Physical Switch for changing between OS's

[dysphasi]

I've setup my computer and chimera so that it will by default boot into Mountain Lion.

However, I've also setup a USB stick with chimera which will by default boot into Windows.

By setting the BIOS to boot from USB if present, I can then boot into Lion by default, or boot into Windows if my USB stick is plugged in.


...Yes I could be selecting the correct operating system from chimera using the keyboard, but my girlfriend who also makes use of the computer is a little less techn savvy and my Apple Wireless Keyboard can be a bit erratic about working in the Chimera screen. USB drive plugged in => Windows, left out => Mac makes things simple.


To take this one step further, you could get a switched USB hub, a bit like this:

Plug a Windows booting USB stick in one of the slots and just switch on or off depending on whether you want to boot into Windows or Mac. I'd suggest a smaller hub and why not use the others for 'useful' bits and bobs like a usb lava lamp / mug warmer and the like!

 

[neilhart]

Hi ever since I created my hackintosh I have been wondering about the feasibility of adding something like this. The idea is to have a mechanical switch (might go through the effort of putting a little apple/windows logo on it) that will boot into the appropriate OS automatically. I have absolutely NO idea how this would be implemented, but wanted some feedback on the ridiculousness of it

Thanks

I have used plug-able HDD racks for several years. These mount a hard drive on a removable tray and have a key control switch so you can select which HDD gets power.

Then just recently I ran across the Kingwin " KF-252-BK 2.5" / 3.5" Internal Tray-Less Hot Swap Rack" and find it is really handy.

neil

 

[msparsons]

I've setup my computer and chimera so that it will by default boot into Mountain Lion.

However, I've also setup a USB stick with chimera which will by default boot into Windows.

By setting the BIOS to boot from USB if present, I can then boot into Lion by default, or boot into Windows if my USB stick is plugged in.


...Yes I could be selecting the correct operating system from chimera using the keyboard, but my girlfriend who also makes use of the computer is a little less techn savvy and my Apple Wireless Keyboard can be a bit erratic about working in the Chimera screen. USB drive plugged in => Windows, left out => Mac makes things simple.


To take this one step further, you could get a switched USB hub, a bit like this:

Plug a Windows booting USB stick in one of the slots and just switch on or off depending on whether you want to boot into Windows or Mac. I'd suggest a smaller hub and why not use the others for 'useful' bits and bobs like a usb lava lamp / mug warmer and the like!

Thought I had subscribed to this thread with email updates! I just had the same idea today! I was thinking of taking it one step further and making a physical switch for the USB drive and hiding the thing in the case or something. Or mod a USB stick to be on a long cable with a switch to turn it on or off for Mac/Windows and sits on the desk.

Thanks very much for confirming my idea! If it was a DIY job would it just be removing power to the USB device via the switch? Or is there a better way of doing it?

 

[dysphasi]

That should work just fine.

Only problem..... Doesn't seem to work with gigabyte uefi

I had it set to boot into mac with usb inserted and windows with usb removed.

If I set the boot priorities to boot from my usb drive it works fine: boots mac

If I remove the usb it works fine: boots windows

BUT if I reinsert usb it still boots windows.

It seems the gigabyte UEFI forgets the priorities I set whenever a drive is removed, or rather changes them when drives are swapped. Any ideas on a workaround?

 

[dysphasi]

Only workaround I can think of for UEFI is to use an sd card reader.

You'll need to two SD cards. One for Mac, one for Windows.

Ensure the SD card reader is plugged in with a card in the slot

Load chimera, hit tab to check the partition numbers assigned to windows and mac drives: hd(3,1) and hd(1,2) for me, but will vary depedning on the other drives you have in.

Load into your mac, fromat two SD cards and install Chimera on each. Create an org.chameleon.Boot.plist for each, one to load into windows by default, one to load into mac.

Restart the computer, load the UEFI and set the SD card reader as boot priority 1.

So long as you keep one or other of the sd cards in, it will load the operating system of your choice.

It's a bit of a messy option, as if you ever load the pc with no card in the slot at all you'll have to reset the boot priorities... But it does work.

The reason I want something like this is that my wireless keyboard is a bit erratic as to whether it will work in chimera or not and I dont really want the clutter of an additional keyboard on my desk, nor do I want to purchase another keyboard!

 

[dysphasi]

The trouble with a physical switch that selects either one drive or the other is that it doesn't allow for access to the mac drive in windows or the other way around. I'd favour an option that lets me select which OS I want from boot that doesn't 'disable' one or other of the drives.

 

[nikstar]

If you have a couple extra low capacity HDD, and two more empty Sata ports at your mobo, you can use the solution described above with the two SD cards and install chimera on both of these drives and set one to auto boot on OSX and the other one to Win and set these two drives at boot priority at Bios. Then a three pin switch can supply the power to one or two the other HD and boot to the corresponding OS.
I think this is possible but I do not know if the bios can"remember" the settings for a drive that is not present on one boot but it is on another.
Also a few more cheep components can deactivate the switch once is booted, prevented any possible damage from an accidentally switching.

 

[dysphasi]

I think the trouble with the low capcity HDD option is that both drives would have to someway be connected to the same sata port. If you could get a y-cable it could work. I'd be a little worried about being able to accidentally switch one drive off, but I guess so long as no data was being run on each drive that'd not be a problem. Maybe one could hack together two sd card readers to one usb header with a switch in between? ... Just thinking sd cards won't use as much power as an HDD.

 

[msparsons]

Wonder how UEFI deals with 2 identical USB drives. Could still work if one or the other was connected? Then could just make a switch to select which one gets power? Depends how it identifies the drive I guess...

Latest thoughts are either that or like you said hacking together 2 sd card readers. So am I right in thinking something like a CD drive retains it's boot priority but an SD card/ USB drive doesn't? Need to think of a way that the computer sees it as there but just with no data...tough one!

 

[dysphasi]

It goes by the port I believe. Only way you'll get it to think two drives are the same are by putting them on the same port as far as I am aware.