Is it best to use Boot Camp or Native Windows 7 on a 2010 Mac Pro with Lion?

Question

I'm wondering if there is a performance handicap when you use Boot Camp vs. the Windows 7 DVD to install directly on the hard drive? Also, can you minimize the Lion partition so it doesn't take up much of the drive? I have 4 internals and 2 eSATA externals and want to set up a dual use machine the best way possible. Windows 7 will be 64-bit. I already have XP virtuals running, so I want to have a 64 bit Windows install that uses my new mother ships resources to the fullest.
Kappy, I see you are around , can you please post your thoughts? Are you up north, or still down south sweating??
Michael

Answer 1

You don't need Lion, and I would recommend treading very cautiously with even testing it out, on its own drive also.
Mac Pro comes closest to a native PC tower as any.
It is not and does not need laptop feature and functions. But any computer motherboard needs device drivers for chipsets, just not as much.
OS Switcher is handy
AppleTimeService - would be "lost" without
Just format the drive with Windows 7 Pro 64-bit
Boot Camp Assistant 4 can download drivers, otherwise you need 10.6 DVD
BCA is one of the few ways to manage a Windows MBR, but not the only. But for most users spltting their one and only boot drive to be dual boot.
You do not need Mac OS on the drive along with Windows.
As for following directions, that usually helps, but not always in all cases.
Apple's drivers in any event don't get installed until after Windows is up and running, and the more (Apple) you add, like Safari 5.1 ( I would avoid 5.1 like the plague or at least look at Safari on Windows forum ) as it is buggy, and then all the other extras do slow things down and clog the wheels (Bonjour is talkative), and I disable and uninstall or just don't install what you don't need - especially where there is no custom install option.
After all that, Microsoft Security Essentials is a good pick, or Kaspersy 2011/2012 fine internet security suites.