On Sun, Sep 09, 2001 at 11:34:21 -0500, markemmanuel wrote:

> I'm planning on doing a clean install as soon as MacOSX 10.1 comes out.  I'm
> wondering if anyone has any opinions, suggestions, and insights on how boot
> all five operating systems (I'm planning to install two different versions
> of Linux if I can).  I'm doing this so I can play with each operating
> systems and get familiar with a couple of them.  Thanks! :)

I have installed MacOS X, MacOS 9.1, NetBSD-1.5.1 and Debian GNU/Linux
woody on my iBook Dual USB.

Mac OS X and Mac OS 9.1 share the same HFS+ filesystem (partition).

NetBSD and Debian GNU/Linux have both a small (750M) / filesystem with
native format (ffs for NetBSD and ext2 for Debian GNU/Linux).  They share a
big /home ext2 filesystem.

I have crash my NetBSD's /etc directory by editing my rc.conf under Debian
GNU/Linux :-(  So mount ffs NetBSD / in READ-ONLY under Debian GNU/Linux.

Then I have a small MS-DOS (don't laught) partition to share data between
Mac OS X and NetBSD or Debian GNU/Linux.  Mac OS X seems to not like vfat
names written my Debian GNU/Linux so mount it as msdos (not vfat) under
Debian GNU/Linux.

In order to boot Debian GNU/Linux, you must have create a small (800K)
partition that will hold yaboot (and NetBSD's owfboot.xcf).  Latest ybin
under Debian GNU/Linux will create a litle test menu (in Forth) to select
operating system.  I have change a little bit the forth code to boot
NetBSD.

NetBSD / partition must be the first partition of type Apple_UNIX_SVR2 and
must be created by Mac OS (or a patched pdisk utility under GNU/Linux).
You swap partition must also be created my Mac OS. HFS+ partition must also
be created by Mac OS.

All other partitions could be created with Debian GNU/Linux mac-fdisk (or
better the patched pdisk).


NetBSD assume that hardware clock is in GMT.  I configure Debian GNU/Linux
with same assumption.  Unfortunary, Mac OS X (10.0.4) use it as local time
(or NetBSD and GNU/Linux does not handle XPRAM GMT Delta and DST flags).

My .02 euro cents
-- 
Edouard G. Parmelan
http://egp.free.fr