Ubuntu Installation :: Does Swap Space Need It's Own Partition?

I am using a Dell Inspiron 580 that I recently recieved as a gift. I wouldn't normally purchase a Dell, but I have no money and it my old computer was WAY past it's prime. After going through a miniature nightmare I now wonder how to create swap space for my ubuntu installation. I am running 10.04, 64 bit. I am having no problems, but I have no swap space. My computer is a new -Intel i3- with 6GB of ram; so I assumed I could worry about getting it installed, then set a swap file later. As I said, it runs well, but i don't feel comfortable with ZERO swap space.

When I installed Ubuntu I already had a problem because Dell had included 2 special partitions that are diagnostic and recovery. This didn't surprise me, but I want to make my system backup less than 100GB, so I shrank the "c:" partition to 100Gb and made the free space "storage":NTFS partition. After backing everything up (before messing with the partitions), I installed Ubuntu. Since I had created the backup that Dell asked me to (the very first time I turned the PC on) as well as my own system image I wasn't concerned.

Using GParted Boot disk I deleted the Dell "Recovery" partition and marked the "C:" drive (COS)) as active. I used a Windows 7 install disk to "repair" the bootmgr problem. Had to run "repair" twice, but it worked.

My question now is: why didn't Ubuntu installation say anything about a swap partition until I had already set up my partitions? I could easily give up a gig or two for swap space but I cannot make a swap partition unless I delete the Dell diagnostic partition (NOT the "recovery" partition; the other hidden one). I don't mind deleting the "recovery" partition because it is backed up, but I would prefer not to delete the "diagnostic/utility" partition, just in case. The 40MB is crap anyway.

It hadn't occurred to me that I would have trouble making swap space. I am used to windows (I am dual booting with GRUB BTW, if that matters) and the swap FILE doesn't need it's own partition. I understand why a separate partition would be better, but unless I can somehow create a logical/extended partition for swap, I need to know what else I can do.

I believe Ubuntu is a better system for many reasons, but little things like this do puzzle me. I am no engineer, or software designer, but I don't understand why I wasn't given an option, such as: You cannot make another primary partition; would you like to use a virtual disk/file as your swap space?"