11-11-2008, 06:00 PM

For my work, I need to use all MacOS, Windows Vista and Windows XP. How can I install all of them on my MacBook? Is it possible?

I have tried these but none of them works -
1) After use Leopard Boot Camp to created a Windows partition, I installed XP first, then under XP, I try to use Partition Magic to create another partition from the Vista partition, but Partition Magic won't work on the Boot Camp created Windows partition.
2) After use Leopard Boot Camp to created a Windows partition, I installed Vista first, then under Vista I used Windows Computer Management tool to created another partition from the current Vista partition. Then I booted from XP CD, finish the first part of XP installation. But after XP installer rebooted, the machine won't boot up to continue the XP installation.

Thanks.

11-11-2008, 09:03 PM

I would suggest installing Windows XP or Vista via Boot Camp and then using Parallels or Fusion to install the other OS.

11-12-2008, 06:34 AM

I would forget about bootcamp to be honest, I work as a windows sys admin and I tend to use VM machines for the task. Get yourself a copy of VMware fusion open it and create a new machine through the wizard (vista takes about 10 minutes from pressing go to sitting on the desk top).

At this point each tiem you need a new os just open the relevant VM machine which takes about 10 seconds.

The other bonus is that it has a feature called unity which effectively minimizes the vm machine and just leaves the application you want to use from it punted down to the dock.

Hope it helps

11-12-2008, 06:42 AM

Try opening disc utility and clicking your internal hard drive on the left, go to partition and click the + at the bottom and drag the slider to choose how much space you want to give it, then click the top part and click the plus again, choose how much space you want for the 2nd partition and click apply, they must be formatted as Mac OS Extended (for now) dont forget to leave some space for OSX. Try not to use your computer untill the partioning is complete.

Then there should be 3 Hard Drives with names in the left column choose one of the 2 that you will install windows onto and click the erase tab at the top and format it as FAT, do the same for the other Partition, then put one of your XP or Vista discs in whichever you are going to install first and go all the way with that installation. Then do the same with your other Windows version you are going to install.

11-12-2008, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by THeBadMonkey

I would forget about bootcamp to be honest, I work as a windows sys admin and I tend to use VM machines for the task. Get yourself a copy of VMware fusion open it and create a new machine through the wizard (vista takes about 10 minutes from pressing go to sitting on the desk top).

At this point each tiem you need a new os just open the relevant VM machine which takes about 10 seconds.

The other bonus is that it has a feature called unity which effectively minimizes the vm machine and just leaves the application you want to use from it punted down to the dock.

Hope it helps

You wouldn't happen to know how the Primary and Secondary partitions work would you? Im extremely vague on that subject because im pretty sure you can only have 4 Primary partitions that you can boot off and the secondary you cant but OSX has a 200mb EFI partition that you can only see when you are installing windows and appears as a primary partition so that is one of the 4 out so is there any reason why it wouldn't work? With OSX XP and Vista acting as the other 3?

Feel free to shoot me down if Im completely wrong but I think its along those lines. Please correct me if im wrong though.

11-12-2008, 03:05 PM

to halo:

While it's true that DOS and Windows file systems only support 4 primary partitions on a single disk, it really doesn't matter since all versions of Windows are designed to only boot from the first active primary partition on drive 0. There are ways around that, like using a good boot manager.

The Boot Camp assistant does the work of a boot manager by creating what looks like to Windows a primary active partition on drive 0 to boot from.

I agree with Monkey, it would be much easier to setup and use Fusion rather than messing with partition schemes on the Macintosh drive which may in fact lead to destroying the OS X partition.

Here's a link to a website that has information which you may find useful. (also a great multiple boot manager designed for Win, OS\2 and Linux)

TeraByte Unlimited :: Boot Manager :: Partition Manager :: Drive Image :: Disk Copy :: Drive Wipe :: Hard Drive Utilities

Regards.