When I right click on the USB, the options/screen that appears must be an older version (Windows 7 laptop) that does NOT show file size or data system optionS (Fat 32 or even NTFS). Trying to format the USB will not be done either. I would gladly go thru the entire format, down loading Zorin (.iso) and processing with etcher (Rufus/Popsicle) but now the USB seems totally 'blank' when trying to be viewed/read.
Update - The Zorin 17.3 USB is good and can be read on my husband's Zorin laptop. Why my (sick) laptop will not read the USB remains the question.
I suspect there is a mismatch between in your BIOS mode and the boot mode of Live usb.
Just as mentioned here, while creating the Live usb you need to select the correct mode depending on your BIOS mode.
To check it, You need to enter BIOS look through all of its options to know whether you have a legacy BIOS or UEFI.
Depending upon what tool you are using to create the Live usb, select fat32, if there is any such options available.
If done correctly now your Live USB should listed.
Or another reason could be that your USB port is malfunctioning/damaged, you could try with another port.
If Boot manager menu is unresponsive then reorder the boot order list from the BIOS and put the USB at the top. And then try to boot, it should boot to Live USB now.
I hope you can access the BIOS using the F key. If not give this a try, when you are on the 'Minimal bash like line editing' screen type fwsetup and hit enter. It should let you inside the BIOS.
You do not need to format your stick beforehand, Rufus will do this when you recreate the stick. The entire stick is deleted and then formatted in the set format.
The PC of your man is Windows that can better handle Ntfs. Ntfs is made for Windows systems. In Linux ntfs is not the best and there are often problems with reading Ntfs or when Linux uses files together with Windows and is also saving files in Ntfs.
FYI. sandbill has previously stated that can enter BIOS by spamming [F2] on startup.
FYI. sandbill has said the PC that can read the USB is a Zorin PC. ref:
I agree, sandbill needs to find out whether BIOS is UEFI or Legacy and use the appropriate GPT or MBR option when creating Zorin Live USB. Also to use FAT32, not NTFS formatting.
My husband's laptop is also ONLY Linux (no Windows). I used Popsicle to create USB Zorin OS stick. I do have an much older other laptop that is Windows 7 and that laptop is NOT online connected. It mainly functions as music player and photo slideshow.
littlekun - fwsetup takes me to the Lenovo Utility Setup screen. I have played around with setting there, none of which has resolved the black screen . On the Boot page within that utility I have noted 'EFI' so am assuming that is the way my laptop is set up, so not MBR?
Again thanks to all for your insights and suggestions.
Yes, then you have an EFI.
Try to create the bootstick again this time with FAT32 and turn secure boot of (you can find it at security in your BIOS/UEFI). I read that for some people this solved the problem of not booting USB from their lenovo ideapad.
I am thinking that a good way to look at the problem of my laptop is like a person who has suffered a stroke. When that happens in humans, there can be disconnects between different areas of the brain. The stroke victim may be able to hear, but not understand, what is being said OR respond in a manner that communicates with those trying to help the stroke victim.
When a computer is made, there has to be a built in way for the hardware to be engaged by software that is installed at time of building so the computer can operate (via input - keyboard/software programs).
Because my laptop does respond to keyboard input allowing me to SEE (built in) utilities, it would seem to me that those 'built in' software nodules do exist. However when the 'stroke' (disk overload) happened, the integrity of the utilities may have gotten corrupted? So the question(s) now is(are) - 1) Is the BIOS 'good' (functional) and 2) IF BIOS is corrupted - how to fix or replace it?
A miracle just happened - my Zorin laptop just (self?!?) booted up! It came up to a Software Update screen with ALL of usual desktop and functions apparently A okay.
Am not going to do the 'update' at this point in time - until I can find out disk condition (Disks show 2.2% used!) and get a good backup done.
Heaven knows HOW the laptop 'self healed', but I am thrilled even though puzzled. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth!
This mystery hasn't been Solved, but hopefully not one that others will suffer from.
THANKS TO ALL HERE!! You have been a life line in my time of woe.
