BootCamp or Parallels 6? Windows 7 or Windows XP?

Hello all!
I have this question that has been haunting me for a pretty long time, but now that I got a copy of windows XP and windows 7, I've decided to ask and get rid of this dilemma.
So, first let me give you the main directions:
1- I have a 15" 2010 model, macbook pro core i5 2,4.
2- I need the longest-lasting battery life. Even if the difference is only 15-30 minutes, that's a lot for me.
3- I need windows for playing games.
Based on that, should I use windows 7 or XP, for better battery life?
How about performance, is windows XP so much faster than 7?
And finally, considering what's above, should I run windows with bootcamp or parallels 6?
Thanks!

timelover wrote:
BobTheFisherman wrote:
This is becoming very confusing given you are asking questions in two threads.
You should/can only install one version of Windows using Bootcamp. I'd go with Windows 7. If you install Windows using Bootcamp to take advantage of all the computer's resources (better gaming performance), you can then if you want install Parallels and tell Parallels to use your Bootcamp installion of Windows 7. Then to get best performance boot into Windows 7 for gaming and if you want you can start parallels with the same Windows 7 installation for running other Windows programs.
You seem to be under the impression that you need to install Windows using Bootcamp and again using Parallels. You don't install Windows twice. You install Windows using Bootcamp once then tell Parallels to use this same installation as its target OS.
Hey you were the one that told me to ask my questions over here!
True. But you continued posting over there.
I'm aware that I dont need to install windows twice. I will install it using bootcamp for gaming, mainly.
Good. XP is no longer supported by Microsoft so you won't get security updates. IMHO, install Windows 7 and move on. Windows 7 has many advantages over XP including: more secure, supported, better user interface, better networking, etc.
However, i've read that when you are running OSX and then use parallels, there were supposed to be a difference in terms of performance if you choose the "already installed by bootcamp windows partition", instead of letting parallels create it's own partition from the windows installation DVD.
Whenever you run an OS in Parallels or any other similar software such as Fusion, you get a performance hit because Parallels uses part of your computer's resources and OSx uses part of your computer's resources. For example, if your computer has 4GB of RAM, Parallels will use say 2GB for Windows and OSx will use 2 GB for OSx. If you install Windows using Bootcamp, Windows can use all 4GB of your computer's RAM.(You need to install the 64bit version of Windows to take advantage of more than 3GB of RAM.
I need to know that to make the decision: use windows XP or windows 7 with parallels, since I'd like to be on OSX but, at the same time, have the possibility of pressing a button and switching to Windows.
That is what Parallels allows. If you install Windows (either version) using Bootcamp then specify in Parallels to use the Bootcamp installation of Windows as the target OS you can be in OSx then start up Parallels showing a Windows with Windows 7 (or XP depending on what you installed using Bootcamp) running in it. Or, because you installed Windows (either version) using Bootcamp, you have the option of booting Windows natively, without running OSx at any time to benefit from the performance advantage for running games. Regardless of whether you boot Windows from within Parallels or natively, it is the same Windows installation, and associated data files, that you are running and accessing.
What's really on my mind is this: Is Seven outperformed by XP when on a VM, like parallels? If so, can Seven overcome this disadvantage by the process of choosing the bootcamp installation instead of creating a new one?
The issue is running any version of Windows in Parallels will result in less performance than running any version of Windows natively from the Bootcamp partition.
If windows XP runs smoother/has better performance, I'll go with XP. If Seven has the leverage, i'll go with it.
XP never ran "smooter" than Windows 7 for many reasons: stability, age, security, etc. etc.
Thanks

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