How to: triple-boot OSX Leopard, Windows XP *and* Linpus!

How to triple-boot Leopard, Windows XP and Linpus

I did this on an A150 with a 120GB HDD. You could in theory do this on the 16GB SSD drive, but I think you'd be pushed for space on the 8GB one due to the space requirements of each OS.

This is TIME CONSUMING and may appear complex the first time, but is probably doable in around an hour. This is *entirely* my own fairly `hack-job` method that is probably overly complex at times, but it worked for me so is posted "as is" using just exactly what I personally used. The basic gist of it is we will create restorable image files of Linpus and XP, install OSX, then restore those XP/Linpus images in a way that will keep all three Operating Systems selectable and bootable. I promise it's actually a lot simpler in practice than it at first looks.

Things I am assuming:

1) You know how to install each OS individually.
2) Common sense.
3) A UsB DVD drive is available. This is sadly essential for OSX itself - the rest you can use a U3 drive virtual CD for, but the OSX iso will not work with U3Custom due to the non standard format it uses.
4) I am starting with a fresh copy of Linpus from the restore DVD, nothing else is on the drive bar Skype and a couple of other bits.

First of all, things I used (substitute your own "alternative" software/method if you feel the need):
1) A PC set up that can be networked (I am assuming running XP/Vista/Server/7 - I personally am using 7 - that'll work with the Acronis True Image software), or usb flash drive with large enough capacity (8GB should do, 4GB may work if you can then transfer the backups to another machine after but could be cutting it fine) to temporarily store backup archives on.

2) Acronis True Image Home 9.0 backup software - specifically the bootable recovery/backup CD. You can either use a USB CD drive or a U3 drive to use it. In theory you could use alternatives like Norton Ghost, or any decent bootable backup imaging software.

3) Acronis Disk Director 10 - again, the bootable CD version that can be created. Plenty of alternatives to this drive partitioning software, but this was my choice.

4) OSX 10.5.6 (and presumably any other compatible version), I personally used the "XxX" dvd version. I'll assume for now you know what to check during install as I said, just make sure you include "boot prompt" from the options. Remember that USB dvd drive is ESSENTIAL for this.

5) XP/Server 2003. Preferrably an "nLited" or cut down version, just for space/performance sake.

6) WinGrub. Easily available.

7) The Linpus boot files, available from http://lifeisasketch.com/files/boot_files.zip

So, ready? Let's begin!

1) You can have whatever extra apps (Skype etc) installed on Linpus you like, but for the sake of space and speed try to keep it minimal. So, once you're at a nice point with Linpus, continue.

2) Boot up that Acronis True Image cd/dvd by selecting your USB CD or the U3 bootable CD in the boot menu and hitting enter. AT NO POINT DURING THIS ENTIRE TUTORIAL DO YOU NEED TO ACTUALLY *CHANGE* THE BOOT ORDER - THIS AVOIDS THE MISSING HAL.DLL ERROR COMMON WITH XP TUTORIALS.
The interface is fairly straightforward for Acronis. Make a full backup of the Linpus install partition either over your network (much much quicker) or to a USB flash drive. You do not need the MBR (and in fact should uncheck it), or swap space. It should only take up around 4-5GB backed up since it will not back up the free space. Linpus may take a while to back up, perhaps 10-15 minutes.

3) Install XP now as you usually would, blanking the entire drive again so that XP is on the first partition. Again I did this with XP installing from U3Custom and had no problems.

4) Boot up Disk Director and create two new primary partitions for Linpus (say, 10-20GB Ext2 - I labelled it "linpus" like the original though am unsure if this is needed) and its 1GB swap file. You want to end up with your copy of XP first on the drive, the Ext2 space 2nd and swap file 3rd. Fairly simple.

5) Using Acronis True Image again, now restore Linpus onto that newly created 2nd drive partition (remember to leave that track0/mbr option unchecked!). The swap partition as I said didn't need backed up, and the one you created will do just fine.

6) Boot back into XP. You need "show file extensions for known file types" enabled by the way here. Copy the four Linpus boot files into C:\Grub. Rename the .conf file to menu.lst. Install WinGrub. Go into the tools menu item labelled partition list, and note down the partition number listed as "Linux Ext2" (eg hd0,1). Close Wingrub.
Edit menu.lst to have that same partition number, it will be listed twice.
Back in Wingrub, go to "tools" and check "Boot from BOOT.INI" (assuming XP is on C: leave system drive alone). You don't need to list a title or timeout, just hit install.

7) Reboot. You should get the XP boot menu now showing "Start Grub" underneath XP. If you've done everything right, you can boot Linpus by selecting that second item... which is fun. If not, check you copied the drive number correctly and try again.

8) At this point, make a full backup of XP using the same method as with Linpus above.

9) Time to install OSX using your USB DVD drive. Note that for this method you need to make sure there is enough free space BEFORE the OSX install for all the other partitions (XP will be the 1st, Linpus 2nd, swap file 3rd and OSX 4th in the end). Blank the drive again at this point using the Disk Utility in the installer. Create five partitions.
You want to end up with diskutil giving you this result: Partition one (free space for XP), Partition two, (free space for Linpus), Partition 3 (free 1GB for swap file) and Partition 4 (OSX), with one more free space partition *after* OSX. It is very important to get this right, otherwise XP will not boot up later as the partition order will be different.

10) Boot up Disk Director again. Make those "Free Space" partitions into new primary partitions (NTFS for XP, EXT2 for Linpus, final 1GB swap partition for Linpus after those. Naturally, leave the OSX one alone in fourth place for now. You can check to make sure you did this right just by seeing if OSX boots. If it does, well done, you made the partitions in the correct order and are well on your way.

11) Time for that Acronis True Image again for the last time. Restore your backed-up XP copy to the 1st NTFS partition you just made (as usual unchecking the mbr/track0). Restore Linpus now as well on the SECOND partition you just made as EXT2. Your swap file should be 3rd, and OSX still on its own on 4th with the free space after it.

12) All being well, the darwin OSX boot prompt should now list "Windows NTFS" below your OSX install automatically. Selecting this should get you the XP boot menu. You should now be able to boot OSX from the darwin prompt, then by picking that "Windows NTFS" option, XP or Linpus should now be bootable. That's it. You're done, and you have a shiny system that can now boot OSX, XP or Linpus depending on your mood. You can then format the free space after OSX however you see fit, too.

Addendum: If Linpus does not boot after that last step, check the partition number via wingrub, delete GRLDR from C: and do the "boot.ini > install" again as it may have changed somehow. As long as you have it on a partition, it should always be bootable with the right number in that spot.

I have written this down to be as accurate as I can. Hopefully it will be of use to some of you. However if anyone notes any mistakes in the sequence or has suggestions please post them up asap so that I can edit/rewrite as needed. I just followed it to the letter myself again and it works fine for me done this way. Copyright remains with myself, if linking from anywhere else please consider this the property of aspireoneuser forums though and credit appropriately rather than just copypasting, as it took time and effort on my part. As long as you have some way of creating and restoring the partition images for Linpus and XP it's actually fairly simple. Getting the partition list in reasonable order however was a little more annoying.
Enjoy!