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[Guide] Dual Booting Mountain Lion and Windows 8

[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

Has anyone tried this with a RAID0 configuration? I have an Acer S7 with 2x 128GB SSD in RAID0. I'd really like to take advantage of the speed boost if at all possible. I'm struggling to even get the partitions done correctly though. Gparted gives me errors and won't let me do anything with the partition. Parted Magic won't even let me see the array - it only detects two unallocated SSDs. I'll keep googling for more info of course but I was just wondering if anyone with RAID0 had any success.

It would only work if you have OS X and Windows drivers for the RAID0 chipset. And I'm assuming this is Intel SATA RAID, for which OS X drivers do not exist.
 
[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

It would only work if you have OS X and Windows drivers for the RAID0 chipset. And I'm assuming this is Intel SATA RAID, for which OS X drivers do not exist.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll remove the array and see how it goes with installing them on separate drives.
 
[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

I think I found a solution as to why the ML Installer won't recognize my drive. I tried disabling RAID and installing the OS on separate SSDs. Unfortunately the bios on my laptop is locked and RAID is forever initiated(AHCI is an option but it reverts to RAID after exiting the bios). There seems to have been a workaround some time ago for HP laptops with the same issue, where a modified kext was installed into the extensions folder on the install usb. Only problem is it's only compatible for ML 10.8.2. So I downloaded 10.8.4 from the app store and knowing Apple, there is no way to get the older version to make a usb. Is there another way to get 10.8.2 installer so I can make a usb?
 
[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

I think I found a solution as to why the ML Installer won't recognize my drive. I tried disabling RAID and installing the OS on separate SSDs. Unfortunately the bios on my laptop is locked and RAID is forever initiated(AHCI is an option but it reverts to RAID after exiting the bios).

Sounds like you changed the option to AHCI, but forgot to save. It seems unlikely they'd give you an option for AHCI and not have the ability to make it stick. BIOSes are not known for their intuitive user-interfaces.

There seems to have been a workaround some time ago for HP laptops with the same issue, where a modified kext was installed into the extensions folder on the install usb. Only problem is it's only compatible for ML 10.8.2. So I downloaded 10.8.4 from the app store and knowing Apple, there is no way to get the older version to make a usb. Is there another way to get 10.8.2 installer so I can make a usb?

Only 10.8.4 is available, so that is the only possibility, unless you had downloaded 10.8.2 when it was available.
 
[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

Installing UEFI for Windows 8 and dual booting with Mountain Lion can't be done using Chimera / Chameleon as the boot loader - they cannot see the Win8 boot files partition.

No matter how you install them, the first thing you need to do is boot to BIOS and make settings for OS X install, AHCI, SS3, HPET 64 bit, etc. as required - save&exit & continue boot. For specific BIOS settings refer to your mainboard manual or to one of the many threads in User Builds or Golden Builds forums. Most give BIOS settings and MultiBeast settings.

Installing on separate drives. (Recommended method)

When installing on separate drives, installation order does not matter. Start with either one.

Installing Mountain Lion

Disconnect all drives except the ML drive-to-be.
On a factory blank drive, use disk utility in the OS X installer to format it GUID and partition the drive as you wish with Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for your boot partition.
Note that drives larger than 1Tb still need a boot partition of less than 1Tb.

Installing on a used, re-purposed drive I like to zero it out first. In the ML installer disk utility, first select the drive in the left pane and the Erase button in the right pane. Click on the Security button and move the slider to write 1 pass zeros. This will take a while to complete depending on the size of the drive, so if your drive is 2Tb and you don't have a couple of hours to wait, then skip this step. Just partition the drive as you wish and procede.

Once your drive is partitioned, use UniBeast to install OS X. Run MultiBeast to get your post install kexts added for your mainboard.

See http://www.tonymacx86.com/61-unibeast-install-os-x-mountain-lion-any-supported-intel-based-pc.html

Installing Win8

Disconnect all drives except the Windows 8 drive-to-be.
When you boot Win8 install DVD on a UEFI BIOS mainboard, Win8 wants to install UEFI. Unfortunately, if it does this Chimera/Chameleon can't "see" the boot files. There are at least 2 ways to prevent this. One way, when you boot with the install DVD in the tray, hit F8/F11/F12 or whatever the Function key is that allows you to select a boot device during the BIOS POST. You will find that your DVD shows up twice - once as SATA and once as UEFI. Choose the SATA. You do not want the UEFI. Another is to disable UEFI in the BIOS. Some BIOSes have an option for boot mode with the selections: Legacy, Legacy or UEFI, UEFI. Selecting the Legacy option forces non EFI installation.
For a complete install to use all of the Win8 features (recommended), at the select partition screen of the installer, delete all of the partitions, select the unallocated space and click Next. The installer will take it from there.

See http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2299-clean-install-windows-8-a.html?filter[2]=Installation%20and%20Setup

Note: If you do not want the System Reserved partition, then pre-format the drive with the C-partition-to-be MSDOS FAT with OS X disk utility, then format it NTFS when in the Win8 installer or use your favorite 3rd party disk management tool to partition it NTFS, then install Win8.

When you have both your ML and Win8 installed, shutdown, connect all drives, boot to BIOS and make the OS X drive first in HDD boot order.

At the Chimera timeout screen you can hit a key to select the System Reserved icon, you can change the string value of the Timeout key in org.chameleon.boot.plist to 0 seconds (effect is same as Instant Menu) or you can install Instant Menu and it will wait at the boot screen for you to select an OS to boot.
If you installed without the System Reserved partition, just boot with the Windows NTFS icon.

