Triple Boot - Vista, Ubuntu, OSX

T

trdconsult

Member
I have a new Toshiba upon which I would like to install all three OS's. For the past day I have been struggling with just the first two - Vista and Ubuntu, with EasyBCD providing some of my struggles.

Please know up front that I am a Linux newbie. I have to follow the instructions explicitly else I am completely lost.

Vista was installed first. I have installed Ubuntu three times using various instructions found on the web - none have worked. I have not yet attempted to install OSX, knowing that it will probably prove to be an even bigger test when the time comes.

The closest I have come to making the dual-system boot is reaching a neutered version of GRUB upon booting. That was achieved using EasyBCD to install NeoGRUB. I suspect that I am close with that result, but I am at a loss as to how to fix it from there. Any ideas? Please remember that my next step will be to get OSX in there as well, so please don't send me down a path that would eliminate that possibility.
 
The biggest concern here is have you created the partitions to install these OS's on? Or are you letting Ubuntu's install decide for you where to install and how much space to use?
 
I created the partitions before installing Ubuntu, but then had the Ubuntu installer re-format it's own partition. All four partitions (Vista, Ubuntu, OSX, Linux Swap) are logical partitions.

Of course, all of this may be moot. In trying all the variations I could last night, it looks like I deleted the Windows entry in EasyBCD. My last try was creating entries for each of the different partitions, thinking that my understanding of the partition numbering was off. In doing that, I must have left out the Vista partition. Now I get options for the other three partitions (none of which work).

I think I'm going to start over.....
 
I can tell you right now that the Vista Partition can not possibly be Logical. Windows will not install and work on anything but a Primary Partition.

Try adding the EasyBCD Entry and then checking the box for GRUB is not installed to the MBR.
 
Yeah... looking at my laptop my Vista partition is logical when viewed in disk management in XP or Vista.
 
But why would a manufacturer create a logical partition to install Vista on? The OP said that it was a new Toshiba. They would make a Primary Partition to put Vista on not a Logical.
 
They wouldn't, but in cases where people are multi-booting and depending on the order the OSes are installed in as well as whether or not the partitions were pre-allocated and formatted prior to the installation also play a factor.
 
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