Can I use the triple boot guide I reference in a single HDD scenario?

[lovelyzoo]

I'm considering a Win7-64/Ubuntu/Lion triple boot on a single 2Tb HDD.

 

I believe that I can use the general method outlined here:

http://tidezoflife.blogspot.com/2010/08/tr...hackintosh.html

using partitions on the drive instead of individual disks. Where the author above restarts his machine with unnecessary drives disabled I intend to use the BIOS to select the primary partition.

 

1. Am I on the right track here?

 

My intention is to use Windows as my main OS. The Ubuntu and Lion installs are more for hobbyist/evaluation purposes. Therefore I'd like to install Windows ASAP and retrospectively set up the dual boot when I have a spare time over Christmas.

 

2. Is the sort of retrospective triple-boot setup I propose possible or should I do the setup in advance?

[3.14r2]

OS X is different in many ways then Windows/Linux (in lesser degree) are. It can be done, but is MUCH more complicated and unstable then using dedicated HDDs for each OS.

 

Windows, Linux and OS X all has it's own bootloader. It is very difficult to make all the 3 bootloaders work together. Furthermore OS X should (in theory) only be installed to GPT disk (though it can work from MBR disk too). While Windows (in most cases) prefer MBR disks, however it can also be installed to GPT disk. Linux AFAIK is also not "indifferent" to disk type.

 

Bottom line - it can be done, but is complicated.

 

As to guide, the link is broken, so I don't know what the guide its about, but IMO the single/multiple disks methods are to different to be compatible. I'd recommend finding the single disk guide instead (if you really feel adventurous).

 

You could also try installing Windows/Linux on the same disk but use a dedicated spare disk for OS X. It would be much less complicated procedure.

[lovelyzoo]

As to guide, the link is broken, so I don't know what the guide its about, but IMO the single/multiple disks methods are to different to be compatible. I'd recommend finding the single disk guide instead (if you really feel adventurous).

Hmm, the link works fine for me in Chrome running on Snow Leopard. Whatever the case, I took advice your advice and here's the single disk tutorial for anyone following this:

http://bigfloppydonkeydisk.blogspot.com/20...-os-x-snow.html

 

Linux AFAIK is also not "indifferent" to disk type.

From the tutorial: "...Windows installs using an MBR partition table, and Ubuntu uses a GPT partition table...".

 

If I've understood the guide above correctly, Linux is installed last so that grub takes control. That being the case I believe that I can install Windows now and then do the OSX/Ubuntu install at a later date. Is this correct?

 

You could also try installing Windows/Linux on the same disk but use a dedicated spare disk for OS X. It would be much less complicated procedure.

This is purely academic but

1. I'm curious.

2. I'd like to leave the thread in a useful state

so

Linux and OSX both use GPT while Windows uses MBR. Therefore installing Windows alongside Linux should be just as much hassle as installing it alongside OSX. Is this the case?

 

Hmm, the link works fine for me in Chrome running on Snow Leopard. Whatever the case, I took advice your advice and here's the single disk tutorial for anyone following this:

http://bigfloppydonkeydisk.blogspot.com/20...-os-x-snow.html

 

 

From the tutorial: "...Windows installs using an MBR partition table, and Ubuntu uses a GPT partition table...".

 

If I've understood the guide above correctly, Linux is installed last so that grub takes control. That being the case I believe that I can install Windows now and then do the OSX/Ubuntu install at a later date. Is this correct?

 

 

This is purely academic but

1. I'm curious.

2. I'd like to leave the thread in a useful state

so

Linux and OSX both use GPT while Windows uses MBR. Therefore installing Windows alongside Linux should be just as much hassle as installing it alongside OSX. Is this the case?

[ducatisti]

You could also try installing Windows/Linux on the same disk but use a dedicated spare disk for OS X. It would be much less complicated procedure.

 

Sorry to butt in...I'm now reading up threads for days to figure out a "relatively" easy way to have OSX (Lion) on a USB HDD...

 

Here are the thing I got: HP6530b laptop (which happily runs Snowleopard on VM) with Win7 and Kubuntu installed and both bootable, also a spare Seagate 329Gb USB HDD which I would like to dedicate to the OSX.

I think I figured out how to install OSX Lion (got the retail dmg) to the USB disk but....how can I boot the system when I start the laptop ???? (BIOS option is set to sequence first USB HDD then system HDD)

 

I am sure the question has been answered somewhere...but I can't find it, sorry !

[3.14r2]

That being the case I believe that I can install Windows now and then do the OSX/Ubuntu install at a later date. Is this correct?

