Triple boot iBook G4?

[RedCroissant]

Hello!!!

Even though I'm trying to sell my iBook, I'm also starting to have some fun with it and I was wondering if it would be possible to have 3 separate bottle partitions on it. Of course I would want to run the 3 different version of OS X that this machine could run (Panther, Tiger, and Leopard). What does everyone think?

And if it could work, would it be as simple as partitioning the HDD with Disk Utility and then inserting the disc to install the OS onto the specific partition?

The specs are as follows:

2004 14" iBook G4 1.33GHz, 1.25GB RAM, 120GB HDD, AirPort, and running OS X Leopard 10.5.8.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Intell]

It is possible. All you have to do is partition the drive with Disk Utility and install every version of Mac OS X to their own partition. The partitions at the top of the partition tab in Disk Utility will be slightly faster, as they are on the outermost tracks of the hard drive.

 

[gooser]

i wouldn't pay more for it. may even pay less considering that i really wouldn't have 120gb any more.

 

[RedCroissant]

It is possible. All you have to do is partition the drive with Disk Utility and install every version of Mac OS X to their own partition. The partitions at the top of the partition tab in Disk Utility will be slightly faster, as they are on the outermost tracks of the hard drive.

Thanks! Good to know! I never knew that about the location of the partitions as they are displayed.

i wouldn't pay more for it. may even pay less considering that i really wouldn't have 120gb any more.

Well I wouldn't be doing this multiple partitioning in order to increase the price; it's just for fun. And why would you pay less for a computer with three partitions when the partitions aren't permanent? Was that a joke?

 

[Altemose]

Thanks! Good to know! I never knew that about the location of the partitions as they are displayed.



Well I wouldn't be doing this multiple partitioning in order to increase the price; it's just for fun. And why would you pay less for a computer with three partitions when the partitions aren't permanent? Was that a joke?

I think it is because people like having stuff setup the way they like it right off the bat. Sadly, people do not agree with the tinkerer's mindset!

Why would you want Panther on there? Most any software would run on Tiger the same if not better. Or is this just for tinkering purposes?

 

[gooser]

altemose, you said it better than i could.

 

[RedCroissant]

I think it is because people like having stuff setup the way they like it right off the bat. Sadly, people do not agree with the tinkerer's mindset!

Why would you want Panther on there? Most any software would run on Tiger the same if not better. Or is this just for tinkering purposes?

I understand that mindset of wanting something set up immediately, but if I don't know what that is, and that person has not contacted me via the sale ad to state as much, then making a comment like that is kind of weird.

And yeah, it's just for fun/nostalgia purposes because I don't really consider that "tinkering" as much as actually messing with components or other things like that.

 

[Altemose]

I understand that mindset of wanting something set up immediately, but if I don't know what that is, and that person has not contacted me via the sale ad to state as much, then making a comment like that is kind of weird.

And yeah, it's just for fun/nostalgia purposes because I don't really consider that "tinkering" as much as actually messing with components or other things like that.

I think so long as you sell it with only one partition you are good. The idea of having multiple operating systems is mind boggling to some, and adds complexity to a simple view. For example, if I got a laptop with a 250 GB Hard Drive and I plan to use 7. This laptop has 2000, XP, and 7 on it. I no longer have the 250 to use. I think that is what gooser was stating. A simple repartition is in order to simply restore the full drive space though...

I love tinkering with these things. But I do dread putting in a new hard drive in my 600 MHz iBook G3 soon.

 

[RedCroissant]

I think so long as you sell it with only one partition you are good. The idea of having multiple operating systems is mind boggling to some, and adds complexity to a simple view. For example, if I got a laptop with a 250 GB Hard Drive and I plan to use 7. This laptop has 2000, XP, and 7 on it. I no longer have the 250 to use. I think that is what gooser was stating. A simple repartition is in order to simply restore the full drive space though...

I love tinkering with these things. But I do dread putting in a new hard drive in my 600 MHz iBook G3 soon.

It's mostly just to do stuff with it until I sell it (if that even happens). As of right now, I am not getting really any interest through MR or through CL. So I might just end up keeping it. Really need to sell it though.

And I agree that it would be a small hassle if a machine was purchased with multiple partitions on it, but it would be nothing at all to open DU and remove them. Plus, when I get any computer (regardless of how well it was taken care of by the previous owner) I always reinstall the OS and start from scratch.

If I lived any where near you, I would take care of the HDD for you. That's actually fun and I have taken apart 5 iBooks. I got my iBook G4 taken apart, new HDD installed and put back together pretty fast considering my 4 year old was sitting on my lap and "helping."

 

[rambo47]

I was dual-booting a G3 PowerBook with OSX (public beta) and Yellowdog Linux. I considered a tri-boot setup with OS9, OSX, and YDL, but never took the time to do it.

 

[RedCroissant]

I was dual-booting a G3 PowerBook with OSX (public beta) and Yellowdog Linux. I considered a tri-boot setup with OS9, OSX, and YDL, but never took the time to do it.

