I have a Dell Latitude E6420 laptop.
In July I decided to install Zorin 17 Core to dual boot with Windows 10, with Zorin as the default boot OS.
Yesterday when I switched on the laptop, the Zorin logo appeared, then the word ZORIN, then the screen wet blank.
I waited a few minutes to see if anything would happen but the screen remained blank.
I keyed CTRL +ALT + DELETE. The Zorin logo flashed on the screen, the system closed down then reboot started with the same result as described above.
I ended up abandoning my attempt to use the laptop.
Today I switched on the laptop and the same failed boot occurred again.
I keyed CTRL + D and three lines of text appeared on the screen. Unfortunately I can’t upload a photo of the text here.
I keyed CTRL + ALT + DELETE, the laptop restarted and Zorin booted.
I like Zorin 17 and the software that came with the installation, and ultimately I hope to remove Windows from my laptop.
If I had hair on my head I would be a silver surfer. I am not confident when something goes wrong with technology.
I would be grateful if someone would advise me, in simple terms, if there is anything I can do to prevent the failure of Zorin to boot happening again.
As a complete noobie too, if I were you, I'd run the sudo Terminal commands to update, then upgrade. If you haven't used it for a long time, then it might be missing something important.
I'm sure someone else will give you a better reply soon, but doing these might help and won't harm anything.
I see that laptop has Nvidia graphics.
Graphics:
Intel® HD Graphics 3000
NVIDIA® NVSTM 4200M Discrete Graphics
If you were running Z17 Core OK until yesterday, maybe there was a Software Update that has upset things. i.e. a linux kernel update.
But sometimes Windows can cause issues.
Are you able to get into your BIOS and check that the boot order is still correct?
Is the screen totally black without mouse cursor or anything showing?
EDIT: I missed this line from the OP, and thought you were still stuck with a black screen.
Have you done a few boot cycles to check consistent boot to your grub menu and from there can choose Zorin or Windows?
Thank you for your response.
I run the update tool and install any updates that are available every time I use the laptop. Is this what you mean by the sudo Terminal commands? I apologise for my ignorance of the terminology used by Linux. I have a lot to learn.
Thank you for your response.
Yesterday I had no problem booting Windows.
Since your reply I have booted into both Windows (once) and Zorin (3 times) without problems (other than WiFi not working in Zorin).
Zorin is still the default boot in the grub menu. Thanks to you I now know what the grub menu is.
Suggest you create a separate thread for your wifi issue, if not done already.
Good to hear you can now boot OK.
Thanks.
WiFi problem will be the subject of a separate thread.
The Software Updater is the graphical Equivalent to the Commands. So, this is okay this Way. By the Way: the Command is sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
Hi PRH, no they're not the same, as @Ponce-De-Leon mentions here: Confused by unstable Zorin 17 Core Boot - #8 by Ponce-De-Leon
Here's a link to a short video that you can watch which shows clearly what to do, although it's a good idea to first search "Terminal" and pin it to your dash. Once you're more confident, you can use short cuts from the keyboard.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2crMA6BPUJk
P.S., Zorin_OS is based on Ubuntu, so the commands in the video work with Zorin.