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Boot Linux, BSD, and OS X from Vista

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the by-your-bootstraps dept.

An anonymous reader writes, "NeoSmart Technologies has just released EasyBCD 1.5, complete with support for Vista, Windows NT/2k/XP, and Windows 9x/ME. EasyBCD 1.5 adds experimental support for dual-booting any of these along with Linux, Mac OS X, or BSD — straight from the Windows Vista bootloader without any additional configuration needed!" From the article: "Windows Vista's new bootmanager is a double-edged sword. It's one of the most powerful booting scripts in existence, and a far cry from the very limiting boot.ini of legacy Windows operating systems. But it overwrites the MBR without a second thought, and doesn't provide any means for users of alternate operating systems and boot managers to use their old system. That's where EasyBCD 1.5 comes in!" EasyBCD 1.5 is free.

6 of 225 comments (clear)

  1. Overwrite MBR == Urgent Patch by mpapet · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This one won't make it to the gold master.

    Kind of like stealing from a Las Vegas casino. Won't happen.

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    1. Re:Overwrite MBR == Urgent Patch by AKAImBatman · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Overwriting the MBR is reckless, it isn't their data

      In case you didn't notice, you are installing an operating system. Generally speaking, machines have always shipped with one OS to control the entire system. It is certainly *not* unreasonable for Microsoft to overwrite the MBR. Especially when they expect that their OS will be the only one. You'd have a hard time convincing a judge otherwise.

      The fact that Microsoft hasn't improved this part of the install as more hobby OSes have showed up just goes to show how little they care about letting you use your hardware as you want to use it. But they are under no obligations, especially when the installer warns you to make backups before you run it.
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  2. Why BCD? by Ash-Fox · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So... any particular reason why BCD instead of GRUB or Lilo? I don't get it.

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  3. Re:Except for the fact that... by Sir+Homer · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You don't have to respect all their wishes. What happened to fair use?

  4. Re:Surprise, surprise. by HoboMaster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've had Red Hat (years ago) completely corrupt my HD while shutting down. Obviously I should never use any Linux distro ever again!

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  5. Re:Except for the fact that... by soft_guy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Pretty much, yeah. If you're a control nazi, don't release your shit. Fuck corporations like Apple who wanna fuck the consumers up the ass sans lube.

    Apple doesn't exactly try to get people thrown in jail for doing this. Sure, they frown on people who distribute hacked versions of their OS. But, I think they are right to do that merely from the point of view that they are protecting less savvy people from fucking themselves and also making it really clear that running OS X in that manner is unsupported and therefore unwise if you are doing any work that might actually be important. But frankly, I've spoken with lots of people from Apple on the subject (admittedly they are not from Apple Legal and are not speaking officially) and they pretty all say that if you want to hack something for the sheer fun of trying to get it to work and aren't redistributing their stuff, then knock yourself out.

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