How to partition hard drive using Ubuntu installer?

[Mr. Szczepaniak]

Hi there,

Ok - This is my sort of problem.

Currently, I've a very new system - It's fast and powerful [ [i]3.2GHz Processor with HT, 1024MB DDR RAM, DVD±RW, DVD ROM, 250GB SATA HDD, 128MB nVidia 6600 PCI Express Graphics Card[/i] ], however of course from the store it came with Windows XP Home.

Now, I only have two options - One is rather simple, however involves money and little time/effort while the other involves no real money although does involve a lot of time and effort. The options are:

1) Get a second Western Digital 80GB SATA HDD and partition it into four: two for Linux, one for SWAP and one for BSD.

or

2) Partition my hard drive into seven pieces using the Partition Tool that comes with the Ubuntu Install CD.

Those are actually my only options, or of course not use Linux at all - However, I'd much rather spend the tad more on another HDD or take some time out (possibly a day or three) and try to partition my HDD and install Linux onto it.

So, I'd firstly like to know, which one should I choose?
The only reason I'm thinking about a second hard drive is because someone recommended it to me and then I thought why not since I've already spent so much on the system; it would be much easier and that way I'd not lose any of my current data. But however it costs - €70 for the hard drive and then some extra to have it installed.

However, if I should choose the second option - Could someone please give me a detailed walkthrough onto how I partition my hard drive using the partition tool on the Ubuntu CD? My hard drive is already partitioned into three parts - 117GB, 113GB and 2.5GB - but of course I'd need to reduce the first and second partition, I was thinking of 60GB and 50GB - and then with the space left over I'd do 1GB for SWAP, 53.3GB for Ubuntu, 30.1GB for another Linux and then 53GB for BSD ([i]Or about that - AFAIK my HDD only has 323.5GB as it was formatted, however the Ubuntu installer says my HDD has 250[/i]).
So if I should partition the hard drive - How do I do it? I know I firstly defragment all three partitions and also deactivate the Windows XP Rescue thing. Then I put the Ubuntu CD into the drive and go through everything until it asks me to install - I then select edit the partition tables. Then do I simply select the first drive, put new amount of space in, and do save, and then do same for the second, and then what? Will I then have 4 or 5 partitions? Then do I simply edit one and put 1GB and edit again and make it 53.3GB and then edit again and ... or what? - I was unable to find any detailed documentation on how to partition my hard drive using Ubuntu's installer - I asked on IRC and looked everywhere however was not able to find anything.

Also, the two large partitions are NTFS and the one small one is FAT32.

Thanks in advance. :)