Multi Boot 4x30s + 10.8.x + windows 7/8 + ubuntu

[appleiscool]

Install windows 7 after installing os x 10.8.x

* Will this work without issues?

I've just done a fresh clean install of 10.8.2 but i dont have ubuntu around.

I've read Rehabmans guide and the comments on the blog but i'm missing ubuntu - which i hope can just add later, so would like to get some confirmation from others who have gone with the above order and 100% success with this different order of arrangement.

http://racerrehabman.wordpress.com/...c-os-x-lion-and-ubuntu-multi-boot/#comment-17


I've googled around for some other guides and they seem to have different orders too

e.g. http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/283111-installing-os-x-1082-windows-8-dual-boot-on-asus-g51jx/


If I install windows 7 onto an hdd with existing os x, will it also create the extra hidden partition about 100mb?

the following part i'm not so sure about.
after installing windows, do use the usb installer/loader to boot again?
if yes, and assuming the chimera loader gets overwritten by windows 7,
do i go straight to osx and run the probook installer, and install chimera again?

So what i'll do is resize the current partitions (500gb)
250mb vfat efi ( i wont resize this - leave it as it is)
100gb osx
100gb windows 7 ( fat32, then format ntfs during the windows install process)
300gb transfer space (ntfs)
- later on will resize this 300gb for ubuntu prob about 100gb.
- or should i set aside 100gb partition for ubuntu

thanks

 

[RehabMan]

Install windows 7 after installing os x 10.8.x
* Will this work without issues?

It will work, but Windows installer will wipe out your bootloader. So you'll have to boot with USB and re-install Chimera.

I've just done a fresh clean install of 10.8.2 but i dont have ubuntu around.

I've read Rehabmans guide and the comments on the blog but i'm missing ubuntu - which i hope can just add later, so would like to get some confirmation from others who have gone with the above order and 100% success with this different order of arrangement.

http://racerrehabman.wordpress.com/...c-os-x-lion-and-ubuntu-multi-boot/#comment-17


I've googled around for some other guides and they seem to have different orders too

e.g. http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/283111-installing-os-x-1082-windows-8-dual-boot-on-asus-g51jx/

Order really doesn't matter much, as long as you setup the initial partition scheme in Disk Utility...
It is just a matter of how many times you have to keep re-installing your preferred boot loader...

If I install windows 7 onto an hdd with existing os x, will it also create the extra hidden partition about 100mb?

Windows won't create any partitions if you don't let it. Always have a partition ready for it, and simply format it NTFS, then tell it to install there. That way it puts its boot loader on that partition instead of creating the small system partition.

the following part i'm not so sure about.
after installing windows, do use the usb installer/loader to boot again?
if yes, and assuming the chimera loader gets overwritten by windows 7,
do i go straight to osx and run the probook installer, and install chimera again?

Yes. Don't over think it. Windows overwrites your boot record and so you have to put it back...

So what i'll do is resize the current partitions (500gb)
250mb vfat efi ( i wont resize this - leave it as it is)
100gb osx
100gb windows 7 ( fat32, then format ntfs during the windows install process)
300gb transfer space (ntfs)
- later on will resize this 300gb for ubuntu prob about 100gb.
- or should i set aside 100gb partition for ubuntu

It is best to do as little resizing of things as possible. Linux is especially fragile when it comes to its partitions (or, since I'm a Linux noob, I just don't know how to fix whatever is out of whack after you resize/move/clone/whatever partitions involved w/ Linux boot).

Note also that NTFS as a transfer space doesn't really work out so well, because for Mac it is read only. The only file system that can handle large files and works with all three systems is exFAT. That's why I chose it in my guide.

 

[appleiscool]

Thanks rehabman, currently it appears to be working, but not without some extra hard effort.

heres an overview

there was some free space after osx partition, so just made that one whole partition for windows.

installed windows as normal, then reinstalled chimera.

since the windows partition was too big, and planned to resize after install,
used ubuntu livecd to use gparted to resize the volumes

noticed a gap of about 128mb between osx and windows so the arrangement was

1. resize windows
2. move the windows volume right next to the osx volume, using the resize handlers.

when this was done, could not boot even with usb installer.

rerun ubuntu, downloaded gptsync, run that to sync and finish its job.

reboot with usb installer then can see both osx and windows volumes

booted to osx desktop , re installed chimera

.

anyone looking to add windows after a fresh install, recommend you do not gloss over resizing and creating partitions.

decide your volume layout, eg windows 100gb or 200gb. remove any gaps after the osx volume, create the windows volume.

handy to have a clonezilla backup before messing up something, which i'll do before trying to isntall ubuntu next.


