconnecting your other hard drives, then install XP again.

 

XP has a really really crappy installer. (Still has the same design from the Windows 3.11 installer lol)