XP and Ubuntu on Apple iMac (holivar machine)

This configuration of the three operating systems is necessary for the operation of our center, in which training is planned to work in these systems. In general, it was possible to just install XP and not suffer (most users simply do not know about the existence of other operating systems), but Win myself personally has little interest in me and therefore an experimental program was developed to work in 3 systems at once. The type “generalization of the obtained multisystem skills of work will allow to get a specialist of new generation, not tied to interaction with certain interfaces and operating systems”. Actually, of course, it was a classic “Just for Fun”;)

At first, the work was carried out under virtual machines, but then the Blender tutorial arrived in time and it was decided to launch everything “live”.

Immediately the problems started. There was no intuitive way to install 3 systems. Two in any combination - please. Three well, no matter how ... This situation hurt me, and I began to dig deeper. Superficial googling did nothing. I got a tip on the solution on welinux from berkus “You put refit, then Linux, then on the 4th section of Windows. (Winda on sda4 so that Makovsky bootcamp is not confused) ". The rest was already trivial ...

1. Download the rEFIt utility from refit.sourceforge.net using any available method, launch the file for installation on Mac OSX, selecting the installer rEFIt.mpkg after the file is launched in the opened window. If necessary, enter the system administrator password. This utility is required and needed to manage and synchronize the boot loaders of installed operating systems. Turn off the computer. Reboot. Ahtung! For the boot loader with the “rEFIt” sign to appear, another reboot is needed.

2. Run Mac OSX. Then in the “Transition” menu we find the “Utilities” item, launch the “Boot Camp Assistant” and create a partition for Windows (“Continue”> “Use 32 GB”> “Split Disk into Partitions”). We are waiting (about 2 minutes). Then select "Finish and install later." Ahtung! Do not install Windows from Boot Camp'a, only divided into sections.

3. Run the Disk Utility and divide Section 2 (Macintosh HD) into two parts to reserve a place for installing Ubuntu in Section 3 (sda3). At the same time, the BOOTCAMP partition for Windows installation will be moved to sda4.

4. Install Windows XP from the disk. Restart the computer and select the Windows disk in the "rEFIt" menu. If everything is done correctly, then select to install Windows C: Section4 [FAT32]. Its size should be about 32 GB. We do not pay attention to the presence of unmarked areas. Section1 in 200 MB is a special hidden EFI partition on Mac OSX. Section 2 is the Hfs + partition on which Mac OSX stands. In no case do we touch the first 2 sections. Section 3 is intended for the subsequent installation of Ubuntu into it. Ahtung! Can be visible unallocated area the size of the entire hard. This means you violated the system created by Boot Camp. For example, in my case he reacted this way to an attempt to resize disk areas with third-party utilities. So, back to paragraph 2. We demolish all the newly created areas and set a new one.

5. During such reboots in the rEFIt bootloader menu, select the continuation of the installation (the last icon with the Windows disk). Do not press any more keys, so as not to start installing Windows again.

6. After installing Windows, insert the MacOS 1 disk and install all the necessary drivers.

7. Next, insert the disk with the Ubuntu distribution and reboot. Select it in the menu "rEFIt". Install it in the normal mode, and when we get to the disk partitioning, mark the dev / sda3 (Hfs +) partition under the “/”. Ahtung! The swap file is not created

8. After installing Ubuntu, select "Reboot", pull out the installation disk and during the restart (press "ALT") we get into the rEFIt bootloader menu. Select the “Start Partitioning Tool” and synchronize the boot area. After pressing any key, we return to the main menu of the rEFIt loader and select the shutdown option (shut down).

9. Update Ubuntu drivers via the Internet.

In general, the installation of three systems on 1 Apple computer is not trivial, and very few people need it. But the very process of solving this puzzle causes such a surge of adrenaline that it is difficult to resist and not try. Of course, I am not yet satisfied with the end result. For example No paging file in Ubuntu! No separate disk for user data. So, there is still an opportunity for new discoveries. It is a pity that little working time can be devoted to solving such quests.

ZY If this information is well known - please do not kick much.