Tri booting three HDDs {Solved}

[Blah101]

Hey guys. So I successfully dual booted Snow Leo and Linux, each one has its own HDD. The thing is that I want to know what to do before I put the XP drive in. Is it as simple as reinstalling chameleon bootloader and having it recognize it? Or will I have to do more then that. Just a note: I installed XP on the drive on an old computer and decided I want to take that drive out, so will I have any problems in general after I get it to boot with chameleon? Thanks so much for all those who help!

 

EDIT: Read my second post for updated info on my problem.

EDIT2: I got it

 

~Blah

[J.B]

it you install XP on another PC/with the other HDDs unplugged, then shut down, plug everything in and boot to chameleon, i would think that the XP disk would be detected by the bootloader

[Blah101]

Alright, after much messing around I FINALLY figured out how to dual/tri boot operating systems. Current setup:

HDD 640GB: Snow Leo

HDD 160GB: Win7 (64bit)

HDD 30 GB: Ubuntu

 

Here is how it is done.

 

First: Install snow leopard any way you would like. Make sure that when you install this operating system that ALL OTHER HDDs ARE DISCONNECTED. If they are not you may mess up the installation. Once you install apply all the kexts you need and when you are done install chameleon RC4 bootloader. I did this via terminal with the following commands:

Assuming your Root disk is /dev/disk0s1

Step 1. Gain Root priveledges and navigate to Chameleon Directory



sudo -s
cd Desktop/Chameleon-2.0-RC4-r684-bin/i386
Step 2. Install boot0 to the MBR, Check your rdisk number!! This can be found by opening up disk utility and clicking on your SL drive. Then click "Info". It will be listed there:

sudo fdisk -f boot0 -u -y /dev/rdisk0
Step 3. Install boot1h to the partition’s bootsecto. Again, check your partition number. Same method as before, but instead you click on the SL partition and click info to find the number.:

sudo dd if=boot1h of=/dev/rdisk0s1
Step 4. Install boot to the partition’s root directory:

sudo cp boot /

Once you have completed that reboot and make sure all is working before you move on.

 

Step 2: Now that you have SL working, turnoff your computer and unplug it. The disconnect the SL HDD and connect the next one that you will be using. This happened to be my ubuntu drive. Turn on your computer and install ubuntu however you wish on that drive. Once done, reboot and make sure everything on the ubuntu drive works.

 

Step 3: Now as before turn off everything and disconnect the power. Then go and disconnect the ubuntu drive, leave the SL drive disconnected, and then plug in the windows 7 drive. Boot up and install Win7. Install all updates and make sure everything is working.

 

Step 4: When you are sure everything on windows is working shut down your computer and unplug it from the power source. Now plug in the SL HDD. Make sure that when you boot up, you go to the BIOS and check that the SL HDD is the FIRST drive to boot out of all the HDDs connected. Once you have done that you can boot up and chameleon should load showing Windows NTFS and Snow Leopard HDD. You can now boot into either of them! If you are dual booting, you are finished! If not, follow the next step.

 

Step 5: Connect the Ubuntu drive and Connect the Mac drive but NOT the windows drive! Now boot into ubuntu. You won't be able to do this through Chameleon, it won't recognize the drive. Hold F12 on boot up to select the Ubuntu HDD. Now, once in, follow these instructions to install Grub. This will allow Chameleon to recognize ubuntu.

1. Boot into Ubuntu like you normally would.
2. Launch Terminal.
3. Type df and press RETURN or ENTER.
4. Note the first entry on the list – the one mounted as /. This is the one we want. In my case it was /dev/sda3.
5. Type sudo grub-install /dev/sda3 – replace /dev/sda3 with the correct entry for your system.
6. Enter your Password and press RETURN or ENTER.
7. Close the terminal window and restart your system.
8. Boot into OS X and reinstall Chameleon.
9. Leave a comment below about how everything went for you.

Due note you may not have to install chameleon again when you are finished.

 

Step 7: Once you can boot into mac and chameleon, reconnect the windows drive. Now boot up and you have a successful triple boot on three separate HDDs!

[enochpc]

I'm probably going to try this tonight or tomorrow, but thought I would ask anyway. I have a pc with Windows 7 64bit installed (actually the Gigabyte board in my sig) on one hard drive. Used a USB external case to install 10.6.4 for the same machine. Right now I just set my boot menu to boot to the USB hard disk if I want OS X. Using similar steps can I achieve the same thing as you have?

 

I am currently working on getting a triple boot going on my Dell 1525 (I have XP and Ubuntu booting, just trying to restore my OS X install now) so I would love to get the separate hard disk method working on my main pc, as that is much safer when things go awry.

[CooSee]

why so complicated

 

my setup:

 

1. SaTa WinXP

 

2. SaTa GenToo

 

3. Sata OSX

 

all HDs are connected !

 

installed XP

 

installed Gentoo

 

dualboot XP and Gentoo via Grub 2

 

installed OSX via ( Kakewalk ) USB

 

and if i want boot OSX i just use the Mainboard Boot Menu via F12

 

so i choose to boot from the last HD and that's it !

 

IMHO every Mainboard today have this Option.

 

 

CooSee ' Ya

[Blah101]

enochpc: I think it is a bit more complicated when it comes to installing these things all on one HDD. As far as I know it is possible, but I don't know how to do it. I know there are guides out there though.

 

~Blah

 

Currently Ubuntu is all messed up and I have to reconfigure it so I can boot it. Good thing I had nothing on it