With Windows installed, if I installed OS X first, I usually boot OS X and run the Chimera installer again. Now that the Chimera installer sees you have a Windows drive, it installs the bootMD instead of boot1H.

-------------------------------------------

Installing Win8 and Mountain Lion on the same HDD


After partitioning your HDD in OS X disk utility (or your favorite 3rd party disk management tool), you can install Mountain Lion and Win8 on the same HDD in any sequence and order:
Install Win8 first on first partition and then Mountain Lion on later partition
Install Mountain Lion first on first partition and then Win8 on later partition as long as it is one of the first 4 partitions (including the OS X EFI partition).
Install Win8 first on the second or third partition and then install OS X on the first partition
Install OS X first on the second or later partition and then install Win8 on the first partition

To install Win8 first to the first partition:
1. Boot UniBeast to the OS X installer and format the HDD with this scheme:
GUID partition tables
first partition - for Win8, size as desired, MSDOS FAT
second partition - for Mountain Lion, size as desired, Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
any other partitions you want, size as desired, format as desired

2. Once partitioning is complete, exit installer and reboot with the Win8 install DVD in the tray.
3. At the install screen, select the first partition after the 100Mb EFI partition and click on advanced button, then format, then continue and install Win8 to the first partition.
4. Run Windows update.
5. Install security suite and other apps. Basically get it working well.

Something you might also want to consider if installing on a SSD is installing your user / app data files to a separate HDD while in the process of installing Win8 - see http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4275-user-profiles-relocate-another-partition-disk.html
Or, as an alternative to this rather involved procedure, add another drive/partition to the Libraries and make this drive/partition/folders the default save destination for all of your apps.

Once you have Win8 to your liking, boot with UniBeast and install OS X Mountain Lion to the second partition. Update to latest version and run MultiBeast, either EasyBeast or UserDSDT/DSDT Free, selecting the other kext files you need for your board.
Something you might also want to consider if installing on a SSD is installing your user / app data files to a separate HDD - see http://lnx2mac.blogspot.com/2010/09/mov ... ition.html

If you want, reverse the procedure above and change the HDD/SSD format to OS X first and Win8 second. Then install either one first and the other second. One thing to keep in mind is if you install Mountain Lion first, then install Win8, the Win8 installer overwrites the boot files. You will need to boot with UniBeast or rBoot and re-install Chimera. You might also, depending on your HDD (those with Boot0 error problems), need to clone your OS X install to another drive, boot the clone and install Chimera to the original from the clone.


Thanks so much for this great guide!
Im still making the learning curve...

I have a few questions and some comments from being totally vanilla before I went through this.

When I made this I did it on clean brand new drives. The windows created an recovery drive. I had a lot of problems loading Windows's because when I was on the chimera screen I tried to access windows by clicking on the NTFS Windows icon. But it wasn't until I clicked on the recovery drive that I was able to get windows to boot. This might be good info to append to the guide.

Question:
Unfortunately for me I installed the windows 8 pro version that was an upgrade! I didn't know what to do since I had windows 7 full version. I deleted the windows and now I am in the process of installing Windows 7 so that I can install Windows 8 with my serial codes. What is the best way to do this?

thanks!


Not sure what to do I just realized the DVD of windows 7 ultimate is a 32 bit version. Do I need to buy another copy of windows???
 
[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

Thanks so much for this great guide!
Im still making the learning curve...

I have a few questions and some comments from being totally vanilla before I went through this.

When I made this I did it on clean brand new drives. The windows created an recovery drive. I had a lot of problems loading Windows's because when I was on the chimera screen I tried to access windows by clicking on the NTFS Windows icon. But it wasn't until I clicked on the recovery drive that I was able to get windows to boot. This might be good info to append to the guide.

I think you mean "System Reserved" instead of "recovery drive"...

Question:
Unfortunately for me I installed the windows 8 pro version that was an upgrade! I didn't know what to do since I had windows 7 full version. I deleted the windows and now I am in the process of installing Windows 7 so that I can install Windows 8 with my serial codes. What is the best way to do this?

thanks!


Not sure what to do I just realized the DVD of windows 7 ultimate is a 32 bit version. Do I need to buy another copy of windows???

Retail Win7 packages come with both 32-bit and 64-bit DVDs. If you plan on installing Win8-64 via your "upgrade media", you should first install (and activate) your Win7 in 64-bit...
 
[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

I think you mean "System Reserved" instead of "recovery drive"...



Retail Win7 packages come with both 32-bit and 64-bit DVDs. If you plan on installing Win8-64 via your "upgrade media", you should first install (and activate) your Win7 in 64-bit...

I lost my 64 but DVD but instill have the 32bit and the box with my serial code on it. Suggestions how to get the 64?
 
[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

I have a Lenovo Y580 with Windows 8 installed on an MBR formatted SSD.

Would I be able to create a partition in this SSD and follow the steps for installing on the same drive? I would only need to install OS X on the new partition.
 
[Guide] Mountain Lion and Windows 8

I have a Lenovo Y580 with Windows 8 installed on an MBR formatted SSD.

Would I be able to create a partition in this SSD and follow the steps for installing on the same drive? I would only need to install OS X on the new partition.

No, not without patching the OS X installer (not recommended). OS X installer will only install to a GPT formatted drive.
 
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