OSx doesn't load from external HDD

[l2ounak]

I successfully installed 10.5.6 using iPC on my external hard drive but I cant seem to get it to load automatically.

I changed the boot order to usb hard drive as being first, but it still loads up windows 7, which is present on my laptop internal hard drive!

 

If i leave the iPC installation dvd, and if i boot it with

-v boot-uuid="MY EXTERNAL'S UUID HERE"

 

it loads into mac osx after 4-6 minutes!

 

Is there a way i could load into mac osx automatically? I dont want to go through the pain of typing my long UUID number everytime!!

 

And also, if anyone could help me regarding the problem of why I cannot format/erase/partition my internal hard drive. It gives me input/output error!

If this problem is fixed, I would certainly install it on my internal hard drive and osx should certainly boot up!

 

Please guys, Help me here!

[srs5694]

I make no guarantees, but: Try using an fdisk-type utility (OS X fdisk, Linux fdisk, etc.) to turn off the "active" (aka "boot" or perhaps other terms) flag on the Windows partition and/or turn on the same flag on the OS X partition. I've found that some OS X boot loaders boot straight into Windows if its partition is marked as active.

[l2ounak]

I make no guarantees, but: Try using an fdisk-type utility (OS X fdisk, Linux fdisk, etc.) to turn off the "active" (aka "boot" or perhaps other terms) flag on the Windows partition and/or turn on the same flag on the OS X partition. I've found that some OS X boot loaders boot straight into Windows if its partition is marked as active.

 

 

hey, whts an fdisk-type utility? and i will try to change the partition type and make the osx partition active ! hoping it works!

thanks

[KJP]

I make no guarantees, but: Try using an fdisk-type utility (OS X fdisk, Linux fdisk, etc.) to turn off the "active" (aka "boot" or perhaps other terms) flag on the Windows partition and/or turn on the same flag on the OS X partition. I've found that some OS X boot loaders boot straight into Windows if its partition is marked as active.

 

Please explain more. I know my XP partition is active and OS X will not boot. It always go straight to windows. I can make my OSX partition active but I'm scared to. What if OS X isn't working right and I can't get into windows or Mac? If I l knew I could change it back I'd give it a try.

 

When I installed OS X onto a single drive it worked perfectly but dual book isn't working.

[srs5694]

An "fdisk-type utility" is a program called "fdisk" (as noted in the parenthetical in my earlier message -- "OS X fdisk, Linux fdisk, etc."). It's a basic disk partitioning tool. The name dates back to DOS, but most OSes have something called "fdisk," or at least something that provides similar functionality. Use the documentation on the system you use (such as typing "man fdisk" at a command prompt or Googling it) to find out how to use the utility.

 

KJP, if you can turn off the active flag, you can turn it on again, too, and vice-versa. Thus, if you make this change and find that Windows no longer boots, you can always reverse it.

[l2ounak]

An "fdisk-type utility" is a program called "fdisk" (as noted in the parenthetical in my earlier message -- "OS X fdisk, Linux fdisk, etc."). It's a basic disk partitioning tool. The name dates back to DOS, but most OSes have something called "fdisk," or at least something that provides similar functionality. Use the documentation on the system you use (such as typing "man fdisk" at a command prompt or Googling it) to find out how to use the utility.

 

KJP, if you can turn off the active flag, you can turn it on again, too, and vice-versa. Thus, if you make this change and find that Windows no longer boots, you can always reverse it.

 

 

so i should load into mac once and then open fdisk from mac? or should i open fdisk frm windows 7 and change the active flag?