Dual Boot with Solaris 10

Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
2,340
Reaction score
82
Points
48
Location
DFW
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 13" | MacBook Pro 13" | Mac Mini 2GHz C2D
I know this doesn't make much sense. But, I would like to play around with Solaris 10 because one of the major systems I work on uses it and I may have to get certified in it down the road. I have never made a computer able to dual boot. I found some instructions here -> https://blogs.oracle.com/paulm/ . At one point it says to Boot with install DVD, unmount the internal HDD, rename an EFI partition, and then boot the Solaris CD/DVD. It never says how to switch from the OS X Install DVD to the Solaris DVD. What am I missing? Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
I've played around with Solaris in the past, but to be honest, I wouldn't even attempt at using those instructions from Oracle. Too easy to mess up your Mac. Do you have an older Win machine laying around that you're not using? Something like that is what I would recommend using to install Solaris rather than try to dual boot OS X and Solaris.
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
I really think the best solution here is virtualization especially when you consider that something like VirtualBox is made by the same company (and fully supports Solaris in VB, additions and all). Any particular reason you need a disk install?
 
OP
fearlessfreap24
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
2,340
Reaction score
82
Points
48
Location
DFW
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 13" | MacBook Pro 13" | Mac Mini 2GHz C2D
I hate using it in Virtual Box. I have a MacBook Pro 13" and it is to small, I'm always having to move the VB window around to get to things.
I'd also rather have to be forced to deal with any H/W issues that would come up so that I can get an idea of what I would be doing if it happened on the system I will be administering.
I have't had a windows box in 7 years. All I have is my MBP and the wife's MBP.

Are there any good instructions that yall know of?
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
Fair enough.

I've never done this before but I did find something. Take a look at this. Now, that's a set of instructions to get it to be the sole OS but I wonder if you can adapt those instructions such that you keep OS X and re-configure GRUB to boot OS X. I don't know how that would work but I'd read over those instructions to get a sense of what you're in for.

You may also want to take a look at this. I don't see any Apple devices listed as supported so you may be in for a bit of a fight here.

Regardless of what you try, I'd highly suggest you clone the MBP before trying any of this.
 

cwa107


Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
27,042
Reaction score
812
Points
113
Location
Lake Mary, Florida
Your Mac's Specs
14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
I hate using it in Virtual Box. I have a MacBook Pro 13" and it is to small, I'm always having to move the VB window around to get to things.

So, run it in Full Screen mode instead of windowed mode. Really, it's no different than running it locally when you set the view up correctly.
 
OP
fearlessfreap24
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
2,340
Reaction score
82
Points
48
Location
DFW
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 13" | MacBook Pro 13" | Mac Mini 2GHz C2D
So, run it in Full Screen mode instead of windowed mode. Really, it's no different than running it locally when you set the view up correctly.

That seemed reasonable. Going by previous experience, VB still had sliders while using Ubuntu. I tried Full Screen mode again as it was booting and no sliders. Same for Ubuntu. WTH. All this time wasted.

You guys are the best. That's why I come here.

Thanks again.
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
I think you'll have a much better experience with Solaris and VB. Not only, as I mentioned, do you get the same company making both but you're also using an OS that doesn't have quite the rapid changes that Linux distributions do.

Side note - last I ran Solaris, it was slow as molasses in VB. I know it has a reputation for being like me pre-coffee (slower than slow) but it was a tad painful. For all I know, that's changed but be prepared for the worst.
 
OP
fearlessfreap24
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
2,340
Reaction score
82
Points
48
Location
DFW
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 13" | MacBook Pro 13" | Mac Mini 2GHz C2D
i did manage to install Ubuntu 12.04 on an 8,1 MacBook Pro 13". GCCS-M uses Solaris 10 for its servers. It also has a DII COE installed on it and all Sysadmin functions are run through it. Just wanted to more than familiarize myself wit the base OS. We also have several OS's that I can look into also.
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
My limited experience with Solaris has made me question why any likes it so my recommendation, as someone who's not a professional in the field, would be to explore other options (which you should probably do anyway to find what works best for you). What else can you look into?
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top