Alan, Thanks - that is just what I need! Now, one more question - am I doing this correctly? 1. Resized my first partition to split the drive 2. Created an Extended Partition to include all the newly freed up space 3. Created a Logical partition in the new Extended Partition that includes all the space of the Extended Partition. Formatted this Logical Partition as ext3. I can create the swap space within the Debian setup program. Or, do I make the second partition a Primary Partition and format it as ext3? The Windows XP stuff (fat32) is at the front of the drive and is still labeled as boot. Before I hit "apply", I wanted to get some feedback before I hose everything! Also, Partition Magic always changed partition sizes to remain on cylinder boundaries. It is not apparent if GParted is doing that. Isn't that important? Thanks! Mark P.S. I never would have made it through offset=nnn! On Tuesday 19 September 2006 10:45 am, Alan Pratt wrote: > Before you go that direction (which is a problem waiting to happen), > try a free program called 'GParted' - you can find it with a quick > google search. > > - alan > > On 9/19/06, Mark Phillips wrote: > > I have a new laptop that currently has Windows XP SP2. I want to create a new > > partition on the drive for Debian. > > > > My system: 30GB hard drive. Primary partition is c: with Windows XP, about 28 > > GB in size (the whole drive). I want to create a 15GB partition for Debian. > > > > I have used Partition Magic 7.1 in the past to do this, but it seems that XP > > won't let it re-partition the disk. I keep getting an error 27 - can't lock > > drive at the first step. I googled around for a work around and did not find > > a good solution. > > > > Symantek now owns PartitionMagic, has a new version, and doesn't support the > > older version. After 30 minutes on the phone and referrals to 4 phone > > numbers, I finally ended up at a number that wanted to charge my credit card > > $10 in order to connect me to someone to ask them "What is the price of the > > upgrade from Partition Magic 7.1 to 8.0?"! > > > > So, it seems that XP comes with DiskPart, a command line utility to partition > > disks. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with it and could provide > > some guidance on how to use it. I start to get worried when it asks for > > offset values. > > > > Alternatively, what other options do you suggest for partitioning my drive? > > > > Thanks! > > > > -- > > Mark Phillips > > Phillips Marketing, Inc > > mark@phillipsmarketing.biz > > 602 524-0376 > > 480 945-9197 fax > > --------------------------------------------------- > > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: > > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > -- Mark Phillips Phillips Marketing, Inc mark@phillipsmarketing.biz 602 524-0376 480 945-9197 fax --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss