[Guide] MultiBooting for the novice. Updated 3/12 see log

[willyk311]

I managed to get MacOS and Windows 7 working. But i have problems installing Ubuntu as third OS. When trying to use "sudo gptsync /dev/sda" it says "GPT partition of type 'Unknown' found, will not touch this disk." And after installing Ubuntu i cant boot Windows 7, even with iBoot it wont work.

Current GPT partition table:# ... Type
1 EFI System(FAT)
2 Basic Data
3 EFI System(FAT)
4 Unknown
5 Basic Data

1 must be the 200mb macos partition, 2 the windows 7 partition, 3 the mac os partition, 4 the ubuntu partition, 5 the rest data (which is ntfs)

Current MBR partition table:
# A .... Type
1 ee EFI Protective

According to the LBA, 1 here is the whole disk. Does this mean the linux bootloader is on dev/sda installed? i didnt even choose that.

 

[Going Bald]

When you installed did you select the partition and select the "erase and install" option or the "something else" option? See the Ubuntu installation instructions in the first post. Grub2 must be installed to the root ( / ) partition or to a /boot partition for same drive booting. Best to have a separate drive for each OS.

 

[willyk311]

I chose something else. I tried it first according to your instructions. It couldnt sync, so Ive tried it different. I installed linux again, but in thr partition menue i first deleted the old ubuntu partitions and created a new partition, the "/" thing, since Ive some people do it like this. It didnt sync too.
Do i have to install grup2 after ubuntu has been instaled?
Im installing the 3 OS on a 500gb hdd. When starting with the iBoot CD i can only choose between MacOs and win7, linux isnt shown. MacOs will boot properly, but when trying to boot win7, some linux things seem to be loading and it will say that it cant boot. When pressing Enter a grub commandline pops up "/grub" or sth staying in each line

Edit: when trying to boot without iboot cd, the linux bootloader appears and i can choose between macos ubuntu and Windows 7

 

[Going Bald]

I chose something else. I tried it first according to your instructions. It couldnt sync, so Ive tried it different. I installed linux again, but in thr partition menue i first deleted the old ubuntu partitions and created a new partition, the "/" thing, since Ive some people do it like this. It didnt sync too.
Do i have to install grup2 after ubuntu has been instaled?
Im installing the 3 OS on a 500gb hdd. When starting with the iBoot CD i can only choose between MacOs and win7, linux isnt shown. MacOs will boot properly, but when trying to boot win7, some linux things seem to be loading and it will say that it cant boot. When pressing Enter a grub commandline pops up "/grub" or sth staying in each line

Edit: when trying to boot without iboot cd, the linux bootloader appears and i can choose between macos ubuntu and Windows 7

Grub has overwritten the Windows boot file. Only thing to do now is to re-install. This time follow 3rd part of guide to install Ubuntu very carefully and choose to install grub2 to the root ( / )

 

[willyk311]

i had it like this. does the "primary" and "logical" thing matter? tried all primary in first attempt and in the second attempt "/" as primary, rest as logical. i will try it a third time and make a pic of my partitions, since ubuntu installs quite fast.

 

[willyk311]

So if i choose the Root / partition as bootloader partition Im getting this message:
"The partition table format in use on your disks normally requires you to create a separate partition for boot loader code. This partition should be marked for use as a "Reserved BIOS boot area" and should be at least 1 MB in size. Note that this is not the same as a partition mounted on /boot.

If you do not go back to the partitioning menu and correct this error, boot loader installation may fail later, although it may still be possible to install the boot loader to a partition."


edit:
phew, after deleting the whole hard disk and starting from scratch everything worked. is it possible to skip the grub bootloader, so that linux/ubuntu will boot directly from chameleon bootloader?

 

[Going Bald]

So if i choose the Root / partition as bootloader partition Im getting this message:
"The partition table format in use on your disks normally requires you to create a separate partition for boot loader code. This partition should be marked for use as a "Reserved BIOS boot area" and should be at least 1 MB in size. Note that this is not the same as a partition mounted on /boot.

If you do not go back to the partitioning menu and correct this error, boot loader installation may fail later, although it may still be possible to install the boot loader to a partition."

edit:
phew, after deleting the whole hard disk and starting from scratch everything worked. is it possible to skip the grub bootloader, so that linux/ubuntu will boot directly from chameleon bootloader?

Unfortunately, no. You need Grub or LiLo (LInux LOader) to boot Linux distros.

 

[Injury]

I think adding pictures would make this shine a bit more

 

[Going Bald]

I think adding pictures would make this shine a bit more

It used to have pics, but after multiple server changes and forum software changes the links were lost.
Given the age of the guide it is not worth the time it would take to go back and add the pics back.

 

[SiDiUS]

Guys!
i just install 3 OSs
1.SSD - 10.10.5
2.SSD - win10
3.HDD - Debian8.7
I removed all drives before instaal Debian.
So, MacOS boots fine, Win10 boots fine....Debian won't....
i see i clover Linux icon, chossing it goes to black screen and nothing more...of I touch any key i went back to clover menu...
if i press F8 during bios boot and choose boot from drive where Debian, it boots fine...
I cannot understand why clover see Debian but not booting it.