Adding gigs to XP drive from linux partition

[Dswissmiss]

I've tried finding an answer to this question by searching older posts, but coulndn't find anything specific enough, so..

I have Xp on C: (7 gigs) files on F: (50 gigs), and linux on another partition (15 gigs). I want to add space to my F drive by making my linux partition smaller by 5 to 10 gigs or so, what is the easiest way to go about this. Are there any free programs I could use, either on windows or linux?
In case you're curious, I haven't yet become comfortable with linux, so I never really use it often, and I need more room to store my files. I have heard that the next version of Knoppix will support writing onto NTFS, so if I ever do start using linux regularly, I want to have a small partition for windows (games) another small one for linux, and a large one for all my files, which I would like to be able to view from both OS's.

thank you
Dswissmiss

[bigandy]

I don't know about any free programs, but you may want to check out PartitionMagic (for Windows). I have a copy of it and it's great for resizing/creating existing partitions. You can use it to change the size of Windows or Linux Partitions.

[Dswissmiss]

Ok, I got PartitionMagic, and after checking my linux Ext3 partition, it finds this error : error #1200, ext2 filesystem is corrupt.
I don't have any files on that partition, so should I just delete it, and leave it as free space for when I decide to install a new distro? Would that get rid of the problem, and do I need to delete the swap partition too?

thank you
Dswissmiss

[kilgoretrout]

If you don't care about what's on the partition, just delete it with PM. By the way, PM sucks on linux partitions and frequently gives erroneous error messages and screws up linux partitions if you let it do anything. A free alternative can be found on the System Rescue cd from partition image. The iso can be downloaded here:

http://www.partimage.org/

After burning the iso, you just boot off the cd which loads a linux OS into ram like knoppix. When you eventually get to a command prompt just type:

# qtparted

That will bring up a graphical PM clone, qtparted, that works well on linux partitions.

[Karnevil9]

If that is the ext where your linux OS is, don't delete the swap file. Linux does use a swap file, as well as is root file.