Install Windows on partition of secondary HD; multiple users approach

Hi!
A couple of years ago I installed a SSD on my macbook pro (15", Mid 2010) and swapped the ODD with the original Toshiba HD + optibay caddy. So far it has worked great. Now I need to install a piece of ram-demanding windows only software, so I want to have a bootable windows install, no VMs.
I have spent some time googling and browsing forums and it seems it is possible to install bootable windows 7 or 8 on the secondary drive (HD + optibay), as per this thread. This is the procedure:
01) Opened the Macbook pro
02) Removed SSD from primary slot
03) Removed HDD from secondary Slot (Where The Original superdrive was)
04) Installed HDD on primary Slot
05) Installed Superdrive in its original slot
06) Installed Windows 7 with non-efi installation but through Bootcamp
07) Everything worked great!
08) Installed SSD in primary Slot
09) Installed HDD on secondary Slot
10) Removed Superdrive.
I am new to bootcamp, efi, GUID... I get most of the instructions it but I don't really get point 06. That's one thing I need to figure out.
Anyway, my question is not so much about the procedure, but it is a concept one. There are going to be two users and two OS in my MBP, so this is what I would like to achieve:
- SSD: Mac OSX for both users
- HD on optibay: two (?) partitions.
     partition 1 - Windows. Only User A will be using windows
     partition 2 - iTunes library. Both User A and B can access it. Windows can too.
                      - Storage for user A. Mac OSX (User A's session) and Windows can access it, so A can work with files in both OS, something like a NAS (?)
- Micro SD card + adapter on SD slot - Storage for User B
I don't know if this setup is possible. Maybe there should be a specific partition on HD for iTunes library. What I wouldn't like is User A having access to User B's files and viceversa. I don't know either if windows and mac could share the storage for User A, so there is no need to use a flash drive or dropbox to transfer files between OSs. Should I format HD to exFAT?
On top of it, I would like to add more ram to my MBP, up to 8GB. Should I do this before or after installing windows? Or it doesn't really matter?
As you can see, I have a lot of questions and haven't been able to find similar ones online, so I need to understand if this is possible, or what solutions are there to my requirements, and also some help to achieve it.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, any help is really appreciated.

First af all, thanks a lot for all the time you are taking to answer. As you can see, maybe this is a little advanced for me but I am trying to learn
1. SSD (Part1 = OSX).
2. SSD (Part2 = Windows).
3. HDD (Single Part = iTunes). You have to choose whether this is OSX or Windows. The two OSes cannot share library formats, but can share content.
4. SD Card (UserA).
5. SD Card (UserB).
The problem is there isn't enough space on SSD to host both OSX and Windows, that's why I need to install Windows on HD. If only I had a bigger SSD...
Also, there's only a SD slot, so I'd rather have just one SD card and not have to be swapping cards depending on the user
In point 3, I don't get why it has to be either OSX or Windows. Can I just format it to a filesystem both OSes accept and use that HD partition as "external storage". I worked some time at a company that had both PCs and Macs and all the files where stored on a NAS any computer could access, read and write. I'm trying to achieve something like that (also for the files of user A, so I can work with them no matter which OS I'm using without having to use a flash drive or dropobox)
Would it be necessary to move the whole home directory? I've been also researching a bit on this and I don't know if some of the folders should stay on SSD (to harness performance).
Are these folders "shared' or walled off from each other's access?
I mean, maybe I would just move Downloads, Images, Music and Videos and leave the rest of the folders on the SSD
It seems you want "parental controls" of some sort on UserB.
Not exactly, but I am a little concerned about UserB messing up with UserA's files and viceversa. Or if an account gets hacked, every user's files could be at risk. I don't know, maybe I am just overthinking it. In the end the most important things I need to achieve are:
1. OSX on SSD for two users
2. Windows on HD
3. iTunes on HD for both users (for windows too would be a plus, but not essential)
4. UserA's storage on HD, accesible from both OSX and Windows
5. SD for extra storage for user B
I guess all the permissions thing may be too complicated to achieve and as you can see I am struggling with this already...
Again, thank you very much for all your help!

