5 boot configuration, windows, linux, mac

[holtvg]

I'm trying to figure out how to multi boot windows 7 rc, windows vista ultimate 32 bit sp2, windows vista ultimate 64 bit sp2, mandriva linux 2009.1 64 bit, and iatkos v7 10.5.7 on my dell xps m1530. Hdd is 320gb Windows vista ultimate 64 has 240gb partition and the rest each have a 20gb partition but since i installed iatkos with chameleon v2 bootloader, the windows boot manager has disappeared, in otherwords chameleon isn't showing a windows symbol on the boot menu that i can boot to. My question is how do i install the windows boot manager without screwing up chameleon which i need to boot iatkos as it doesn't show up in windows boot manager.

 

dell xps m1530 specs:

2.5ghz intel core 2 duo t9300

4gb ddr3 ram

geforce 8600m gt

320gb hdd

[srs5694]

I'm trying to figure out how to multi boot windows 7 rc, windows vista ultimate 32 bit sp2, windows vista ultimate 64 bit sp2, mandriva linux 2009.1 64 bit, and iatkos v7 10.5.7 on my dell xps m1530. Hdd is 320gb Windows vista ultimate 64 has 240gb partition and the rest each have a 20gb partition but since i installed iatkos with chameleon v2 bootloader, the windows boot manager has disappeared, in otherwords chameleon isn't showing a windows symbol on the boot menu that i can boot to. My question is how do i install the windows boot manager without screwing up chameleon which i need to boot iatkos as it doesn't show up in windows boot manager.

...

320gb hdd

 

First, is a 320GB hard disk big enough for that many OSes? You might need to upgrade -- or scale back your expectations. 20GB is awfully skimpy for a complete modern OS; you'll be hard-pressed to do anything useful in that little space.

 

Second, with three versions of Windows you'll almost certainly need a GPT drive with a hybrid MBR. That'll give you just one partition for each version of Windows, and if you want to share files between OSes (at least, anything involving Windows) will have to be on one of those OS's partition. Alternatively, there might be ways to get multiple Windows versions to install on one partition (I know such things used to be possible, but I've not tried to do it recently). Either way, think carefully about how you'll partition your disk. You may need to start over from scratch if what you've got so far isn't appropriate.

 

I'm afraid I don't know why Windows has disappeared from your Chameleon configuration. The answer is probably tied up with your partitioning plan, though. My own recent experience was that Chameleon would just boot straight to Windows in a hybrid MBR configuration -- the opposite of your problem in a way. The solution was to disable the bootable flag for Windows in the MBR side of things. Windows continued to boot when I selected it from Chameleon or from GRUB. You might look into similar options, since it's conceivable you've got an issue along those lines.

 

Personally, I prefer to use GRUB for my primary boot loader. Chameleon is flashier, but it's poorly documented, and GRUB appears to be more configurable. You might try pressing ahead to Linux installation and then try to get Windows booting from GRUB.

[holtvg]

First, is a 320GB hard disk big enough for that many OSes? You might need to upgrade -- or scale back your expectations. 20GB is awfully skimpy for a complete modern OS; you'll be hard-pressed to do anything useful in that little space.

 

Second, with three versions of Windows you'll almost certainly need a GPT drive with a hybrid MBR. That'll give you just one partition for each version of Windows, and if you want to share files between OSes (at least, anything involving Windows) will have to be on one of those OS's partition. Alternatively, there might be ways to get multiple Windows versions to install on one partition (I know such things used to be possible, but I've not tried to do it recently). Either way, think carefully about how you'll partition your disk. You may need to start over from scratch if what you've got so far isn't appropriate.

 

I'm afraid I don't know why Windows has disappeared from your Chameleon configuration. The answer is probably tied up with your partitioning plan, though. My own recent experience was that Chameleon would just boot straight to Windows in a hybrid MBR configuration -- the opposite of your problem in a way. The solution was to disable the bootable flag for Windows in the MBR side of things. Windows continued to boot when I selected it from Chameleon or from GRUB. You might look into similar options, since it's conceivable you've got an issue along those lines.

 

Personally, I prefer to use GRUB for my primary boot loader. Chameleon is flashier, but it's poorly documented, and GRUB appears to be more configurable. You might try pressing ahead to Linux installation and then try to get Windows booting from GRUB.

 

20gb is enough for just the os for each of them, i'll try grub boot loader, besides if i want to install more stuff i can install various programs for each os to access and read/write to other partitions with different file systems so i can install the program. I have ntfs-3g installed in iatkos, macdrive and ext2ifs installed in vista 32 and 64, opensuse has built in read/write functionality for hfs+ and ntfs.

[chokia]

On MBR, I used to have 6 OSes on only 120GB hd lappy, but then due to Mac Apps are huge in size (i.e i-life, FinalCut), I bought 500GB HD and reinstalled all the 6 OSes. My 120GB becomes Time Machine and portable HD now.

 

On GUID, I successfully put 5 OSes but failed to make it 6 due to the stupid ubuntu grub ruined my partition and bootthink. Tried so many ways all ended up total disaster with ubuntu on multiboot Guid.

 

So i stick to MBR when Ubuntu behaves nicely with six operating systems and boot-think (i.e my signature.)