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Triple Boot with non Apple Graphics?

T

tigerintank

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 16, 2013
273
49
I have a 2008 which currently I have on 10.9.5 as single boot, although it has had windows 7 dual boot previously.

Graphics is a 650 TI these days and I'm happy enough with it.

I recently re-installed the HD 2600 that had been a little temperamental previously.

It only lasted 20-30 seconds of desktop before locking the machine, so I know know that choosing disk at boot isn't possible with the current setup + working hardware that I have!

Is there any reasonable way to triple boot MacOS / Windows 10 or 8.1 / Linux with this setup, or am I inline for a new graphics card to achieve that?
 
You can use Bootchamp (can be found at www.kainjow.com) to boot between OS X and Windows. Or you can use System Preferences and Bootcamp utilities to choose boot drive.

I don't know a good method to switch boot drives to and from Linux...
 
Choose the start up disk in OSX is simple. So, you can choose to boot from Windows / Linux under OSX.

Use bootchamp can make you easier back to OSX under windows, so, problem solved.

However, if you want to go back to OSX from Linux. I think the easiest way is reset PRAM. Every time you reset PRAM, the system will boot back to OSX.

Of course, there is just no boot screen, but the boot manager still there. If you can choose the correct partition blindly (by just hit the arrow key and enter key. You may do it this way as well.
 
Thanks for the quick reply pastrychef.

Had a quick look at the Kainjow site just now and it seems that the developer has ceased development due to the El Capitan SIP limitations - I'll be ok on 10.9 for now, so will likely go ahead. But just wanted to post re the El Capitan issue, in case others not aware.

Thanks too h9826790 for your thoughts - PRAM is a leftfield idea :D or as you say a bit of trial and error with the arrow / enter key.

Is it possible that the disks/volumes appear in a defined order - disk0s2, disk1s2, disk1s3 and so on, or is it dependant on something like disc speed and so not likely to be a constant order each time?
 
From memory, it's always the same order, but I never try to figure out what it base on. And TBH, unless you can get an EFI card to make a screen capture of the boot manager, it may be harder than what you expect to get the right partition. The recovery partition should be there as well. And once you enter that partition, you will get no screen at all, but not just a wrong partition that simple.
 
Hmm I see what you mean - could get messy!

Seems like the PRAM option might be better.

A supported Graphics card would be the ideal solution, but its not practical right now.
 
I just wanted to note that resetting PRAM would be a problem for those who are running Maxwell based Nvidia video cards. But since the OP is using a 650 Ti, which is Kepler based, it would be fine.
 
Am preparing to instal windows 8.1 and whilst CCC is cloning my boot drive I started Bootcamp to have a look. It immediately says i need an optical drive to instal windows.

Thing is - I don't have the DVD writer installed and although its only the work of a few mins to put it back, I don't think I have any bank DVDs.

So my simple question - is there a workaround?

In terms of resources to hand;

  • A USB stick that I was planning to use with the Windows ISO - not thinking that the MP can't boot from USB?!
  • Another Mac in case putting the MP into target disc will help - I don't think so as then windows would be bound to the other Mac right.
  • I could have an empty Firewire disc if I move some files around - this is obviously bootable so maybe is the way to go?

Anyway I'd appreciate any input, as I suspect I may be putting this off till I can find somewhere that has blank DVDs - sadly.

Btw I was planning a single disk for at least MacOS and Windows and then possibly Linux - so with all 3 on there.

Is there any significant issues with doing it that way? I know I could use 3 separate disks but thats a lot of disk ports used...
[doublepost=1452286429][/doublepost]It gets better. according to bootcamp the 2008 only supports Win 7 which smells of BS, but then I suppose when/if I can get Win 8.1 on there, I may have driver issues…

So I suspect I need to do this without bootcamp, which likely means I need a separate windows disk?

Still unsure if I need a dvd though?

AM hoping there's some MP2008 / Win 8.1 experience on here - maybe I need a separate post...
 
The USB stick should able to boot at the native USB 2 port, but not from the USB 3 card.

I never try to install Windows with a non-EFI graphic card (and from USB stick). So, I am not sure when you will see the screen. Assuming you will see the screen once the installer is loaded. Then you may try to make a partition by disk utility (e.g. Ex FAT). And then boot from the USB stick to format that partition (NTFS) + install Windows.

If you can choose the USB stick as your boot drive in system preferences, this method may work. And if anything goes wrong (e.g. no screen), force shut down, and then clear the PRAM will bring you back to OSX.
 
Thanks for the suggestions - I wasn't successful yesterday, so will take another run at it today.

I used one of the many tools that a google search turned up to make a bootable usb stick from the Win 8.1 ISO, but wasn't able to get the resulting USB stick seen in a native USB 2 port in MacOS.

I wonder if the USB 2 ports are not bootable on a 2008.

Anyway hopefully should be able to get some blank DVDs today, so I can try it the old fashioned way!
 
Was successful with the DVD yesterday - you were absolutely correct.

No Bootcamp of course, just booted to the DVD with a blank HDD in one of the bays. I've partitioned my SSD into 3 and now have MacOS 10.9.5 and Windows 8.1, with a smaller spare partition that I'm hoping to install Linux on, in the next week or 2.

One follow up question in the meantime - no boot camp, so no windows menu to select to return to MacOS. Is there any mechanism to retrospectively add bootcamp 5?

Btw lesson learned that DVD is much more straightforward - on the 2008 at least. If I'd prepared by getting a blank or 2 in advance, instead of persevering with the USB stick route, i'd have saved several hours minimum.

Thanks to all for the advice.
 
You can install bootcamp software / driver anytime you want.

The bootcamp assistant in OSX will help you to make the USB drive with all the Windows software / driver.

You can pick the one that you want to install manually. Or just let the installer install everything for you.

Before you do that, please make sure you don't have any software RAID volume. Otherwise Windows may crash after the HFS driver installed.
 
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