[RESOLVED] Dual-boot Mac Snow Leopard & Windows 7?

I wanted to dual-boot Snow Leopard and Windows 7 and found lots of online tutorials that tell me to back up, wipe the disk, partition, install Snow Leopard, and then install Windows 7. Is there a way to keep my existing Windows 7 and install Snow Leopard afterwards? I know it's possible to resize the partition currently being booted from with Disk Management, so can I install Snow Leopard in the partition I've created there and still have Windows 7 be the default to boot (in both senses of the term :))?

EDIT: Oops, this should have been in General PC. :P

I moved the thread.

Are you wanting to do this on a PC or on a MAC?

Hi,

I need to find out if there is a way to do this too! For my courses next semester. I found this site but I haven't read through the information yet! You might find something here too.

I requested the thread moved to "General PC".

@MartinLiss: Thanks for moving it! I'm wanting to do this on a PC.

@NightWalker83: I think your information link is for installing Leopard PowerPC edition as a dual-boot with Windows, wouldn't that be much more complicated? They have a whole OSX86 project going on... but that might be what you need, I don't know...

Right now what I've done is I've created a new partition (40GB) for Snow Leopard, but what I'm worried about is the boot loader. Windows' boot loader won't load the Mac OS. I've heard some people talking about Chameleon but I've never heard of it, I just Google'd it now... should I use that?

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Originally Posted by minitech

@MartinLiss: Thanks for moving it! I'm wanting to do this on a PC....

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If you can afford it, get an iMAC and the Switch To MAC version of Parallels software. You can the easily transfer everything from your old PC to the MAC and from then on run Windows 7 (as a virtual machine) side by side with Snow Leopard.

I can't afford an iMac or Parallels software :(

Okay, actually, NightWalker83's website was very interesting and it might work about the same for Snow Leopard, minus some steps... but if I only have Acer OEM recovery discs, will I still be able to restore the boot loader? And still boot Snow Leopard?

This is really interesting.

If I only had Snow Leopard at the moment I could probably test it but unfortunately I don't.

By the way, running Mac OS on anything other than a Mac isn't legal.

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Originally Posted by baja_yu

By the way, running Mac OS on anything other than a Mac isn't legal.

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I don't think anyone ever said it was? I think minitech wants to know how to install SL dual-boot with Win 7 in comparison to knowing whether it's illegal or not to do so.

Well when I install Mac OS on a computer, it becomes a Mac...

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Originally Posted by minitech

Well when I install Mac OS on a computer, it becomes a Mac...

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Talk about a leopard changing its spots. :lol:

you can't dual boot snow leopard on a pc. They get it to run by emulating the efi in a custom bootloader. Installing bootcamp will overwrite it and make the system unbootable. Using vista's bootloader will let vista boot but osx still won't boot.won't
You are aware you can't just insert osx in a pc and install it, right? Just installing it period and being able to boot requires a custom efi bootloader which requires either a hacked dvd or a hacked bootloader and installing from a flashdrive.

in addition to this issue, even if you do this on a mac, osx expects to be installed first and if it isn't in the first partition, it won't load.

having said that, there is a conceivable way to get it to work if you format first and set osx first.
http://thebackpackr.com/hackintoshin...-snow-leopard/
but no matter what, osx needs to be on the first partition so you will lose your current 7 install.

Despite this, I'm going to give it a try. I just got the disc today.

(Using VirtualBox :))

Actually, I did find this: http://thegadgets.net/trickt-boy/tip...ows-7-on-a-pc/

And it relies on Mac being installed first, of course, just like you said. Could I move my Windows 7 partition with GParted on a Knoppix Live CD, install Snow Leopard, repair the boot loader, then fix it with the tool they mention on that page?

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Originally Posted by minitech

Actually, I did find this: http://thegadgets.net/trickt-boy/tip...ows-7-on-a-pc/

And it relies on Mac being installed first, of course, just like you said. Could I move my Windows 7 partition with GParted on a Knoppix Live CD, install Snow Leopard, repair the boot loader, then fix it with the tool they mention on that page?

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possibly, but the latest version of it has been reported to have problems booting a graphical partition so keep that in mind when partitioning.

