[chicknlil]

I took a quick skim through some of the threads in this forum, but I'm not sure any of them will quite suit your desires. At the very least though, I'd suggest looking at the mechdrew guides (the multi-boot ones are here) and perhaps they'll put you in the right direction.

As my mini is dualbooting SL and 7, I suspect I'm probably not the best person to offer further assistance.

[ofey]

@chicknil: I have to say that link to Mechdrew is a godsend! Thanks. Much reading to do tonight!

So I've scanned through the guide already.

With my noob status, which is better? GUID or MBR?

[ofey]

Ok so I followed the Mech Drew instructions and was attempting to set up the Install USB.

I had a 10.5 Leopard DVD and a Kingston DT101 II Media 8GB Data Traveller as my USB and after about 20mins I got an input/output error.

Any advice here?

[chicknlil]

Try again - that guide offers several methods for trying to get the OSX media onto the flash drive. For whatever reason, it doesn't always like to work, even if you do your part flawlessly. So try again, or try a different method. You may well get better results.

[ofey]

Right I've now noted new problems.

I've followed the MechDrew guide and set up for GUID. I've now got Mac OS X 10.5 on. It starts up but noticed there's no sound (no output device in system preferences)

I've also tried to install the MacOSXUpdCombo 10.5.8.dmg and put it onto another memory stick but it won't mount... .
Console message says= ImageMounter[192] load_hdi: timed out waiting for driver to load


Update:

Originally Posted by 00cho

I had the exact same problem. I did follow the instructions melkort reiterated. I used Mechdrew's page and followed it carefully 3 times and had the exact same problem until I found this thread. Then I followed oioaoi instructions for modifying com.apple.Boot.plist and it worked fine.

It would seem to be an error in the com.apple.Boot.plist to still list "mach_kernel.10.5.6" after I just upgraded to 10.5.8. Is NetbookInstaller supposed to change that?

Overall, my install went pretty well. I experienced a problem trying to mount the MacOSXUpdCombo10.5.8.dmg ".com.apple.DiskImageMounter[327]: load_hdi: timed out waiting for driver to load", but this was solved by mounting the dmg on another mac and copying the .pkg file over instead. Also, the bluetooth menu is still showing a greyed out "Bluetooth: On" indicating no software control of the on/off function.

Now on to fix bluetooth and that annoying trackpad.

Many thanks to all who's efforts made this process possible. (hopefully no bothans died :-p)

00cho

So apparently I've solved the 10.5.8 upgrade by opening up the dmg on my mac then putting the pkg file onto the dell.


Update again:
Now my new problems are:
a) Still no sound - FIXED
b) No Bluetooth (Same problem as above) - FIXED

Now. I've reached the end of Mechdrews guide (GUID method).
I've installed Windows XP using the restore CD provided by Dell and an external DVD drive.
So I boot back into the Mac OS X installer and issue the commands in step 18:

fdisk -e /dev/disk0
fdisk: could not open MBR file /usr/standalone/i386/boot0: No such file or directory

I ignored that and proceded on.

On quitting the Mac OS X installer, I can't start either OS. The problem?

Non-system disk
Press any key to reboot

I press a key and it keeps repeating ad infinitum ad nauseam... .

Update again
So I re-ran the NBI to install Chameleon.
Now I can start Mac OS X

but doesn't give me a choice to start Windows XP


In addition
a) How do I get a command(i.e. Apple) key? The windows key on the keyboard doesn't do it
b) This Trackpad is pissing me off!! Argghhhhh

Anyone have suggestions?

[ofey]

So in short, I followed MechDrews install guide and have Mac OS X 10.5.8 and Windows XP from the restore CD.

I followed mech drew to the letter but I can't start my Windows XP partition. It has a Non-system disk error.

How do I solve this?

To add to this:
1. The XP install never completed. Installing reached the first reboot and didn't continue. It just tried to restart the install all over again

Further questions:
1. When I close the lid in Mac OSX, this hangs the whole machine. When I reopen the lid, I'm hung at the time I closed it and neither the keyboard nor mouse works
2. Trackpad is causing me real problems to use. Any fix?
3. Can I re-configure the Windows button as the Command (Apple) button?

Hope someone can help soon... .

[ofey]

Christ almighty! That MechDrew guide isn't as straight forward as I thought. Lots of jumping from link to link.

Anyways. I've got the 10V to dual boot Windows XP and Mac OS X 10.5.8. So success!!

The new questions I have:
1. Trackpad - somekind of improvement?
2. External monitor
3. Reconfig Windows button to be the Apple button?

Anyone?