WINDOWS 8.
i'm not sure about windows 8 yet, is it really fast and snappy on an i3?. i've tested it on a c2d and w8 was noticably faster than w7. boot and shutdown. this was a full windows 8 install, not just a fresh clean install with bare nothing.

I also noticed the audio under windows7 more clearer with its srs drivers loaded compared to the audio under osx.


hope the above helps other noobs.

cheers


UPDATE. TRUECRYPT DOES NOT PLAY NICE ON DUAL BOOT OSX AND WINDOWS 7.

• just learnt the hard and easy way, truecrypt bootloader overwrites chimera.
• using usb installer to boot does not work-cant see the osx volume.
• strangely, when you press escape, the truecrypt bootloader does see the osx volume, but since chimera was overwritten or just not able to be chainloaded,before booting the osx volume, it just didnt work.
• what does work is windows 7, after you put in your truecrypt password.

possible alternate solution.

• run windows without encryption

The TrueCrypt Boot Loader requires at least 32 KBytes of free space at the beginning of the system drive (the TrueCrypt Boot Loader needs to be stored in that area). Unfortunately, your drive does not meet this condition.

Please do NOT report this as a bug/problem in TrueCrypt. To solve this problem, you will need to repartition your disk and leave the first 32 KBytes of the disk free (in most cases, you will need to delete and recreate the first partition). We recommend that you use Microsoft partition manager that is available e.g. when you are installing Windows.

It will work, but Windows installer will wipe out your bootloader. So you'll have to boot with USB and re-install Chimera.



Order really doesn't matter much, as long as you setup the initial partition scheme in Disk Utility...
It is just a matter of how many times you have to keep re-installing your preferred boot loader...






Windows won't create any partitions if you don't let it. Always have a partition ready for it, and simply format it NTFS, then tell it to install there. That way it puts its boot loader on that partition instead of creating the small system partition.



Yes. Don't over think it. Windows overwrites your boot record and so you have to put it back...



It is best to do as little resizing of things as possible. Linux is especially fragile when it comes to its partitions (or, since I'm a Linux noob, I just don't know how to fix whatever is out of whack after you resize/move/clone/whatever partitions involved w/ Linux boot).

Note also that NTFS as a transfer space doesn't really work out so well, because for Mac it is read only. The only file system that can handle large files and works with all three systems is exFAT. That's why I chose it in my guide.

 

[ggrpitt]

I am just curious... could you use BootCamp to install windows in a separate Win7 partition?

 

[RehabMan]

I am just curious... could you use BootCamp to install windows in a separate Win7 partition?

BootCamp only works on real Apple product.

 

[appleiscool]

BootCamp only works on real Apple product.

Hey Rehabman,

I followed your disk partition guide, but now i want to add another partition for osx. so in total 2 osx partitions (1 for daily use, 1 for testing).

I already have w7/8 and ubuntu setup nicely on the disk.

I want to resize the transfer partition to smaller size and leave space before that to setup the osx for testing.

should i use linux diskpart or apple diskutil - will this mess up the whole system? or just start with a blank hdd.

thanks

 

[RehabMan]

Hey Rehabman,

I followed your disk partition guide, but now i want to add another partition for osx. so in total 2 osx partitions (1 for daily use, 1 for testing).

I already have w7/8 and ubuntu setup nicely on the disk.

I want to resize the transfer partition to smaller size and leave space before that to setup the osx for testing.

should i use linux diskpart or apple diskutil - will this mess up the whole system? or just start with a blank hdd.

thanks

You can probably use gparted or OS X Disk Utility. Use gparted + gptsync if Disk Utility won't let you. Certainly, you could "mess up," so have a backup, or practice on a different disk.

I have a separate HDD that I use in the optibay for test installs, etc.

 

[appleiscool]

You can probably use gparted or OS X Disk Utility. Use gparted + gptsync if Disk Utility won't let you. Certainly, you could "mess up," so have a backup, or practice on a different disk.

I have a separate HDD that I use in the optibay for test installs, etc.

1 disk and 2 osx partitions/volumes on same disk.

Hey Rehabman, planning a fresh install. does this work? just follow your guide but add another osx partition on same disk.

or there's some more hoops to jump through? bit concerned chimera/chameleon wont play nice. did a quick and dirty test on spare hdd. it didnt boot. thanks

 

[RehabMan]

1 disk and 2 osx partitions/volumes on same disk.

Hey Rehabman, planning a fresh install. does this work? just follow your guide but add another osx partition on same disk.

or there's some more hoops to jump through? bit concerned chimera/chameleon wont play nice. did a quick and dirty test on spare hdd. it didnt boot. thanks

It works.

 

[appleiscool]

It works.

thanks