Reinstall same Thinkpad Windows 7 to smaller partition? [ Edited ]

[usul]

Hi, I'd like to partition my hard drive into OS 1 (Windows 7), OS 2 (Linux of some sort), and Data. I have a new Thinkpad x220, clean (just the factory Windows 7 installation).

My question is, how can I do this and still get the same install of Windows 7 that I currently have? That is, I want to keep the Lenovo tools and drivers -- ideally, I'd reinstall the factory Windows 7 that came with it, but to a smaller partition.  If I try to use Windows' "Shrink Partition" tool, it only lets me shrink to about 150 GB (on a 300 GB HD), even though only 23ish GB are in use. I tried turning off the paging file, but it didn't really help.

Can I use an external (free) tool to shrink the size of my Windows installation?  Or use the Rescue/Recovery feature to reinstall to a small partition on the hard drive? What solution do you suggest? Thanks for any advice and answers!!

[JDay]

Defrag the drive before you resize it and you will be able to use more of the drive. You could also delete the recovery partition after you burn the recovery disc set and just use that.

Edit: Forgot to add that you can use the Windows partition for data storage since Linux has no issues with writing to NTFS patitions anymore.

[JUPITER23]

I am trying to do the same thing.   Defragmenting does not help because it seems like there are 'unmovable' files.  I am thinking about reinstalling Windows, but it's a bit complicated with no DVD drive.

[x220forMe]

usul, JUPITER23,
I guess after reinstalling you can get the same situation.
JUPITER23 is right - there are the area for storage of shadow copies which can't be moved. Take a look at event 259 in Application events log and find that files.
Nevertheless you can move that files yourself.
Also take a look at useful info in Help for Disk Management Console.