Partitions in Windows/Ubuntu

Question

I created a partition in Windows 7 in anticipation of installing Ubuntu 16.04 to run as dual boot system. While installing the OS I chose the automatic option instead of the DIY path. Both OS's are running fine but Ubuntu created a 5th partition (very small) and the one I created with about 60gb seems to be empty still. Can I delete that partition? Will the balance go to the C:\ drive? Should I start all over and let Ubuntu create the partitions? Does Ubuntu require its own partitions?

Model: ATA WDC WD1600AAJS-7 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number Start   End     Size    Type     File system   Flags
 1     1049kB  12.6GB  12.6GB  primary  ntfs          diag
 2     12.6GB  14.7GB  2140MB  primary  ntfs          boot
 3     14.7GB  94.7GB  80.0GB  primary  ntfs
 4     94.7GB  160GB   65.3GB  extended
 5     94.7GB  156GB   61.6GB  logical  ext4
 6     156GB   160GB   3721MB  logical  linux-swap(v1)
tim@tim-ThinkCentre-M58p:~$

Answer 1

First, count yourself lucky. Creating partitions for Ubuntu using Windows tools is a Bad Idea (note the i-caps)! As often as not, that results in converting the disk from a regular plain MBR setup into an LDM configuration, which Ubuntu can't use directly, so that then creates a need to fix the problem using third-party Windows tools. All this juggling also increases the risk of damage to the disk. In any event, you seem to have avoided that trap.

Given your partition table (which I've reformatted for legibility -- what you posted was reformatted by the forum software into a virtually-unreadable form), your partitions seem to be:

1. Unknown, but probably needed by Windows
2. Windows boot
3. Unknown
4. Extended -- do not delete!
5. Ubuntu root (/)
6. Ubuntu swap

You'll have to investigate for yourself what partition #3 is; that can't be determined from parted output alone. If it's an empty partition, you can delete it and expand/move other partitions to fill the resulting empty space. There are quite a few questions and answers here about how to perform such tasks, such as:

• How to extend my root (/) partition?
• How to resize partitions?
• How do I resize partitions using command line without using a GUI on a server?
• How can I increase a partition's size?
• How can I resize NTFS partition in GParted?

Answer 2

I see that the 60 gb partition is lying dormant. Since it is immediately after the C: Windows partition, it is possible to extend the windows partition and merge the 60 gb to it. I would recommend you to do this in Windows. Boot into Windows and open disk management. Right-click on the C: drive and select extend partition. Then follow the wizard to extend the partition.

You could follow these steps.