Now that's a little crazier!!! At least I would only be booting 2 versions of an OS that the machine was designed to run!

I would love to see that though. Maybe we should create a our own three of people that triple boot PPC machines. Sure, some others have probably done it, but it would still be awesome.

 

[andyrugbyref]

Just go for the latest OSX you can and a flavour of linux. Ubuntu PPC or Mint PPC.

That would give the best for dual booting that someone may want.

 

[Altemose]

Now that's a little crazier!!! At least I would only be booting 2 versions of an OS that the machine was designed to run!

I would love to see that though. Maybe we should create a our own three of people that triple boot PPC machines. Sure, some others have probably done it, but it would still be awesome.

Figured I would let you know what I have going on with my PowerMac G4 QuickSilver. I have OS 9, OS X 10.2, OS X 10.4, and OS X 10.5. I have a quadruple boot going so I win!

 

[Intell]

Try a Power Macintosh 8600 with 7.5.5 through 10.5.8. All versions bootable and spread across three hard drives. They aren't made like that anymore.

 

[gooser]

not everyone here can see the marketplace. how much are you asking for it?

 

[RedCroissant]

Figured I would let you know what I have going on with my PowerMac G4 QuickSilver. I have OS 9, OS X 10.2, OS X 10.4, and OS X 10.5. I have a quadruple boot going so I win!

FINE!!!

Try a Power Macintosh 8600 with 7.5.5 through 10.5.8. All versions bootable and spread across three hard drives. They aren't made like that anymore.

That sounds pretty awesome. Now I want one just so I can see that and do it.

not everyone here can see the marketplace. how much are you asking for it?

I'm aware of that but the mods here frown on even the appearance of a possible transaction outside of the marketplace. I already received one warning for that and I have had threads deleted because of the impression that I was trying to sell something through the PPC Mac forum.

 

[Intell]

That sounds pretty awesome. Now I want one just so I can see that and do it.

You could do it with nearly any PCI based Mac. All you need is at least two large hard drives, a G4, a PCI video card, and lots of time. Leopard still likes to fuss over stupid things like the L2 cache.

 

[Cox Orange]

Even though I'm trying to sell my iBook, I'm also starting to have some fun with it and I was wondering if it would be possible to have 3 separate bottle partitions on it. ...

I did this once on a 3,5" 120GB WD 7200rpm Drive, where I put 10.4 on one and 9.2.2 on the second partition on a PowerMac G4 and I felt that 10.4 was considerably slower after that. May just be the drive and maybe other drives have a better throughput over the whole 120GB.

It would be interested in hearing, if anyone else observed that after doing multiple partitions on one drive.
I think an SSD will not loose speed.

Figured I would let you know what I have going on with my PowerMac G4 QuickSilver. I have OS 9, OS X 10.2, OS X 10.4, and OS X 10.5. I have a quadruple boot going so I win!

That is what I have in mine, but I have them that way:
1. HDD 10.4.11
2. Raptor HDD with a) 10.5.8 and b) 10.2.8 + 9.2.2 (for some reason I do not see a feelable speed drop here in all sysems)

You could do it with nearly any PCI based Mac. All you need is at least two large hard drives, a G4, a PCI video card, and lots of time. Leopard still likes to fuss over stupid things like the L2 cache.

Does that go for b&w G3s and PCI-G4, too?

 

[Intell]

Does that go for B&W G3s and PCI-G4, too?

Mostly yes. But they can't run anything older than 8.5.1. So you'd miss out on 7.5.5, 7.6.1, and 8.1.

 

[eyoungren]

The argument that you do not get the complete capacity of a drive because you have partitioned it a few times has a tenuous logic.

I get the idea, but for me, it's irrelevant. When I get a new Mac the only thing I care about in regards to the HD is the size. You can have whatever OS you want on there, you can partition a large HD in 1GB chunks if you want – I don't care. I don't care because one of the first things I do with a new Mac is either wipe the drive and install MY copy of the OS I want or I clone my old drive. I missed out on Leopard on my 1Ghz Mac for about a year because I cloned my Tiger HD to the drive.

Doing this makes the Mac mine and gets rid of any trace of the previous owner. I'll do it even if the install was fresh and I am installing the same OS. Because I want it installed MY way.

So, again, how someone partitions the drive or what they have installed when I get it is irrelevant to me.

Just my two cents here. Partition away RedCroissant!

 

[Altemose]

FINE!!!



That sounds pretty awesome. Now I want one just so I can see that and do it.



I'm aware of that but the mods here frown on even the appearance of a possible transaction outside of the marketplace. I already received one warning for that and I have had threads deleted because of the impression that I was trying to sell something through the PPC Mac forum.

Now you can look at whatever support Apple gives you. Sadly, some of the PowerMac G5s only got two OS versions (10.4 and 10.5) and they were the top of the line machines!

I have seen a iMac G3 run OS 8.1 to OS X 10.3.9. That is a classic example of "they don't make them like they used to..."