zman7326 Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Well I have been trying different steps and ideas to get Windows XP and Mac OS X to dual boot on my hard drive that has been partitioned into to parts. I am not sure which idea will work faster and easy either grub or chain0 and I get get chain0 to work right. I read somewhere about bootsec.osx that will work in the boot.ini file on windows xp, but I don't know where to find that file or how to create it. So if anyone one out there can give me some advice on this whole dual booting windows xp and mac os x, I would greatly appreciate it, thanks. Z-Man Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky Mark Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I know I use Acronis OS Selector and it asks which OS I want to boot to everytime the computer boots up. It might not be the best way but it's pretty friggin easy. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319549 Share on other sites More sharing options...
macgirl Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 The chain0 files is the equivalent of a bootsec.osx, you can make the test, rename chain0 to bootsec.osx then in boot.ini edit to reflect that change. If I am not confused chain0 is the first 512 bytes of the bootsector as bootsect.dos is the first 512 bytes of a boot sector of FAT systems. EDIT: I found something about bootsect.dos on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootsect.dos Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319556 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbmkgd Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 I am not sure which idea will work faster and easy either grub or chain0 and I get get chain0 to work right.Simplest way would be to use osx's bootloader: make its partition active (if it isn't already), and by pressing F8 you'll see a menu to select osx or windows.Later you can modify a file (we'll show you) so that you don't have to press F8 to see the menu. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319729 Share on other sites More sharing options...
zman7326 Posted March 9, 2007 Author Share Posted March 9, 2007 Simplest way would be to use osx's bootloader: make its partition active (if it isn't already), and by pressing F8 you'll see a menu to select osx or windows.Later you can modify a file (we'll show you) so that you don't have to press F8 to see the menu. So how do I the modify a file so I don't have to hit F8 every time? Just incase I decside to switch to that method and not use chain0 anymore. Thank you so much macgirl, you are a life saver. The chain0 files is the equivalent of a bootsec.osx, you can make the test, rename chain0 to bootsec.osx then in boot.ini edit to reflect that change. If I am not confused chain0 is the first 512 bytes of the bootsector as bootsect.dos is the first 512 bytes of a boot sector of FAT systems. EDIT: I found something about bootsect.dos on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootsect.dos Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319791 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbmkgd Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 So how do I the modify a file so I don't have to hit F8 every time? Just incase I decside to switch to that method and not use chain0 anymore.The OSX86 Wiki is your friend. Check "Speed up Darwin's timeout count-down". Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319801 Share on other sites More sharing options...
zman7326 Posted March 9, 2007 Author Share Posted March 9, 2007 Hey macgirl thanks for the info. What do I add to the boot.ini file in windows xp? I tried the normal one I saw on the site and jsut replaced the chain0 with bootsec.osx. It didn't work it just reloaded the boot options of windows xp or mac os x to pick from. Is there a way to show the option to choose from windows xp and mac os x, and not hit F8 all the time on the darwin bootloader? The OSX86 Wiki is your friend. Check "Speed up Darwin's timeout count-down". Is there a way to show the option to choose from windows xp and mac os x, and not hit F8 all the time on the darwin bootloader? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319808 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbmkgd Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Did you follow the link I gave? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319817 Share on other sites More sharing options...
zman7326 Posted March 9, 2007 Author Share Posted March 9, 2007 Yes, cbmkgd so it does allow you not to hit F8 each time? Did you follow the link I gave? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319832 Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cool dude Prav- Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Does anyone here know how to use Grub? I really love that boot loader. and since Mac is *nix, i think it should do quite fine... Any suggestions? Or do u think I shud stick with the suggestion of @cbmkgd ? but i feel it (at the wiki) a bit confusing Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319839 Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe75 Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Any suggestions? Or do u think I shud stick with the suggestion of @cbmkgd ? but i feel it (at the wiki) a bit confusing cbmkgd knows his stuff I like to boot my Linux installs from Darwin. If you use a /boot partition, you should have no problems with it being listed in Darwin. If you don't use boot partitions, make sure to link the grub loader correctly and it should be easily seen as well. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319843 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbmkgd Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Or do u think I shud stick with the suggestion of @cbmkgd ? but i feel it (at the wiki) a bit confusingAgain, the OSX86 Wiki is your friend. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-319854 Share on other sites More sharing options...
macgirl Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Hey macgirl thanks for the info. What do I add to the boot.ini file in windows xp? I tried the normal one I saw on the site and jsut replaced the chain0 with bootsec.osx. It didn't work it just reloaded the boot options of windows xp or mac os x to pick from. This is my boot.ini: [boot loader] timeout=10 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn C:\chain0="Mac OS X X86" Also check this guide: [HowTo] Clone/Restore partitions that BOOT & fixing booting issues Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-320379 Share on other sites More sharing options...
eXKR Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Hello, I´m looking for a solution for my problem. After reading a bunch of post I can't find a solution for mine. So: I have the Chain0 bootloader option, it is setup with WinXP and OSx86. It works fine with both, but I would like to just hit once the OS choosen. When I restart the computer it prompts the boot.ini one (WinXP), if I choose Windows it just loads but if I choose OSx86 it prompts the Darwin bootloader and I should choose again the OSx86 one. I would like to setup the Darwin bootloader so that I have not to choose twice the OS. I have tryed rd=disk0s5 (my OSx86 partition) at com.apple.Boot.plist and some other ways. Cound anyone show me the easiest way to have the Chain0 option and boot booth OS with just one keyboard hit? Thanks in advance. =) Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/44630-dual-booting-advice-for-windows-and-mac/#findComment-370252 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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