Multi-partition drive cloning.

Hello folks. I have an issue that is somewhat new to me.

I'm typing from a Windows Server 2003 machine now. it has a single physical drive, ~160 GB., split into two partitions:
The system partition is 38.3 GB and is 49% full.
The data partition is 108.5 GB, and is only 6% full.

What I need to do, is

• backup the entire installation to an external drive
• then wipe the server drive and divide it into two partitions (about equal size ideally.)
• install debian into one partition
• Restore the windows server installation from backup, into the other (presumably subdividing that into two)

i have an idea of how to do this, but the multiple windows partitions are problematic to me. Can anyone provide some advice on possible things that could go wrong? is it feasible to do ?

At the moment I'm planning to use Microsoft's Backup Utility for Windows, which is already installed. But if there's a better application for the job (that won't cost anything!) I'd be glad to know.

As can be seen from the figures, there's a lot of free space. Can that be cut out of the backup, so that when restored the files can fit into appropriately smaller partitions?

 

Agree - back up the system before messing with it.
But I'd image the full drive using Ghost, you want to go free maybe http://redobackup.org/ might work.

Then I'd copy the info from the data partition to the system partition then use Partiton Magic, but you want free so try
Parted Magic
or maybe Partition Logic

Delete the data partition, resize the system partition if needed, and then let Linux part the space when you install.

Not wiping the entire drive out. But I'd also google dual booting Linux with windows server installed to make sure this doesn't mess up the boot, etc.

I've moved, resized, deleted & created partitions on drives before but I've have Partition Magic forever never had any issues - knock on wood.

 

Also worth a mention for partitioning:
http://majorgeeks.com/GParted_Live_d5757.html