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Running Multiple OSes on Macs?

Posted by Cliff on from the we-don't-usually-get-many-Mac-questions-around-here dept.

raist_online asks: "My boss has just received a new iBook and asked me to sort out a multi-OS install. I'll admit to being a PC hardware person primarily. If it was a PC-based machine I'd install Linux as a base system, then put Executor on for Mac emulation and VMWare for other PC hosted OS's, but I'm sure there must be a better way to handle the Linux / Mac thing with OSX around (I'm just not sure what that is) and I know that VMWare only runs on PC processors (Intel and Athlons). So, what do you suggest? Yellow Dog or Mandrake Linux? OSX or Executor or what? Is there a virtual PC I can use? For our research, the more operating systems we can get onto this one machine, the better!"

4 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. Virtual PC by TTop · · Score: 5, Informative

    Virtual PC will run both Linux and Windows flavors in a Mac "VM" so to speak. I haven't used it myself, but I've read that it's pretty nice.

  2. It depends, but you have options by gordguide · · Score: 5, Informative

    The first thing you need to do is create separate virtual partions. This makes everything that comes next easier.

    OSX on one, OS9 on the other, Linux on the rest is one way to go.

    A lot of Linux/UNIX can run in OSX, including Xwindows.

    Virtual PC is a reasonable option if you need Windows compaibility. Go with YellowDog Linux (or Mandrake, Debian, FreeBSD, etc) if you don't.

    Some HD space would be nice, but not absolutely essential.

    I currently have OSX/OS9/YDL 2.1(2.4.10 kernel) running native and Win95/98/XP running via Virtual PC5 (connectix). Works fine.

  3. Debian + Mac OS (9, X, or both) install guide by raulmazda · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://people.debian.org/~branden/ibook.html

  4. Might one ask why? by Toe,+The · · Score: 5, Informative
    Partially out of curiosity and partially because it could result in better answers to your question... why does your boss want a kajillion OSes?

    With multiple partitions, she/he could boot into any OS. The advantage is that each OS would run at full power, the disadvantage is that all Windows and many Unix flavors would be unavailable.

    With VirtualPC, they could run pretty much any OS. And they could have a multitude of OSes running in different windows at the same time. Last VPC I used was version 2, which was good. Version 5 is supposed to be phenomenal.

    But there could be different options which would be more appropriate depending on what he/she is trying to accomplish. Is this just a power trip, or is there a serious reason for this?