Using primary drive as boot disk for Windows installation

Hi, I was trying to think up ways that I can install Windows through Bootcamp on my secondary drive (HDD) because I have already tried using an external optical drive with no success. Even using ReFIT, my computer would not recognize the disk before fully booting to login screen. A thumb drive wasn't successful either. I've read somewhere that the Pro's do not read the USB bus soon enough through the start up process in order to boot from it.

So, I'm wondering if I can move the Windows 7 DVD data onto my primary drive (SSD) at the root of the drive, boot into the Windows setup that way, and install onto the HDD. My guess is no but I am not certain.

I am really trying to avoid having to install OSX onto my secondary just so I can remove the primary and install the old fashioned way.

Also, sorry for my lack of knowledge in this area but, does a drive WITH OSX have to be installed in order to successfully install Windows? Because if not, I suppose I can just pull out the SSD (with OSX) and reinstall the superdrive to set up Bootcamp.

TIA

bump..

Okay well since no one had anything to say about my questions, I decided to just try things out.

I removed my primary (SSD) and put my secondary (HDD without OSX) in the primary spot, and put my superdrive back into the optibay. It turned out that the MBP does not require a drive running OSX in order to install Bootcamp. The install went perfectly, and when setup was done, I just put the two hard drives back where they belonged and everything worked how they should. It was a lot of work, but hey, it works.