Quad-Boot Leopard (internal), Leopard (external), Vista, and Ubuntu 9

[wrldwzrd89]

Using a 2.8 GHz C2D iMac, this is how I set everything up:

1. Install Mac OS X to the internal drive, purely for Boot Camp management purposes
2. Make main Mac OS X installation on external drive
3. Boot to internal, partition drive for Windows (MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE ROOM FOR UBUNTU!)
4. Install and configure Windows Vista normally
5. Install Ubuntu inside Windows using Wubi, since Mac won't boot from the Ubuntu 9 CD
6. Boot into and configure Ubuntu

Note: rEFIt is not needed for this method to work.

 

[neilhart]

Please explain why you have an external drive.

Neil

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I used an external drive for my main Mac OS X installation because, with the drive partitioned for Windows, my user data will not fit in the remaining space.

 

[neilhart]

I would think that you would see a huge performance hit running OSX from an external drive. I would lean towards upgrading the internal drive and maybe even looking at the Opti-bay solution (use the optical drive externally when needed).

Neil

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I would think that you would see a huge performance hit running OSX from an external drive. I would lean towards upgrading the internal drive and maybe even looking at the Opti-bay solution (use the optical drive externally when needed).

Neil

You would think that, but the reality is that the performance hit I take is negligible at worst, since I have the full speed of FireWire 800 available. This drive flies, even when used as a boot device (it's a WD MyBook 500GB).