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http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106482
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+... but when I change the iTunes media folder location to the same location as the install user's location, I get nothing. It's like iTunes can't see the data at that location.+
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Message was edited by: Katrina S.

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/dev/disk0
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+-- Logical Volume Group C36D68E8-EFC1-4B1B-BB7B-934B4CFC2C0D
    =========================================================
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Installing ODBC Drivers on a Server with multiple users.

We are trying to install ODBC drivers on our web server and want to know what is the minimum we can install and be able to add a DSN through the MS ODBC Administrator. This is a server that is used by multiple companies and we do not want to do something that will affect them.
The oracle installation does not warn you when it overwrites existing files, which is why we cannot simply install everything. For example, on my test machine it trashed the Java installation without asking or telling me. I discovered it this morning when I tried to go to a site that uses Java. That was a low risk on the SQL server, because we did not have Java installed. Other elements, though, cannot be risked in that fashion. We have to find out what files are required in order to solve the problem.
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Version 9i on a Windows 2003 Server.

1) I’m not certain about the overwrite vs separate machine. What happened is that it installed its own Java, which was much older than the Java previously installed. Following the oracle installation, internet explorer was no longer able to find Java at all, prompting for a new Java installation. During the installation, no mention was made of the changes that were being made.
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(OS X Lion) cant install windows on HD with multiple partitions

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Greetings,
Use Fusion, or Parallels. They are better for running Winblows, and you don't have to reboot in to it, you simply run Win 7 as an app. I have tried Boot Camp, a few times since it first came available, and it has always been cumbersome, and problematic, to use, and allows typical Winblows issues to happen. Running Win 7 virtual seems to not have those same issues.
Until I retire, soon, I still have to use Windows, along with Macs, Linux, and UNIX, but after that, it all goes, except for the Macs - no more headaches.
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What happens if you install Windows on your Mac partition

I'm curious, is there such a video on youtube that shows this?

Step One: backup
Step Two: read the pdf guide
Installing Windows normally partitions some of your hard drive (unfragmented contiguous free space) which Windows installs on.
There are dozens of links, articles, how to, just type into Bing. I think the ones with screen snapshots and well written tutorial are going to be better.
Apple Windows 7 installation FAQ
Install Windows 7 Mac Complete Walkthrough

How can i install windows 7 on macbook pro lion from usb?

hello am sorry to disturb you
i would like to know the above question since i have looked almost everywhere and i have received no answer
i have a macbook pro i5 with lion
i have been trying for month to install windows 7 as a secondary boot to my mac
but i haven't been able to
things that i have done
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-i have installed Reffit but i always get a flashing screen when try to load windows
please i hope you can reply me back if possible
my thoughts are
is that apple disabled the efi on lion to not be able to boot from usb flash drive
my reasoning to this is that is used to work on leopard but not lion
again am trying to boot from usb not burn a disc
please help att alcidio

Rule #1 that TP missed: ISO have to be burned at SLOWEST 2X burn speed to work.
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Boot Camp Assistant -
create a partition (done)
download Windows Support Software (drivers to install after Windows is running) (done)
Start the install and boot process - not really needed or essential
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Install Windows XP in Leopard WITHOUT Boot Camp - No More Disk Error