Yes, in general it is correct, but you should understand that installing OS X (the retail version at least) is much different then Windows/Linux install. OS X should be "forced" to install on other hardware then Mac, while both Linux/Windows ARE MADE to be installed on almost ANY hardware. Therefore it might not be as easy as it may look. As result OS X has much more limitations in that scope (and those more things that can go wrong), then other two OSs.

 

In my opinion, the main concern is difference in partition table style used by the three OSs. In the guide, the problem was overcome with gptsync tool. This approach is IMO is not 100% safe then you have a working Windows install with all data you need, as you may lose it (due to corrupt partition table). Although doing a clean "first time install", the approach may be safe (as there is nothing to loos yet). In this perspective a separate HDD for each OS is better, cos' each OS has it's own space and each can be edited/updated separately without putting any other OS in to risk.

 

Sure, Linux in most cases can be installed in any stage. Windows should be installed first (some may not agree on this, but I prefer to think that it SHOULD be installed first).

 

In the guide (as I understand it) Windows was not installed first, due to partition table issue. On NON UEFI 2.X PC and without Windows 64bit version, Windows may only use MBR type disks (read 32bit windows+non UEFI2.x system=MBR disk). Therefore in the guide, a mixed MBR/GUID disk was created/used (after all syncing with gptsync tool). However mixed disks are not as reliable as pure MBR or pure GUID.

 

You can also use a different approach. Use a separate HDD to install OS X to. Then clone OS X install back to Windows/Linux disk (if you have Windows up and running as you need it).

 

If I've understood the guide above correctly, Linux is installed last so that Grub takes control.

Not so. It (Linux) is installed last not due Grub to take control. Its just used to edit the partition table data (with gptsync tool; few last steps in the guide). According to the logic of the guide (as I see it) the main boot loader should be Chameleon (so then you star your PC it is used to select which OS to boot). Grub is also used, but ONLY as a secondary, Linux-specific boot loader (read Chameleon starts Grub, Grub starts Linux). Note that Grub can be installed to the same partition where Linux is located (thus not overwriting any existing bootloader).

 

From the tutorial: "...Windows installs using an MBR partition table, and Ubuntu uses a GPT partition table...".

see above.

 

Linux and OSX both use GPT while Windows uses MBR. Therefore installing Windows alongside Linux should be just as much hassle as installing it alongside OSX. Is this the case?

Linux can be installed BOTH to MBR and GUID disks. It is not GUID-only based OS like OS X is. Therefore in most cases it can be pure MBR disk Windows/Linux install (in fact all Linux installs I've ever used were on MBR disks).

 

how can I boot the system when I start the laptop

Install Chameleon (or other such) boot loader to Lion USB disk. OS X will not start on it's own, on a PC (read not Mac).

[lovelyzoo]

Once again thanks for your informative replies.

 

QUOTE

Linux and OSX both use GPT while Windows uses MBR. Therefore installing Windows alongside Linux should be just as much hassle as installing it alongside OSX. Is this the case?

Linux can be installed BOTH to MBR and GUID disks. It is not GUID-only based OS like OS X is. Therefore in most cases it can be pure MBR disk Windows/Linux install (in fact all Linux installs I've ever used were on MBR disks).

 

According to post 8 here:

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=611465

Windows will install to GPT if the motherboard supports EFI. I have a Gigabyte Z68X-UD3P which I believe does so.

Can I just enable EFI and have all three OSes use GPT.

[3.14r2]

Can I just enable EFI and have all three OSes use GPT.

Yes if the MB has UEFI version 2.X (plain EFI WILL NOT WORK; my desktop PC has an old EFI version included and unfortunately it is completely useless for the purpose). Note that UEFI and EFI are not interchangeable.

 

You will need to use 64-bit version of Windows 7/Vista SP1+ (XP 64-bit doesn't support booting from GPT disk). Also the Windows install media should be the official non-modified one (retail), as programs used to slipstream service packs, change/edit DVD contents, usually removes some UEFI specific boot data, therefore can't be used to install on UEFI motherboard. If you don't have a DVD copy of Windows but own a license key for Windows 7 64-bit, you can download a retail disk image legally (the same version that you have a license for). There are legal sources for that - ask google.

 

I guess you should do partitioning stuff with OS X (as the guide suggests), as Windows and OS X use different methods/layouts to partition the drive. IMO Windows can be installed to a pre-partitioned disk, while OS X may not "want" to install to a such disk.

[bogdanw]

Take a look http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=261705 and, as a suggestion, you should really stick to GPT, the hybrid GPT/MBR created by Apple's disk utility can cause problems.

[lovelyzoo]

Thanks, will consider this. The problem I had was establishing definitively if my board (see sig) supports UEFI 2.x.