How can I keep my Win7 installation when installing Lion?

[xii]

Hi! I have a 128gb SSD in which I have installed Windows 7. I want to free up some space and create another partition on this SSD, and on that I want to install Lion using Unibeast method with "Install OSX Lion.app", creating a bootable thumbdrive.

Last time that I installed SL, it broke my Win7 installation/bootloader, just couldn't get in there anymore even with Win7 install disk repair. And I even installed SL on a separate hard disk. I don't want that to happen any more.

So now I want to be sure that installing Lion will not break my Win7 installation. How should I proceed?

My specs:
-P8P67
-i5 2500K
-GTX 560ti

Thanks a lot!

 

[haylun98]

Sorry to deliver the bad new: You need to reformat to dual boot OSX and Windows 7 on same drive. Unless you change you mind to install OSX onto another SSD/HDD. If you want to install of separate drive make sure you disconnect the drive with windows 7 on it first.

Your Windows 7 is installed in a Master Boot Record partitioned table

OSX will need to be installed in a GUID partitioned table

If you want OSX and Windows 7 to co-exit you need GUID partitioned table

Still want to do it? then read on...

You will need:
OSX USB Unibeast thumbdrive
Windows 7 Installation Disc
Chimera

1. use windows backup in windows 7 to prepared for full restore (or backup your data otherwise)

2. reformat MBR partition table to GUID partition tablet: boot using unibeast to osx installation screen. use disk utility to format ssd into 2 partitions: 1st is for OSX in Mac OS Extended (Journalded), 2nd is for Windows in FAT32. disk utility will also create 2 hidden partitions which it doesn't show now but you will encounter them later during windows installation. Click "Options..." choose GUID partition table. Apply then get back to install OSX into the OSX partition you just created.

3. Boot with Unibeast to OSX desktop. Run combo updates, run Multibeast and install all kext(s) if required before reboot.

4. Reboot and check OSX is working. Install software and retore data

5. Install Windows. Reboot with Windows 7 Installation disc. Format the FAT32 partition into NTFS and install windows into it. You will notice there are 3 partitions for OSX but don't modify them.

6. Restarts, updates and install software, restore data and activate windows.

7. Restart with Unibeast back to OSX. Install Chimera to re-enable boot priority to OSX and Chimera should be greeting you on next reboot.

8. Pause Chimera and Boot into both OSes to check it is working.

Step 3 + 4 can be done at the end if preferred.

Good Luck.

N.B. MBR is limited to 4 primary partitions and if you add any more partitions the my steps above you will most definitely cause partitions to out of sync periodically. When this happens windows will not be able to boot. I only know of a linux utility to resync the partition tablet.