Keywords: Installing Mac OS X on x86 Triple Boot Ubuntu 5.10 Dell Inspiron 9200 Windows XP how to Knoppix to install grub

The Goal:

To have a working computer boot from Ubuntu, OS X, and Windows. And have them all read/write to an ext2 FS (/home in Linux) at the end of the hard drive.

1. When you install Linux it says it cannot partition the drive more than 4 times. This is a conflict because It would best to have /home a different partition than / section. That way the root file system can be journaled (either ext3, or Reiser FS) and there can be a large ext2 FS that both Windows and OS X can read/write from/to. (also if one reinstalls Linux it won't erase any picture/movie.document data) But to do that one would have to give up the swap partition (not happening). Is it possible to partition a drive more than 4 times and have it be used in this manner?

Please, any offering of documentation or wiki or just general opions are welcome.

Okay we have a general success!

Short disclaimer, A.K.A. "Things to think about before proceeding..."
1. Can I deal with not having a computer for a day?
2. Am I too new to Linux and/or computers to handle this install?
3. Am I breaking any laws?
4. This is what worked for 'someone', I guarantee nothing.
My Process:

0.
a. Somehow 'legally' obtain a copy of Mac OS X x86. Don't download the Mac OS X Generic Install DVD from a bittorrent source and burn it to DVD.
b. Go to the store and buy "Windows XP Proffessional SP2". Don't download it from bittorrent and burn it to a CD.
c. DO download (insert your favorite linux distribution) Ubuntu Linux 5.10 from a bittorrent source. Burn it to CD. www.slyck.com or www.ubuntulinux.org/
d. DO download (insert your favorite linux live distribution) Knoppix 4.02 from a bittorrent source. Burn it to CD. www.slyck.com or www.knoppix.org/

1. Back up hard Drive (music photo's etc.)

2. Boot from Knoppix 4.02

3. Fdisk - Use Fdisk to delete all partitions on your disk. Then write the changes to disk, we'll format later. (If you can't use Fdisk, maybe you shouldn't try this install [this fdisk procedure is painfully simple])

4. Insert the Windows XP installation CD. Allocate a portion (for programs, games) (not for music, movies, pictures, docs).

5. Format the partition (slow) with an NTFS file system.

6. Then go about installing Windows XP on your computer.

(Alternative solution to Steps 1-6: Load Partition Magic. Shrink Your windows partition to the size specified in step 4. Allocate the rest of the space as 'unpartitioned'. We'll format/partition the rest with installation CD's.
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7. Insert the legally obtained Mac OS X x86 DVD, and boot from it. (If it doesn't work contact Mac, don't use this ilegal forum: http://forum.osx86project.org/index.php)
8. Use the menu at the top of the screen to access "tools". Then use the partitioning tool to partition and format your drive. Again, allocating just enough room for programs, games, etc.
9. Install Mac OS X.
10. Using the 'legally obtained install CD' that I 'really' used it will install a small boot program into the MBR. This boot program will allow you to boot into Windows and OS X. Boot into Mac OS X and check that your installation happened correctly. If it didn't, contact Mac. Don't use the 'ilegal' forum specified above.
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11. Boot from Ubuntu 5.10. Install Ubuntu partitioning for a root file system with home and a swap partition (by then your maximum of 4 has been reached).
12. In Ubuntu #sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst . Copy the Windows XP entry (That should have detected by the Debian installer) and paste it down below. Edit the entry by changing the name and the root location to (hd0,1) where as Windows is (hd0,0) and Ubuntu is (hd0,2). Make sure the new entry is chainloaded.
13. Reboot and see if it works. (Note: When booting into OS X you will enter another boot menu and can choose from Windows or Mac. This is because you chainloaded the boot.)

This is the steps that have been completed by 'someone' thus far.

This still does not allocate an ext2 file system that is data only. This still does not allow the OS X partition to read the Linux Partition.

If anyone has any information on; OS X reading/writing Ext2 FS please post! Also, if anyone wants to suggest a better format for the large data partition I am all ears. Right now, the 'mission critical' is understanding the possibility of partitioning more than four times! Surprisingly it seems that OS X can read/write to a NTFS file system.

The issue of only 4 partitions relates to the number of primary partitions allowed (Intel-based systems have space in the boot sector for only 4 partitions in the partition table). However, you can have as many as 15 partitions on a SCSI disk, and 63 on an IDE drive, if done properly. http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Partition/...3.html#primary

If the hard drive is partitioned as 4 primary partitions, that's all you are allowed. Can't have any more than that. But, if you partition into one primary and one extended partition (read logical partition), then the extended partition can be sub-partitioned into 61 more partitions. The extended partition serves as a container for the remaining partitions, and serves no other purpose.

I have two hard drives, each partitioned into seven partitions: one primary, one extended containing four Linux and one Swap partition.

The Linux Partition HOWTO is a must-read for your situation.

When installing Ubuntu, use the installer to create two "logical" partitions (one right after the other [such is the neccessity of logical partitions] at the end of the disk. One being the Root File System (ext3) and the other being swap. In the middle create a primary ext2 file system for all shares. Thus the 4 partition dilemna is avoided. The logical partition scheme is quite handy and easy, as read on the documentation specified in the above post.

Someones Hard Drive:
10GB NTFS (windows)
10GB HFS+ (mac)
30GB ext2 (linux) "Mounted as /home"
9.5GB ext3 (linux) "Mounted as /"
500MB (swap)

After editing "/boot/grub/menu.lst" (a short search will provide documentation for this simple task) someone's grub menu will looks as such. The removal of the Windows XP section was a simple delete. This was possible because when adding the Mac OS X operating system to the list, it is necessary to "chainload" it. Thus selecting "Other Operating Systems" brings the user to another boot menu (Darwin) where the available options are Windows and Mac OS X. This is appealing because Linux should be one's "main operating system" .

Grub Menu List (edited by somone):

Ubuntu Linux
Other Operating Systems
=====*Special Boot Options*======
Ubuntu Linux (Recovery Mode)
Memory Test

Mac OS X currently is able to read/write FAT 32 partitions with stable success. It can read NTFS file system, and has unstable writing capabilties. With a small installation it is possible to have OS X read and write to ext2 file systems. However the writing is still unstable.

Someone will test the truth of these statements first hand. Somone will get back to this post.

Tell me if I am wrong on the read/write statement. I researched it minimally.