Bootcamp has nothing to do with Lion or Snow Leopard...Bootcamp is drivers for hardware and that is it.
Then how come the support page for Boot Camp highlights differences between Boot Camp in Lion and Snow Leopard?
So is this method feasible and solid? Installing OS X on the external drive and then using Boot Camp on that and setting a partition there?
Ok apparently the assistant in Lion supports installation from a USB drive now... Seriously, the only thing boot camp does is size and format a partition and boot from selected media. After installation you use the boot camp cd or install cd for lion/snow leopard to put on drivers for boot camp. The same thing can be accomplished by going to disk utility and making and formatting a partition, inserting cd, restarting and holding option and selecting cd. After finished you will still need drivers. It has nothing to do with the Mac OS other than that initial partition set up and restart.
So if I install OS X on an external drive, it can be identified as the startup drive and be partitioned for Boot Camp?
Why do you think you need to install OS X on an external for boot camp?
Because there is no way to install Windows onto an external drive via Boot Camp. This is why I figured I install OS X on the external first, make it my startup disc, then initiate Boot Camp on that drive and partition for Windows.
I just want to be sure it is possible and secure?
Once again...Boot Camp has NOTHING to do with the OS. Im not sure if you can install Windows over USB or even boot from it via USB. That is something you will have to try... Go into Disk Utility and format external and try to install to the USB by restarting with Disc in drive and holding option. Just by going into Bootcamp, it would not let me select an external.
Main points...
-May not be able to install over USB
-May not be able to boot over USB
-OS X has nothing to do with Boot Camp...once again
Well the deep integration with Mac is a little bothersome. If I am able to have Windows on my external hard drive solely then I'd want to utilize Boot Camp. Is there a guide on how to do that?
Don't listen to that guy. Parallels doesn't install itself "deep" into OS X, nor do you need to reinstall OS X after removing Parallels. Those are just silly comments with no factual backing. It acts like every other app out there. Delete the app and your OS image and you'll be fine.
Ok after going to class today I have a change of heart. Running a VM from an external drive in class is not going to work. I will be getting a 500GB drive instead and partition 320GB for OS X and 180GB for Windows in Boot Camp.
A question though, when I do Boot Camp, will I be able to take advantage of all my hardware? For instance, when I boot into Windows, I will be able to use all 8GBs of RAM? There will be no compromising in the hardware between both OSs? And if something goes wrong in Windows it won't affect the OS X partition?
If one OS messes up it wont effect the other side. which allows you to still have internet access if you screw up one OS you can just use the other untill you have time to restore the other.
One thing that you will want to know about backing up with bootcamp. If you're backing up to an external hard drive, you will have to make a partition for the external. This is because Windows doesn't back up to the same format as Mac OS.
I am going to be installing Windows 7 Professional 64 bit via Boot Camp soon. I am installing this on a temporary internal hard drive until Toshiba releases its single platter 500GB drive.
My question is, my school is providing me with a free copy of Windows 7 so when I install it with the product key they give me, will I not be able to use it again for the new drive?
I plan to wipe the temp drive with Windows on it once I receive the new drive. I just want to be sure I can reinstall Windows 7 on the new drive with the same product key.