Partitioning Hard Drive (was "Installing Linux OS")

Question

Dear all,
I would like to install Linux Debian on my five-year old iBook G4 in order to use it side-by-side Leopard (currently running on my iBook). I wonder if you can tell me how I could resize and partition my hard drive. I put a similar query on this forum under "Installing Linux OS":
here's the link: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2495649&tstart=0
And someone gave me directions as to how I could partition the hard drive. I followed the directions but only in the last step my computer seems to be stuck. I followed these steps without any problems:
1. Open Disk Utility and select the drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list.
2. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window. You should see the graphical sizing window showing the existing partitions. A portion may appear as a blue rectangle representing the used space on a partition.
3. In the lower right corner of the sizing rectangle for each partition is a resizing gadget. Select it with the mouse and move the bottom of the rectangle upwards until you have reduced the existing partition enough to create the desired new volume's size. The space below the resized partition will appear gray. Click on the Apply button and wait until the process has completed. (Note: You can only make a partition smaller in order to create new free space.)
When I got to step number 4 a strange thing is happening. Here's step 4:
4. Click on the [+] button below the sizing window to add a new partition in the gray space you freed up. Give the new volume a name, if you wish, then click on the Apply button. Wait until the process has completed.
For some reason my Leopard is not following through with this last step: I added a new partition in the gray space. I gave it a name but could not format it anything other than Mac OS Extended (Journaled). I then clicked the Apply button. And I waited for the process to complete. But now after 10 hours, I am wondering that maybe something is not right. I wonder if there's another way for me to do the 4th step: such as using another software besides the Disk Utility.
Any help would be most appreciated. And I really need your help! So please take a minute to write me an answer. Please!
Appreciatively,
Ron

Answer 1

thanks a lot, when I put on the new hard drive can I
put on the tab on the old one and put it on the new
hard drive so when I want to take it out I can?
because should I want to sell the laptop one day i
would want to put on the original parts.
Yes, follow this video.
http://eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/index.cfm?page=Video/macbook/macbook/high. html
-Bmer
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