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Cross Platform USB Multiboot Drive (PC/Mac Compatible)?

post #1 of 2
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I am hoping to be able to create a USB drive that I can put a few installable Linux distributions, as well as Windows 7 and Mountain Lion. I would also like to be able to add a few tools (such as Memtest86+ amongst many others).

Of course it is very easy to do just that if all you wish to do is boot into Windows, but I am finding that it may be impossible to do this for a Mac. I did successfully get Ubuntu onto a USB drive and was able to boot on my MacBook Pro. However, any other attempts at "multibooting" do not show up on my MacBook Pro when I arrive at the boot menu.

Am I correct in thinking Mac's take a GUID table instead of a MBR? If this is the case, will a PC even know what to do with a GUID table? If anyone has any experience with anything boot related and Mac's, please let us know!
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Deathstar
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post #2 of 2
I just have a set of marked USB memorysticks with different distros that are bootable. Else I use LiveCDs.

Windows 7 and OSX will NOT install on external USB HDD without some sort of hacks.


Windows doesn't support booting on MACs AFAIK, you have to use the integrated bootcamp tool inside OSX to install Windows.

I'm sorry if im ignorant, but what exactly the problem and why are you trying to boot into different OSes on this MAC?
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Optimus Prime 64
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Intel i7 930 ASUS Rampage III Extreme asus geforce gtx 590 3x2GB Corsair Dominator DDR3 1600 MHz 
Hard DriveOptical DriveCoolingOS
Samsung F3 1 TB LG BD Corsair H50 Windows 7 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows xp Dell 27" U2711 G15 rev2 Thermaltake Toughpower 1200w Modular 
CaseMouseAudio
HAF Logitech G9x Creative X-fi Titanium 
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Intel E8200 ASUS 650i EVGA 8800 GTS 512MB 8GB Corsair 
Hard DriveOptical DriveCoolingOS
Assorted HDDs None Stock Server 2008 R2 
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Dell 19" corsair 400w Old OEM case 
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Overclock.net › Forums › Software, Programming and Coding › Operating Systems › Cross Platform USB Multiboot Drive (PC/Mac Compatible)?