I installed Linux Mint Cinnamon alongside Windows on an older Dell Inspiron 14-3467 using UEFI and disk partitions. Mint currently reports only about 1.7 GB of free space, and I want to use it as my primary operating system because Windows runs poorly on this laptop.
Windows appears to use /dev/sda1, while /dev/sda3 seems to occupy much of the drive. I do not remember which partitions belong to Mint, Windows, recovery tools, or personal data. How can I identify each partition and safely expand Mint without deleting something important? I would also like to know what /dev/sda3 is and whether it can be removed.
4 Answers
`/dev/sda3` could be a Windows data, recovery, EFI-related, or Linux partition; its name does not identify it. Check its filesystem, label, size, and mount point with `lsblk -f` or the Disks utility. If it contains an NTFS filesystem, it may be Windows data or recovery files. Never delete it merely because it is large or not visible in Mint's file manager. Also, deleting every partition in a partition editor would erase Windows, Mint, and all personal data, so that advice is only appropriate when intentionally replacing the entire disk after making backups.
Before changing anything, identify the partitions and their sizes, filesystems, and mount points. In Mint, run `lsblk -f` and `df -h`, or open the Disks utility. The output should show which partition is mounted as `/`, which is `/home` or swap, and which ones belong to Windows. Do not assume that `/dev/sda1` is the entire Windows installation—partition numbers alone do not tell you their purpose. Back up important files before resizing anything.
If you intend to stop using Windows completely, the simplest option is to back up everything, boot from the Mint installer, choose the option to erase the disk and install Mint, and let the installer recreate the partitions. That removes the dual-boot setup and all existing data, so it should only be chosen after confirming that no Windows files or recovery tools are needed.
If Windows has unused space, the safer general approach is to shrink the Windows partition from Windows' own Disk Management tool, then boot Mint and use a partition editor to expand the appropriate Linux partition into the unallocated space. Linux partitions that are mounted cannot usually be resized safely while the installed system is running, so a Mint live USB may be needed. Suspend or disable Windows Fast Startup first, and do not resize or delete partitions until their contents are confirmed.
If the free space is directly beside the Linux partition, expansion is usually straightforward. If another partition sits between them, it may need to be moved, which takes longer and carries more risk.
A screenshot can work, but the complete text output is much easier to interpret. You can copy terminal output by selecting it and pressing Ctrl+Shift+C, then paste it into the question.