I am still sort of holding my breath that my laptop will continue to operate as it always did. Since I can not say what caused the 'miracle', I did want to share a few thoughts that might help others who find themselves in such a situation.
In my many wanderings through the Zorin (internal software pages), one possibility that could explain my laptop's sudden return to 'life' could be due to -
Bios Self-healing
Which was listed on the Configuration page of the Lenovo Setup Utility. How that works , I remain clueless. Perhaps some of the other members here could enlighten us?
Another thought that bothers me is the possibility that the pop-up message about my disk being 'full' could be from a virus/Trojan awaiting a 'Yes' reply to the question of did I want to delete Trash? A Yes response could have opened my computer to being invaded for seeking data that could be of value to virus creator?
I now plan on cleaning up my disks and soon after upgrading to current Zorin 17.3.
Thanks again to all who replied here. It really felt great to find that others cared enough to assist with what they could share.
If, like @Sandbill, you experienced this seeming "machine fixed itself" event, it is likely due to the timing of a cron job that cleared out just enough log space to allow boot to occur.
So, machines do not fix themselves...
But an error can be mitigated if some of the automated processes happen, in this case, to clear out older logs or jobs that allows a write to file condition permitting boot.
I highly recommend cleaning any old files while it is booting.
sudo apt clean && sudo apt autoremove
Clean logs:
sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=7d
Then you can install a Maintenance tool like Ubuntu Cleaner which you can run periodically to clear out cache, trash, Old Kernels, etc.
I prefer Ubuntu Cleaner over Bleachbit, unless you know what commands Bleachbit is performing.
Another alternative I still use are the two command lines (or similar for apt and log pruning) as provided by @Aravisian in post #70.
Important: when using autoremove, DO NOT blindly hit the "Y" key. DO first read the terminal messages to make sure you are happy with what is listed for removal,
@Jain / @sandbill When you have a stable machine up and running again and when you have created a new ZorinOS USB (FAT32) USB. I would suggest you check that your BIOS/UEFI [F2] can see that and it is listed in Boot Manager [F12] for potential future disaster recovery purposes.
Aravisian, swarfendor & zabadaddoo - + for your most valuable and heartfelt replies. I am making note of those suggestions and will put those into use soon. (I need to clear my head after all the run-around-ing that I did chasing a solution to the black screen).
Sorry for the confusion, but when my (Jain's) laptop went black screen, the ONLY way I could get into this forum was by signing up my husband's (sandbill) laptop. It turned out to be handy in that I could leave the forum's posts running on his laptop while I gave those a try on (Jain) my laptop.
THANKS!! You make this forum site the valuable one that it IS.
Guess I should have made that clear-er, but I was so freaked out about that stubborn &$(*&^%$ black screen that I felt this SMART group would be able to read between the lines . The important point is that that nasty shock is over and now the (ugh!) work begins with cleaning up files then upgrading to 17.3. I've done enough OS 'updating' to not look forward to it. (started on computers with editlin (DOS line editing) progressed thru Windows from 3.1 to I dumped Windows at 8. IF Windows had left well enough alone with 7 or XP, I'd been happy. But all the 'updates' that messed more up than helped turned me TOTALLY off Windows. Zorin is enough
. On the Boot page within that utility I have noted 'EFI' so am assuming that is the way my laptop is set up, so not MBR?
+ 
for your most valuable and heartfelt replies. I am making note of those suggestions and will put those into use soon. (I need to clear my head after all the run-around-ing that I did chasing a solution to the black screen).
All of you deserved LOTS of 
. The important point is that that nasty shock is over and now the (ugh!) work begins with cleaning up files then upgrading to 17.3. I've done enough OS 'updating' to not look forward to it. (started on computers with editlin (DOS line editing) progressed thru Windows from 3.1 to I dumped Windows at 8. IF Windows had left well enough alone with 7 or XP, I'd been happy. But all the 'updates' that messed more up than helped turned me TOTALLY off Windows. Zorin is enough