[SOLVED] Installing to Dual-Boot with Windows

[stevef]

How do I know that partition #6 is the free space? Is it automatically selected because there are already 5 existing partitions?

Choosing 'install alongside windows' is the easy option for the user and the installer generally makes sensible choices but an element of trust is involved.  The installer knows about the 5 existing partitions and tells you it is going to create a 6th so you can be reasonably sure but I don't recall that it explicitly informs you that it is going to be using the 275GB of free space.

Or would it be safer to choose the "Something else" option and use option 2 or 3? If so which of option 2 or 3 is more likely to be successful?

If you don't trust the installer, 'Something Else' gives you total control of everything.
There are so many options that opinions on what might be better/safer/more likely to be successful will differ.

There are elements in both options 2 and 3 which I wouldn't do (though I believe both are viable).
This makes it difficult to recommend one over the other.

Sorry for the short reply - I had written a more detailed response but lost it when challenged to prove I am not a robot.