repartition with qparted multiboot Linux/BSD

[sweetwater]

Hello all, whats the best GUI way for me / linux challenged / to learn how to non destructively repartition an 80gb drive that already has Suse 10.3 on it with 2gb swap: 20gb root: 53gb home partition scheme on it so far? I need details about things that may seem trivial to y'all...but
I'd like to make at least 3 more drive primary bootable partitions for more linux and bsd options and spare the existing installation.
I'm wanting Ububtu as the next installation then pc-bsd and want to repartition the easiest way.
I'm familiar with fdisk but it is destructive. I've toyed with gparted but I'm missing info. whether I have to create a separate swap/root/home partition for each install or just create an unallocated space and let os determine the rest. I'm not even sure how to ask this question because there are so many variables and trying to wade through variables wears me out.
I'm also a little confused about primary drives since I'm only allowed 4 by bios and two are already used. I would suspect that my next partition should be an extended with multiple primaries on it. Will these primaries be bootable?

I also am lost as to what to shrink and if I should delete any partitions...just confused about the whole process...anyone have a simple blow by blow link to help straighten me out?

All the tutorial and how to's I've read only deal with Windoze/different os multiboot
scenario and I'm easily confused having to translate and make accomodations. Kind of need a repartion by numbers routine... help! Thanx Mike %
Synopsis:
I need to know the best/easiest detailed way to put more boot able/usable 'Nix' on the drive without having to reinstall Suse.

[falko]

If you want to install Ubuntu, you should take a look at Lubi: http://lubi.sourceforge.net/lubi.html

Otherwise, I'd use GParted ( http://www.howtoforge.com/partitioning_with_gparted ) to modify your partitions. You don't need to create another swap partition, your new Linux installations can use the existing one. So basically, if you want to have all files in one partition, you'd have to create just one partition (big enough, at least 5GB) for each Linux distro you want to install.

[sweetwater]

Originally Posted by falko

If you want to install Ubuntu, you should take a look at Lubi: http://lubi.sourceforge.net/lubi.html

Otherwise, I'd use GParted ( http://www.howtoforge.com/partitioning_with_gparted ) to modify your partitions. You don't need to create another swap partition, your new Linux installations can use the existing one. So basically, if you want to have all files in one partition, you'd have to create just one partition (big enough, at least 5GB) for each Linux distro you want to install.

Thanx Falco,
-----------------
I chose Gparted and muddled through some repartitioning and Ubuntu installation before receiving your reply. To my existing Suse Installation I added Ubuntu by first shrinking the Suse space and then letting Ubuntu work with the unallocated space during it's install. After toying and setting up and updating Ubuntu I tried to install PCBsd next and it was not seeing unallocated space so I tried setting partition size and formatting it and setting flag as boot and the space is still not seen by bsd installer.
My current disk drive layout:
/dev/hda1-Suse linux swap 2gb
/dev/hda2-Suse Linux root 8gb
/dev/hda3-Suse Linux home 12gb
/dev/hda4-EXTENDED 52.52
/dev/hda5-Ububtu ext3 15,53gb
/dev/hda7-space set aside for bsd 18gb
UNALLOCATED SPACE
/dev/hda6-Ubuntu swap 2.19gb]

I saw something about bsd liking primary drives; do you suppose this could be why it's not seeing the space? Otherwise just looking for direction to getting gparted partition hda7 to accept bsd.
One other thing I noticed awry is my root login password does not work but trying user password as root does. Do you have any suggestions please thanx Mike

[falko]

Originally Posted by sweetwater

I saw something about bsd liking primary drives; do you suppose this could be why it's not seeing the space? Otherwise just looking for direction to getting gparted partition hda7 to accept bsd.

Can'T say much about this as I'm no BSd expert...

Originally Posted by sweetwater

One other thing I noticed awry is my root login password does not work but trying user password as root does. Do you have any suggestions please thanx Mike

Are you sure that root and your normal user have different passwords?