Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Apple
    • Apple
    • Servers

    Introducing the Triple Boot Mac

    Written by

    Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
    Published April 20, 2006
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      It was only a matter of time. First, Linux hacker Edgar “Gimli” Hucek got Gentoo Linux running on a Mactel system, an iMac Core Duo.

      Then, as Windows hackers, spurred on by a cash reward from Colin Nederkoorn of Houston, had just completed their efforts to get the far more troublesome Windows XP to run on Intel-powered Macs, Apple took the wind out of their sails by releasing a public beta of Boot Camp—software that allows Intel-processor Macs, such as the iMac and Mac Mini desktops and MacBook Pro notebook, to boot either Mac OS X or Windows XP.

      You know whats coming next, right?

      Yes, now Nederkoorn and friends have blazed a trail for adventuresome Mac owners to boot not only OS X and XP on their systems, but Linux as well.

      This Triple Boot method is not for the faint of heart.

      First, you must manually partition the hard drive. The Intel Macs use the EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) GPT (GUID Partition Table) for partitioning. Now, OSX 10.4.6 and most Linuxes with 2.6 or higher kernels have no trouble with EFI GPT. Windows, however, is another matter.

      Windows still needs a drive with the old-style MBR (master boot record) partitioning. Microsoft has already said that it wont be supporting EFI, so youre pretty much stuck with having at least two incompatible partitions on a drive.

      Since Apple recommends that users stick with the FAT32 (File Allocation Table) system instead of NTFS (New Technology File System), that also means youre limited to 32GB for your Windows drives.

      Now, with Mac OS X 10.4.6s diskutil, you can create dual GPT/MBR partitioned drives. However, GPT doesnt support MBRs extended partitions, and MBR will only support four primary partitions.

      Thats still enough, you think? Think again.

      Apple reserves the first primary partition for its bootloader. That leaves one for each operating system, but Linux needs two partitions — one for the operating system itself, the other for the swap partition. You can get around this by using a swap file instead.

      This is a tried and true way of getting around this kind of problem. Unfortunately, swap files tend to run slower than do swap partitions. So if youre running multiple Linux applications on a Triple Boot Mac, you can expect to see a performance hit.

      /zimages/3/28571.gifRead the full story on Linux-Watch: Introducing the Triple Boot Mac

      /zimages/3/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest open-source news, reviews and analysis.

      Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
      Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
      I'm editor-at-large for Ziff Davis Enterprise. That's a fancy title that means I write about whatever topic strikes my fancy or needs written about across the Ziff Davis Enterprise family of publications. You'll find most of my stories in Linux-Watch, DesktopLinux and eWEEK. Prior to becoming a technology journalist, I worked at NASA and the Department of Defense on numerous major technological projects.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×