External HDD - Boot OSX & Windows?

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White MacBook 2.0GHz CD | 2GB RAM | 80GB HDD | SuperDrive | iPod 3G 20GB
I'm planning on ordering a new 160GB HDD this weekend to replace my 80GB internal drive. I know you can boot from an external drive (or think i know), so can I install bootcamp with XP on the 80GB drive while its still in my MacBook. Then replace it with the new 160GB drive and use the 80GB HDD as an external HDD using a firewire case in target mode to select OSX or XP from bootcamp? :\

....I don't want to waste space on the 160GB HDD with Windows

Sorry if this question has been asked a million times already, but I couldn't see anything in the search results.
 
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Black Macbook C2D 2GHz 3GB RAM 250GB HD iPhone 4 iPad 3G
Last I checked, Boot Camp didn't allow you to install Windows on an external drive. Thus, it can be assumed that it won't let you boot from one either.

I know that with Parallels you can use a Windows installation from an external drive
 
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i was wondering the same thing about parallels. can you please explain how to do so. does it have to be firewire?
 
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WhiteNoiseMaker
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White MacBook 2.0GHz CD | 2GB RAM | 80GB HDD | SuperDrive | iPod 3G 20GB
Last I checked, Boot Camp didn't allow you to install Windows on an external drive. Thus, it can be assumed that it won't let you boot from one either.

I know that with Parallels you can use a Windows installation from an external drive

Sure you can't install to an external drive, but what if you've installed it to the drive before you removed it to use it as an external? :Smirk: I'm not talking about removing the drive formatting and then trying to install it. I'd have OSX on the 160GB and OSX & XP on the 80GB used as an external. I guess the only way to find out is try, I'll post back here with my results.

I want to do this because I want to ditch my Windows desktop, but I know one day I'm going to have to use Windows. I'll not be needing the 80GB drive, so I can just put that away on some shelf until I need windows.
 

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