Triple boot MacOS/Windows/Linux

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Triple boot MacOS/Windows/Linux

I managed to install triple boot environment: MacOS 10.7 (Lion) + Windows 7 (Ultimate) + Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot). If someone wants to know how I managed it I explained i below and my questions will come at the end of this thread.

Installation of MacOS

Firstly on my HDD /dev/sda with Disk Utility I created only one partition (whole HDD as one partiton) with GUID Partition Table (GPT partition sheme) because it is required by Lion and after that I regularly installed Lion on it.

Installation of Windows

Afterwards I splitted my only partition into three partitions (two partitions were added and first one was shrinked) with Apple's Disk Utility again. It is important to create additional partition with Disk Utility because that way it will tailor GPT partition scheme accordingly. After that I started Windows 7 installation and during installation process I deleted and recreated second partition and formated it. Deleting old and recreating second partition with partitioner within Windows installation process I created paralell MBR partition scheme with definition of partition that Windows 7 can understand and use. It is important to note that it is not allowed to create new partition for windows of different size because this will be partition defined in MBR partition scheme and it will be out of sync with GPT partition scheme. (One has to understand that we deal here with two parallel different partition schemas - GPT and MBR - and they have to be in sync meaning that definition of partitions on disk have to be the same in both schemes.) If you created new partition in Windows partitioner, it would be defined only in MBR partitions scheme but not in GPT and it will result in some problems with Linux installation. So I firstly created partitions (defined GPT partition scheme) with Disk Utility, and afterwards created windows partition on the same place of the same size in MBR partition scheme (during Windows installation process). Then I installed Windows 7 on that second partition.

Installation of Linux

Finally I started Ubuntu installation and installed it on third partition and install GRUB boot loadre in /dev/sda (MBR).

MacOS is booted by default. But when I hold alt/option button during boot I was offered with two boot options; first one MacOS (disk icon) starting Lion and second one Windows (disk icon) starting GRUB linux boot loader. After starting GRUB I am offered boot menu to start Windows/Mac/Ubuntu.

My question is how to define that GRUB is default boot loader?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7), Triple boot, Lion, Windows, Ubuntu

Posted on Dec 1, 2011 6:12 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 2, 2011 12:52 PM in response to sbrbot

Hello,

I am having an issue with triple booting, to begin with, and thought maybe you can help seeing you got everything working...... I installed windows via bootcamp and tried to install linux but got a error and linux didnt boot.. Not sure if I just did the installation incorrectly or what...

I followed this guide http://lifehacker.com/5531037/how-to-triple+boot-your-mac-with-windows-and-linux -no-boot-camp-required

I reformated, installed windows via bootcamp. So how would I go about installing linux correctly?

Would I just use disk utility and create two extra partitions (LLinus and swap) and then use ubuntu disk to install?

I believe I just didnt do a certain step in the guide when installing linux so just want to make sure I intall it correctly this time... Thanks for your help.

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Answer 2

sbrbot Author

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Dec 2, 2011 2:33 PM in response to JoeDirt420

With Bootcamp tool you cannot create a triple boot scheme. Bootcamp only splits HDD space into two working partitions. (Actually there are additional EFI and Recovery partitions but I will ignore them). One workng partition is for MacOS and another left for Windows. It does not leave partition or empty sace for Linux installation.

What you have to do:

1) boot into MacOS and go into Disk Utility, delete the BOOTCAMP partition where your Windows now reside,

2) in Disk Utility add two new partitions (define wanted size and name them e.g. WINDOWS and LINUX)

3) boot with Windows DVD and format new created WINDOWS partition (delete and create it if you need)

4) install Windows into this new formated WINDWOS partition, reboot and finish Windows installation

5) boot with Linux DVD and start installation, install (define root) in LINUX partition, (leave bootloader to be installed in /dev/sda)

Linux does not need additional swap partition like it required in the past. Now Linux works fine with swap in form of file like Windows. There are some other partitions like EFI at the beginning of HDD but you have t leave and ignore it.

It is important to note that you have to tailor partitions of your HDD with Mac's Disk Utility because it will define them in both GPT (EFI needed for MacOS and Linux) as well as in MBR tables (needed for Windows). Later during installation of Windows you will format the partition dedicated to Windows but you must not change partition scheme (position and size of that partition created previously with Disk Utility) otherwise you will loose sync between GPT and MBR partition schemes.

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Answer 3

Dec 3, 2011 11:10 AM in response to sbrbot

Thanks, removed boot amp partition and added two. Just installed windows I'm installing a few apps I need real quick. Just had one question.

What difference would it make if installing the boot loader in the Linux partition rather than the one you mentioned?

I already have refit installed if it makes ant difference. Thanks

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Answer 4

sbrbot Author

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Dec 3, 2011 2:42 PM in response to JoeDirt420

Come on man. First bootcamp and now rEFIt! Does it matter!? Of course it does. I did not mention Bootcamp in my OP. I did not mention rEFIt in my OP either. You're doing everything on your own. Why are you then jumping in my post and ask what to do about somethng that is comletetly different setup?

And answer to your question; if you install boot loader into linux partition only and not in MBR then you will have to manually setup Windows loader to chainload linux boot loader (copy linux boot sector to win partition and setup win loader's boot.ini). Otherwise you will not be able to boot into Linux although it is installed on your machine. Installing linux into MBR will make GRUB fist boot loader which knows how to chainload windows boot loader. This is if you do not have rEFIt. If you have rEFIt, it is able to chainload any other boot loader. rEFIt as an EFI boot loader probably can chainload linux boot loader from linux partition.

In my OP I described how to install triple boot machine without bootcamp and without rEFIt boot loader.

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Answer 5

Dec 3, 2011 6:12 PM in response to sbrbot

I already had refit installed but I figured it out anyways, thanks.

Only problem now is stupid amd unsupported watermark on bottom right corner, trying to figure it out.

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Answer 6

sbrbot Author

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Dec 3, 2011 11:29 PM in response to JoeDirt420

What AMD unsupported watermark you're talking about? I don't know what it could be. Are you installing all this on Mac or PC machine?

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Answer 7

Dec 4, 2011 9:44 AM in response to sbrbot

I am on a iMac. It is a amd unsupported hardware watermark. I managed to fix it though. In the Ubuntu site where they have their open source drivers, there is a link that said....

Completely remove amd drivers and reinstall. That worked perfectly, graphics returned to normal and no watermark.

It happened when the pop up for additional drivers came up and I installed one of those.

But now I am in your boat I'd rather use refit than grub as it much nicer interface. When I select Ubuntu from refit it goes to grub.

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Answer 8

aristipp

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Feb 23, 2012 4:33 PM in response to sbrbot

First of all, thanks for the small tutorial and the explanations! I had many problems to setup triple boot with rEFIt and bootcamp but with your solution it works.

Now i have two question:

1) What will happen if i now install rEFIt after everything works with your solution?

2) i cannot boot Mac OS from GRUB (is shown but the MacBook restarts after a few second or throws an error)

Your original question was how to set GRUB as default bootloader, if i set from Mac OS the Windows Volume (aka GRUB) as Startvolume, my MacBook always starts GRUB, but, as i have mentioned, it do not help me beacause i can start Windows and Linux from GRUB but not Mac OS.

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Answer 9

Feb 24, 2012 11:27 AM in response to aristipp

If you install refit that will allow you to select os x, linux, or windows.

If you select either linux or windoes it will launch the grub bootloader where you can select ubuntu or windows.

Selecting os x will boot strait to os x, no grub bootloader. It is very easy to install as well...

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