Cannot boot leopard after installing windows 7

[marcel-v]

Please help and I'll be your best friend.

 

[eawmp1]

Did you reboot holding down the option key? That allows you to choose the boot drive. Once you get into Leopard, go to Preferences and set the default boot drive to the Leopard drive.

 

[marcel-v]

Did you reboot holding down the option key? That allows you to choose the boot drive. Once you get into Leopard, go to Preferences and set the default boot drive to the Leopard drive.

Yeah I have, That used to work with vista and xp but it doesn't seem to work with 7. I'm pretty stuck with this one.

 

[eawmp1]

Did you do a new install via Bootcamp, or a direct install on a secondary drive?

I'd boot up with your OS software disk and check all out with DiskUtility. If all checks out I'd erase your Bootcamp Partition and start anew.

 

[marcel-v]

Did you do a new install via Bootcamp, or a direct install on a secondary drive?

I'd boot up with your OS software disk and check all out with DiskUtility. If all checks out I'd erase your Bootcamp Partition and start anew.

Yeah I did it via boot camp. I'd prefer it that way only because my external HD is full. Is there no way to get back to leopard this way? Or will I have to install windows on the external HD? Cheers

 

[giffut]

I ...

... think Vista installation creates a small partition, which very likely has destroyed critical parts of your OSX system files.

You may want to try this:

1. Boot of an external OSX drive or the system DVD in single user mode (keep "s" pressed during booting)
2. Run the "Terminal" application
3. We assume you installed OSX on partition 1, Windows 7 on partition 2: Enter the command

sudo fdisk -e /dev/rdisk0
flag 1
quit

Reboot now and see if OSX comes back to life.

At this point, if nothing happens, it would be the best to do an "archive and install" from your OSX DVD to recreate the bootable state of OSX (you also could install "over the top", if you are brave - worked everytime for me, at least). You need to reapply system and security updates, though.

Generally speaking, in dual or triple boot situations (from one single harddrive) it is always best to install OSX the last system. The best would be to physically separate the systems and keep OSX save from other ones.

As you lost your boot system, it is time to think of a clone copy of your boot system on an external firewire based harddrive, so you can use it to repair any mishappenings.

 

[Gav Mack]

Boot off your Leopard DVD, cancel OSX setup and change your startup disk - it's on the tools menu iirc..