Creating a Windows XP partition without a Windows 7 install disk?

[Canama]

I'm having a problem: I want to create a Windows XP partition on my computer, which is running Lion, but Bootcamp now only supports Windows 7! All of the workarounds I've found involve using a Windows 7 install disk, which I don't have and am not willing to buy.

So: Can I go into Disk Utility, create a partition from there, and then install XP onto it? Or is there some reason that that won't work. I haven't found anybody commenting on doing that, so I want to confirm that I'm not about to make a horrible, horrible mistake.

Thanks for your time!

EDIT: I should specify that I'm doing this for gaming purposes. A VM ain't gonna cut it (and yes, I have tried).

 

[SDub90]

If I remember correctly, the last time I installed XP on a mac, I just used boot camp to create the partition, then when it came time to insert the disc I just manually booted it to the XP disc rather than having boot camp set the boot device.

Edit: Just asked on the MR IRC channel, what I stated no longer works.

 

[mackmgg]

You can download the Windows 7 ISO from Microsoft's site, that's probably the easiest way to do this. You wouldn't have a serial number, so you couldn't actually install it, but that would be enough to get Boot Camp Assistant to make the partition for you.

Edit: Forgot the link, here it is.

Edit 2: Also, don't do what you originally stated. Creating the partition in Disk Utility will not work.

 

[Canama]

You can download the Windows 7 ISO from Microsoft's site, that's probably the easiest way to do this. You wouldn't have a serial number, so you couldn't actually install it, but that would be enough to get Boot Camp Assistant to make the partition for you.

Edit: Forgot the link, here it is.

Ahh, this should do nicely. Thanks a lot!