Need advise regarding data backup before resizing partition

[hi_clier]

Hi,
I have a 40 GB Hard Disk that's partitioned into a fat32 primary partition of 9.75 GB and an extended partition having 3 logical partitions of types:-

fat32 = 7.06 GB
unallocated = 2.69 GB
fat32 = 17.7 GB

I want to resize the unallocated partition to 6 GB and install a linux distro on it (it used to have mandrake 9.1 on it but Windows overwrote it and now it's shown as unallocated).

Would it be safe enough to backup critical data on the unallocated logical partition's surrounding two fat32 logical partitions to the Primary partition since I don't have a CD-Writer to back them up to CDs?

Advise would be greatly appreciated since I really want to make a decent sized linux installation but am afraid of losing some data during the resizing part.

Thanks.

[Ricky]

if you have windows.. then use latest partition magic and you can easily resize ur partitions without data loss !! otherwise other way is to backup all data and then do repartitions .

[hi_clier]

Hi Ricky,
 I do have Windows but Partition Magic isn't free  
 
I would like to backup my data even if I could somehow get Partition Magic and use it.

That's what I would like to ask, that is, can I backup my data to the Primary partition where Windows is installed since I don't own a CD-Writer to take backups on CDs  

Thanks

[Ricky]

Solution in ur case is use FDisk of dos..

but before that copy all data to your primary partition. then delete ur logical partitions and recreate them. and solved

in this way you will not alter ur primary partition