Actually, I tried it in both VirtualBox and my real computer yesterday. Both refuse to even recognize the Snow Leopard DVD as a bootable device. Maybe Apple has been thorough in its security features. :( I did take the ISO for later though.

As it's illegal to install Mac OS on anything other then a Mac, Virtual Box on a PC wont take it either. Virtual Box on a Mac OS host can install Mac OS as a guest.

it's a stretch to call it illegal. It's actually just against their EULA. It's not exactly piracy. No one has ever gone to jail for violating a eula. The way around this is the custom bootloader like i said. Find a buddy of yours who has a real mac and turn the disk into a bootable usb drive. Then replace the bootloader on that. Note that you will have to always boot your system off that usb drive. Not the whole OS, just the boot loader. There's steps on lifehacker. And i wouldn't call that part illegal either or even against the eula, since osx is based on bsd, the bootloader of which is open source.

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Originally Posted by baja_yu

As it's illegal to install Mac OS on anything other then a Mac, Virtual Box on a PC wont take it either. Virtual Box on a Mac OS host can install Mac OS as a guest.

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It is not illegal Apple just doesn't like you to do it. One of my classmates did it although I forget how he said he did it.

I am in the process of trying to dual boot kalyway leopard with Vista.

Hi,

I managed to successfully dual boot my Windows Vista with OSX. I followed the instructions listed here. However, there were some roadblocks I encountered on the way such as:

An error complaining about the operating system not being found.

The above error is overcome (in GParted) by making sure you select the partition\drive with the primary operating system on it as operating system to boot in to.

The only other problem I experienced was the looping welcome screen in OSX. This can be overcome be editing the configuration and add a username and password for the root account on OSX details can be found here.

Edit:

I forgot to mention that I used my Vista installation to fix any problems when setting up the boot settings, using the installation cd allowed the record to reset and the new record was added to the new file in the process.

well i finally set my hackintosh up for dual boot. I went a different route than you did. I already had 10.5.2 functional on a hard drive, and i installed a 2nd drive for windows and made that one the boot drive. All i had to do was run easybcd and i used it to install an entry for osx. Works great.

I know his is oally off opic, u does anyone know how o fix roken keys on a Mac keyoard? he roken ones for me are he leer afer s, afer f, afer a, and he dash. :( As you can see. I's really annoyin. And I am seriously no jokin here (alhouh i may sound like i readin his pos)

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Originally Posted by Lord Orwell

well i finally set my hackintosh up for dual boot. I went a different route than you did. I already had 10.5.2 functional on a hard drive, and i installed a 2nd drive for windows and made that one the boot drive. All i had to do was run easybcd and i used it to install an entry for osx. Works great.

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Yeah, I only wish Microsoft operating systems did as well... Work that is. Vista stuffing up for me again.

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Originally Posted by minitech

I know his is oally off opic, u does anyone know how o fix roken keys on a Mac keyoard? he roken ones for me are he leer afer s, afer f, afer a, and he dash. :( As you can see. I's really annoyin. And I am seriously no jokin here (alhouh i may sound like i readin his pos)

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Sorry, no I don't! Is the problem just that the keys are coming loose? If that is the case try gluing them back on to their little stands. If that doesn't work get another keyboard.

if it's for a laptop you will be dumping more money on it. You can buy a wired usb mac keyboard for about $12 on ebay. But for that matter, any keyboard will work with a mac. I had a microsoft pro keyboard hooked to mine for a while, for irony. It actually has controlling and customizing software for it.

Yeah, in the end I just ended up plugging in an extra keyboard I had lying around. It is annoying though, considering everything (except for Shift+T, I had to do Caps Lock, T, Caps Lock) was working just two days ago. And Mac keyboards feel much better on laptops (definitely not on desktops, though).

check ebay for your model's keyboard. I've never changed a mac laptop keyboard, but usually all you have to do is remove a couple of screws from the case bottom which probably have a keyboard symbol next to them. It may not even have screws. Your model is dependent on this, but i saw a g3 keyboard for only $4 on bay. Assuming your laptop isn't THAT old, http://cgi.ebay.com/APPLE-MAC-IBOOK-...5#ht_500wt_925