OSX and Windows 8 on discrete SDDs

OSX and Windows 8 on discrete SSDs

Hello-

I finally got OSX to boot cleanly on an SSD!

Feeling confident, I then attached a 2nd SSD which has Windows 8 running already.

I set the BIOS boot order to see the OSX drive first, under the impression that this would load Chameleon, which would then give me the option of booting to either drive.

All that happens is a spinning / character in the upper left.

If I set the Windows drive to boot first, it will come up, but I can't get back into OSX no matter how it is set.

I'm willing to re-install Windows if the disk needs some sort of other configuration. I used the Windows USB creation tool, with a legit key that I purchased.

I used Unibeast to create the OSX drive, and Multibeast to install network support.

Thanks for any pointers!

mantid said:

Hello-

I finally got OSX to boot cleanly on an SSD!

Feeling confident, I then attached a 2nd SSD which has Windows 8 running already.

I set the BIOS boot order to see the OSX drive first, under the impression that this would load Chameleon, which would then give me the option of booting to either drive.

All that happens is a spinning / character in the upper left.

If I set the Windows drive to boot first, it will come up, but I can't get back into OSX no matter how it is set.

I'm willing to re-install Windows if the disk needs some sort of other configuration. I used the Windows USB creation tool, with a legit key that I purchased.

I used Unibeast to create the OSX drive, and Multibeast to install network support.

Thanks for any pointers!

Click to expand...

Windows 8 usually installs UEFI if it can. If it does, Chimera/Chameleon can not boot it. You will either need to re-install Win8 in Legacy mode for Chimera to boot it or use Clover as your boot loader.
I would suggest you try Clover - it is really not that hard with Clover Configurator to help out.
In BIOS have you disabled secure boot and set the OS to "Other OS" instead of Windows?

Thanks for the pointers. I'm having the feeling that I need to do a lot more homework for all this to work, though...

- I decided to format the Windows SSD through OSX, using FAT.
- Removed OSX SSD for safekeeping
- I disabled EUFI and switched boot mode to Legacy
- Re-installed Windows
- Ran Windows, worked
- Reinstalled OSX SSD
- Chimera ran, showed the Yosemite icon AND Windows NTFS icon (yay!)
- Windows wouldnt run though, complaining about missing boot information

And then...

- Removed OSX SSD
- Repartitioned the Windows drive again (through Windows installer), double-checked BIOS settings
- Reinstalled

Now it won't boot to Windows, it just has a flashing "-" character in top left

Before I messed with the bootloader, I could switch between the OSes via BIOS and wondering if I shouldn't just leave well enough alone there. The convenience of a bootloader seems pretty appealing, but I am really not sure what else to check.

Should I reformat the Windows SSD from OSX again?
It should be FAT and Master Boot Record option, correct?

EDIT:UPDATE

Was able to resolve the issue below (flashing - for 90 seconds before loading Chimera) by plugging mouse into different USB port. Huh.

Anyway, works great now and boots superfast!


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Thanks for the tips!

I was finally able to get it to work, after many, many iterations of reformatting and reinstalling Windows.

The one remaining problem is that after the machine starts, before the Chimera screen with the Yosemite and Windows option, there is a "-" in the upper left corner that blinks for about 90 seconds... it really takes the joy out of the SSD boots!

Does this have to do with disabling UEFI and forcing legacy booting?

Any possible cure for this?

Thanks!