Need help with partitioning for dual install

[6tr6tr]

I have a laptop that has windows on it (I have to keep it on there) and I want to have a dual boot. I have 62 GB of unformatted space available for the install, but I'm not sure (at the partition screen) what exactly to do. I have the below HD partitions now:

Hard Drives
        /dev/sda
                /dev/sda1        ntfs                 81909
                /dev/sda2        Extended             62667
                Free             None                 62667
                /dev/sda3        vfat                 8008
                /dev/sda4        none                 39

As far as I can tell the "/dev/sda2" and "Free" are the same thing. I want to install there.

If I click on the "Free" one and select "edit", it tells me to select a device to edit. So I selected "/dev/sda2" but here's where I'm not sure how to proceed.

1. It asks me what I want to format it as - do i have to choose Ext3?
2. After formatting that partition, do I then choose to edit it and give it mount point "/"?
3. If so, do i also resize it? Do I have to choose a specific format of ext3?
4. How do I then size "/" so that I can later add the other needed parts like "/home" and "/swap"?
5. How do i add those other parts?

Will this all ensure that it's dual booting with windows and not overwriting it?

Thanks!

[caf4926]

Ignore the free
sda2 is the same thing. You need to create logical Partitions inside sda2.
Actually sda2 itself does not hold any information, but the logical partitions you create within it do.
So in sda2 create the usual

swap (2x RAM)
/ (15GB) should be sufficient
/home (as much as possible)

use ext3 format for the file system on / and /home. swap is just swap.

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I forgot to mention - edit the partition sda1, do not format, but set a mount point as:
/WIN_XP

Oh and make sure you set the grub bootloader to install to MBR only
http://files.myopera.com/carl4926/albums/671478/19.png

[6tr6tr]

Thanks for your help! I have a few questions below:

Originally Posted by caf4926

Ignore the free
sda2 is the same thing. You need to create logical Partitions inside sda2.
Actually sda2 itself does not hold any information, but the logical partitions you create within it do.
So in sda2 create the usual

swap (2x RAM)
/ (15GB) should be sufficient
/home (as much as possible)

use ext3 format for the file system on / and /home. swap is just swap.

So should I create them in that order? In other words, create swap as the first 2GB, then "/" as the next 15 GB and then /home as the rest?

Originally Posted by caf4926

I forgot to mention - edit the partition sda1, do not format, but set a mount point as:
/WIN_XP

Two questions:
1. So, I create a mount point and name it "/WIN_XP"? Or is that a pre-set value that means something?

2. Will that make it bootable?

Thanks!

[caf4926]

That order? It doesn't matter, I just though it was easier that way.

The mount point just makes sure the XP install is mounted in suse, it will add an entry in /etc/fstab
and create a folder /WIN_XP in your files system and your XP partition will be mounted here. It has nothing to do with making it bootable.
There are pre-defined mount points eg: /, /usr, /home
but not /WIN_XP
You just type that manually
Remember the do not format radio button (should be do not by default though)