Trying to install Debian, but the partitioning program reads like this:

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Partition | Flags | Type | FileSystemType | MB Used

hda1 primary Dell Utility 32.91
hda2 boot primary NTFS 41068.83
hda pri/log free space 8.23

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Have Dell and Microsoft co-opted my entire hard drive before I even got the system?!?

How do I get some of the NTFS or the Dell Utility Partition to use for my own purposes?

Thanks,

Zach

Yeah its not like fat. I believe norton ghost utility can help you.

Mandrake has an NTFS resizer, you can try parted, or there are commercial resizers that have varying degrees of success. I tried Mandrake and got one of my NTFS drives resized that way. Too bad the 'dell utility' partition is so small. One drive of mine has 4 gigs for OEM crap and I was thinking of using it, but just added a second hard drive instead. I've used parted before but on a FAT partition and IIRC, it doesn't work on NTFS. There is something called 'ntfsresize', though. Check freshmeat or sourceforge.

(Hopefully) welcome to LQ and Linux.