For those of you having problems installing Windows XP in Boot Camp because of the formatting screen never showing up and then the system restarting with the dreaded:
Press any key to boot from CD .....
Disk Error
Press any key to restart
I too spent many frustrating hours trying to find a solution that worked. I searched these threads, tried many of the solutions suggested here and elsewhere, including recreating the Windows CD without a specific file, using the FreeDOS boot CD (couldn't ever get it to work, though I understand some people have had success), Reinstalling Leopard and trying again, dancing around the laptop with incense three times counter clockwise while chanting the name of my childhood pet... etc.
I FOUND A NEW SOLUTION!!!! A much easier solution!!!!
For anyone who is having this problem and is planning to run virtualization software.
(Something that let's you run Windows from inside Leopard)
SKIP BOOT CAMP ALTOGETHER!!!
USE VMware Fusion to install Windows.
I decided to try a different approach entirely and did a completely fresh install of Leopard (not sure if that was necessary or not but with everything else I had been trying I wanted to clean it up anyhow) and then installed the 30 day trial version of Fusion w/ the unlock key VMware emailed me.
I entered my information and Windows product key into Fusion's "Easy Install" Interface, clicked install, and about 30 minutes later I was browsing around in XP.
I HIGHLY recommend this option for anyone having difficulty with the formatting screen not showing up. I have a Bachelors Degree in Information Systems and still spent the better part of 2 days working on this boot camp problem, including numerous hours with the higher tier of apple's tech support. I suspect that those of us having this problem may have an OEM or systembuilder copy of XP... but that is for Apple to deal with - not me, I have better things to do with my time.
If you are planning to run Windows from within Leopard anyhow, just buy Fusion and to **** with the hassle.
You can go to VMware's website and get a 30 day evaluation copy to see if this will work for you before you decide if you want to purchase it, they will email you the unlock key.
Best of luck, hope this saves someone some time!

For what it's worth, I've used the OEM version (copper disk), Select version (bulk license), and an NFR (partner program) version of XP Pro with SP2 and they all worked. On my MacBook Pro's I use boot camp to split the disk in two, reboot using the Windows CD, and pick the partition to format it.
Apple states that you need a full version of Windows, and the OEM versions are slightly different from the commercial versions, but both should work. On my Mac Pro, I created a 3-disk OS X RAID-0, and left the 4th disk alone. I rebooted with the Windows CD and installed Windows to the 4th disk without Bootcamp at all. Once Windows was installed, I used the Leopard disk to install the Bootcamp drivers. The Mac side has no Bootcamp installation but I can still choose between the volumes by holding down the option key at boot time or by setting the startup volume in the OS X Startup disk preference pane.
The solution to use virtualization, unfortunately, will not work for many situations where graphics are involved. Most current major products, such as AutoCAD, 3dsMax, and so forth, will not run properly or at all without specific DirectX 9 or OpenGL support. To date both Parallels and VMWare do not completely support DirectX or OpenGL.

Installing Windows WITHOUT Boot Camp

Upgraded my MB to a 250Gb HDD and now have the room to run Windows. I'd use Boot Camp, but I have the HDD partitioned in two and BC requires a single partition. Since I prefer the separate partitions, can I do the following?
1. Backup everything
2. Erase second partition and divide remaining space into two new partitions (resulting in 3) one of which is for Windows
If so, how would I install Windows on the third partition? Can I just boot of the Windows CD and be very careful to install Windows on the 3rd partition?
And yes, I have the Mac driver CD ready.
Thanks for your help

As it turns out, you don't. I simply backed my drive up, partitioned it into three, restored Tiger to Partition 1, my photos to partition 2 basically just a data drive) then installed Windows on partition 3. I can boot to it by holding Option on bootup and I can also run it in a VM using VMWare Fusion. Looks like Boot Camp is just a way to do it for those unfamiliar with partitioning, etc. I'm guessing decades running PC's told me it was doable. May also have given me somehow know-how that I applied without really thinking about it. Dunno.
Bottom line: Boot Camp is NOT required to run Windows natively on a Mac. Nevertheless, I thank you both for your comments
PS rEFIt was not necessary either

Problems installing Windows

I am trying to install Windows a partition of my MacBook Pro with Boot Camp. I got the partition created okay, and started a Windows XP Pro installation. It completed the first part (the dos-based one), but it won't boot into the Windows partition to continue the installation.
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Matt

you have to format the partition (again) from inside the windows installer.
If you don't, windows will not boot.
That step is not listed 'on screen' during bootcamp install, but is shown in the printed instructions you get when you click the 'print instructions and continue' button you see when you run the bootcamp setup assistant.

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Install Windows on partition of secondary HD; multiple users approach

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