After stumbling across a Gizmodo article about how easy it is to modify a Dell netbook to run the Mac OSX operating system, I decided to give it a try. The netbook I was going to modify was currently running Windows 7, and running it pretty well I might add.
I didn't want to totally lose Windows 7 so I did a little more research and found that you can actually load multiple operating systems on one computer and select which to run when you turn it on. Given this option, who would want just one?
I decided I'd triple boot using Windows 7, Mac OSX and Linux Ubuntu. I've never used Linux and probably don't really have a use for it but it's free and something different so what the heck.
Luckily I didn't hear about this mod until it was already pretty popular so a lot of the trial and error had already been worked through. Following guides in a popular forum, the install went pretty smooth and before you knew it, I had a triple boot netbook. Now when I boot the computer, I can hit any key as it's loading and I'll have a choice of running any of the three operating systems. If I don't hit a key to get into the boot loader, it'll just default boot into Mac OSX.
I guess I didn't fully research the mod before I completed it as I wasn't aware that there where still some minor issues that they're finding fixes for. For instance, in one of the operating systems, the time will be off by 4 hours. If you fix it in one OS then boot into another, it will be off in the one you didn't fix. If you fix that one, it will throw off the other again. Another issue is that the sleep mode doesn't work in Mac OS. If the computer goes to sleep in this operating system, you only have about a 20% chance of it waking up. If it doesn't, you'll have to perform a hard shut down and then restart the computer. Supposedly there are some fixes for these issues that work for some people but they involve changing scripts in places that I'm not familiar with so I'll just deal with these until an easier, fool proof option is developed.
Overall, the system is great. No matter what operating system you're in, it runs like it was made to from the assembly line. You'd never know that two others were waiting and ready.
For the most part, I've been using Windows 7 because I don't have to worry about the sleep issue. If I know that I'll only be on for a short time or that I won't be taking a break and worrying about the computer going to sleep, I actually prefer Mac OSX. I use Linux when I don't have to do anything important, just to familiarize myself with it and play around. Linux is a nice looking OS and for basic tasks it's easy enough to figure out, but you can also tell that it's ready to perform more powerful functions if in the right, computer savvy hands.
The Dell netbook is a fun little machine and has made me find myself paying attention to where the wifi hotspots are. You know, somewhere I can take a break, grab a drink, update my blog and try to justify owning a netbook. In fact, trying to find an excuse to use this thing is one of the reasons I started this blog!
I didn't want to totally lose Windows 7 so I did a little more research and found that you can actually load multiple operating systems on one computer and select which to run when you turn it on. Given this option, who would want just one?
I decided I'd triple boot using Windows 7, Mac OSX and Linux Ubuntu. I've never used Linux and probably don't really have a use for it but it's free and something different so what the heck.
Luckily I didn't hear about this mod until it was already pretty popular so a lot of the trial and error had already been worked through. Following guides in a popular forum, the install went pretty smooth and before you knew it, I had a triple boot netbook. Now when I boot the computer, I can hit any key as it's loading and I'll have a choice of running any of the three operating systems. If I don't hit a key to get into the boot loader, it'll just default boot into Mac OSX.
I guess I didn't fully research the mod before I completed it as I wasn't aware that there where still some minor issues that they're finding fixes for. For instance, in one of the operating systems, the time will be off by 4 hours. If you fix it in one OS then boot into another, it will be off in the one you didn't fix. If you fix that one, it will throw off the other again. Another issue is that the sleep mode doesn't work in Mac OS. If the computer goes to sleep in this operating system, you only have about a 20% chance of it waking up. If it doesn't, you'll have to perform a hard shut down and then restart the computer. Supposedly there are some fixes for these issues that work for some people but they involve changing scripts in places that I'm not familiar with so I'll just deal with these until an easier, fool proof option is developed.
Overall, the system is great. No matter what operating system you're in, it runs like it was made to from the assembly line. You'd never know that two others were waiting and ready.
For the most part, I've been using Windows 7 because I don't have to worry about the sleep issue. If I know that I'll only be on for a short time or that I won't be taking a break and worrying about the computer going to sleep, I actually prefer Mac OSX. I use Linux when I don't have to do anything important, just to familiarize myself with it and play around. Linux is a nice looking OS and for basic tasks it's easy enough to figure out, but you can also tell that it's ready to perform more powerful functions if in the right, computer savvy hands.
The Dell netbook is a fun little machine and has made me find myself paying attention to where the wifi hotspots are. You know, somewhere I can take a break, grab a drink, update my blog and try to justify owning a netbook. In fact, trying to find an excuse to use this thing is one of the reasons I started this blog!
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