Since I'm a computer major, I want to get and learn as many operating systems at home as I can.

I currently have a laptop with Vista and a desktop with XP. So I'm good for both of those. I'm ready to reformat the desktop so I thought what I'd do is create a few partitions and install XP, Linux and Mac os (not even completely sure if the latter is possible).

I'm not really sure what to do or where to start.

I have no experience at all with installing multiple operating systems on one machine. I also have no experience whatsoever with mac or linux.

Any information and/or advice you can give would be very helpful! Even a quick point in the right direction..

(The PC is P4 3.0GHz 512 MB DDR)

Well, I'm not sure about whether you can host Mac alongside all the other OSs, but I can guarantee you this....if you DO get to install Linux and OSX, well....welcome to being a MAC person lol Cause once you go Linux based, you DON'T go back!

That's what I hear

u can no doubt host mac, xp, and linux on the same hardware. though considering you're able to run vista. for just learning OS's you'd be better off running virtual server or VMware server and hosting multiple virtual clients. though unless your laptop is top notch i wouldn't advise as vm's use up resources like a real machine to some degree.

Regarding Mac OS X - forget it, you'll have to buy yourself a Mac if you want to run Mac OS X.

So that means that if you intend to install the Big 3 (*nix, Windows, and OS X), you'll have to get some sort of Mac.

As for installing multiple operating systems: my recommendation is that you always install Windows before *nix, because the Windows installer tends to wipe out the Master Boot Record, which is what Linux uses to install its bootloader (GRUB/LILO).

So to summarize the steps:

1. Wipe hard drive
2. Create parititions while installing each OS small enough so that there's room left over for your other OSs
3. First install Mac OS X (if you're using a Mac)
4. Install Windows
5. Install *nix

Lastly, GRUB or LILO which is installed by default whenever you install Linux allows you to boot any of the operating systems residing on your system, which is another reason to install Linux last (if you don't, the GRUB installer will only detect Linux).

Is there any way at all to install OS X on a pc? A few friends seem to think it's possible, but they could be wrong..



joeprogrammer - thanks for the info!

yes but it is illegal and it only works on certain machines that appear to OSX like apples developer ones

Sort of. You have to use an old prerelease version of OS X that was for the Intel Developer Boxes and build a special custom PC. Not only will the OS be unstable because this version of OS X had so many security holes (and you CAN'T update it), it's illegal. Don't do it.

like i said

So, MAC's out then

Guess it'll be XP and Linux.

What's the deal with the different Linux distributions? I'm not sure which I would need..