User Tip: BootCamp - Install Windows XP & then Windows 7

Question

Here is my tip for installing Windows XP in Mountain Lion/BootCamp, and in subsequently upgrading to Windows 7...
I've tried all the Virtualisation programs: CrossOver, VirtualBox, Fusion, and Parallels - and none can be called 'brisk' in their operation, so I've gone the Bootcamp route.
If you have an original Windows 7 install disk this is no problem in Mountain Lion. Unfortunately for me, I have Windows XP 32bit OEM disc and a Windows 7 64bit upgrade disc. Mountain Lion doesn't play with XP, so this how to workaround the problem (but you'll need a Snow Leopard disc)....
1) On your Mac, Insert Windows 7 upgrade disc,
2) Run Boot Camp and make your Windows Partition the size you want and complete the wizard. Start the Windows 7 installer,
3) Be prepared to burn a disc with the Bootcamp drivers for later use, for when you install your Windows 7 upgrade disc over Windows XP,
4) Restart your Mac - and after the chime, hold down the 'alt' key until you see the screen showing Mac HD and the Windows Disc,
Use the arrow key to highlight the Windows CD, then press the eject key.
5) Insert your Windows XP CD,
6) Install Windows XP,
7) When prompted, insert your product key,
8) Install Bootcamp Drivers from your SnowLeopard disc from inside Windows.
Run Apple Software Updates in Windows as many times before no more updates are available in order to get the latest BootCamp drivers.
If you're content with using Windows XP, the job is completed - save for installing your choice of software - but if you want to upgrade from 32bit XP to 64bit Windows 7....
If you insert your Windows 7 64bit upgrade disc into your Windows XP 32bit desktop an incompatible warning is given. So here's how to install your Windows 7 64 bit upgrade...
1) With Windows XP open, insert your Windows 7 disc - and ignore the incompatibility warning,
2) From the 'start' menu, restart Windows,
3) When your Mac restarts, hold down the 'alt' key until you see the screen showing Mac HD and the Windows Disc,
4) Use the arrow to select the Windows disc,
5) Choose the install option, and agree to the MS terms and conditions,
6) Your two options are to 'upgrade' or perform a 'custom install',
7) Choose custom install (this will perform a fresh install of Windows 7 over your Windows XP installation). This will wipe all your previous software applications,
8) When prompted, insert your product key,
9) Go watch some paint dry - this will take some time to complete,
10) When completed, insert the disc previously burned with BootCamp drivers,
11) The overly bright monitor settings can be altered via the nVidea control panel in Windows,
12) Install your chosen Windows programs, and you're done.
Good Luck.

Answer 1

In my original post on this subject, my Mac Mini is running Mountain Lion. Fortunately for me I also have an old Snow Leopard disc that contained the requisite drivers to install Windows XP. Without this Snow Leopard disc you will not be able to install Windows XP.
If this is your only method for installing Windows XP - and you are desperate to install Windows XP - a certain well-known auction site currently has Snow Leopard discs for a modest price.
If, however, you only need to install Windows 7 you do not need a Snow Leopard disc. Installation of Windows 7 should be straightforward and without issue in Mountain Lion.
As for running virtualisation programs...
On their own I do not believe that the current crop of virtualisation programs offer a 'brisk' experience in running any flavour of Windows on their own without 'assistance'. However, by first installing Windows in a BootCamp partition there is an advantage in then installing, say, Parallels. You then effectively link Parallels to your BootCamp partition.
Once Parallels starts for the first time it mirrors all your settings from your BootCamp partition, including all installed Windows programs. The only problem is that Windows will then think that you have Windows installed on two separate computers  (including MS Office). To overcome this you will need to call the MS freephone line to obtain the required Windows OS and MS Office code for manual entry to make the installation work as expected.
Even so, despite these installation quirks, the benefit is that you get the best of both worlds - a virtualised Windows front-end linked to a fast BootCamp back-end without having to switch between OSX and Windows.
The caveat is that you need a more 'modern' Mac with plenty of memory to make this combination fly as well compared to using the BootCamp installation alone.