10-20-2011, 10:07 AM

Dual or Triple Booting?

Mac OS-X Snow Leopard, Lion and Windows?

Hello,

I would like to use my MacBook Pro laptop, for 3 OS systems.

I wanted Snow Leopard, (for the programs that wouldn't run on Lion).

Install Lion, because I want it and like it..!

Also, Windows XP Pro (for now, until I can get Windows 7), for the Windows purchased software, (MS Office, Adobe, and many more), I have spent money on, and not sure if MS, Adobe, etc. will ALLOW me to use my existing serial #'s, - with the Apple/Mac software equivalent (?) - to do (what I have been able to learn is called (in the technical field): "platform swap" - going from Windows to Apple/Mac.

I bought my laptop used and it has these current partition, available, when I boot up holding down my options key:

1 Snow Leopard

2 Mac OX- Lion (I installed this)...

3 Recovery HD

4 EFI Boot

I don't even know what the Recovery HD and the EFI Boot is?

I'm sort of thinking that when Lion installed, it might have created that Recovery HD part..?

I have not been able to yet, however, partition using the BootCamp Assistant, to create the 4th - (Windows) partition.

Perhaps I must start all over from scratch?

First create one (1) partition, using Disk Utility?

Second, use BootCamp to create the second partition (reserved) for Windows?

Third, create the third partition, for Snow Leopard, using Disk Utility.?

Fourth, create the partition for Lion?

What do you think?

Thanks!

Have a nice day,

Ed

10-20-2011, 10:32 AM

Perhaps I must start all over from scratch?

Good idea. Boot Camp will not work if there is more than one partition on the drive. The exception is the Lion Recovery partition which is hidden.

Starting over means you need legal copies of all the operating systems that are currently installed. You should have received the disks when you bought the machine.

10-20-2011, 10:52 AM

Hello,

Thanks for the advice, comments..

I have the necessary installation discs...

Looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me then...

Appreciate your help...

(I also have an additional thread with need for advice, posting it soon)...

Thanks again,

Ed

10-20-2011, 12:25 PM

Keep in mind that Lion already consists of two partitions. The large one is for the entire operating system while the small partition contains the Lion recovery. Additionally, every OS X setup also has a very small partition at the beginning of the drive called the EFI partition which contains the MBR.

If it's your intention to triple boot, I suggest downloading and using the free rEFIt boot loader. Make sure, however, that you read the instructions that go with it and fully understand how to set it up. Here is the LINK.