dual boot with windows 7: cannot resize win7 partition

[darklord06]

hello,

I am writing this post because i would need some help regarding the installation of ubuntu 10.0.4 on my HP pavilion DV5000 laptop.
I previously installed windows 7 in my laptop and i would like to have ubuntu and windows 7 in dual boot. in order to do that i need to free up some space to be able to install to create partitions for ubuntu and the swap even if I have 30GB of unused space.

when i launch the live cD and i reach the step 4 ubuntu is actually recognising three operating systems installed:

- windows 7 (loader) under dev/sda1 (92,86GB) NTFS
- windows NT/2000/XP (which is corresponding to my "HP recovery" partition) under dev/sda2 en FAT32 (6,2GB)
- windows XP embedded (I don't unerstand what it is) under dev/sda3 NTFS (1,1GB)

when I go to the step 6 to modify the size of sda1 to free up some space, i don't have the possibility to change it, i can read "unknown" under the used space collumn.
I also tried to resize this partition using gparted but unfortunately i had the same problem, when i select it all the options to modify it are greyed out and i can notice a key near the hard drive logo (is it locked ?).

anybody knows what is going on or what I should do ?

thank you

[rcgreen]

- windows 7 (loader) under dev/sda1 (92,86GB) NTFS
- windows NT/2000/XP (which is corresponding to my "HP recovery" partition) under dev/sda2 en FAT32 (6,2GB)
- windows XP embedded (I don't unerstand what it is) under dev/sda3 NTFS (1,1GB)

For the windows XP partition, is it possible that,
when you unstalled Windows 7, you chose to preserve
an existing XP installation?

Anyway, no matter. Windows has its own facility for
resizing its partitions doesn't it? If so, that's probably
the best, or start over by reinstalling windows 7, and leaving
unpartitioned space at that time.

[devils casper]

As rcgreen already suggested, re-install Windows 7, if possible.
Or
Lets check partition structure of your Hard disk first. Boot up from Ubuntu LiveCD, open Terminal and execute this

sudo fdisk -l

Post output here.

* It's small L in fdisk -l.