DELL Computer - Zorin 18.1 Pro - Stuck in GRUB on attempted Install. What now?

Installing Zorin OS
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I'm having trouble installing - Zorin 18.1 Pro - on a Dell computer. The closest I can come is that it boots to a - GRUB>_ - command line. I don't know where to go from there.

Do I need - Secure Boot - On or Off?

Shouldn't there be a file that Auto-Starts on Install, and how do I get that to Auto-Start?

I did get it to start once on my other computer which is an iBuyPower ASRock Mb with a Ryzen 3. I selected the - TRY - so I could get a sense of how Zorin worked. But... I can't get that to happen again. (so far)

I've looked through the Zorin OS USB drive and I don't see anything that I would consider an Executable file.

I'm stuck at the - GRUB>_ - commend line? Where do I go from there?

2

Questions that will help forum participants advise you:
Are you trying to dual boot with windows or are you intending a full replacement?
What tool did you use to create the USB bootstick? Did you use GPT or MBR format?
Is your BIOS UEFI or is it Legacy?
Did you do a checksum on the iso file you downloaded.
What exactly is the process/sequence of steps that gets you to the grub prompt you describe?

As to secure boot, I have always disabled both it and fastboot but some have said that you don't need to do that with Zorin 18. You do seem to have been able to get some sort of a boot to happen from your usb stick.

The try/install process should start automatically but you won't find an exe type file just the iso you downloaded.

3

Hello,
Could you provide us what Dell it is.
For secure boot did you install with or without ?
As @NickS asked "Is your BIOS UEFI or is it Legacy" ?

4

I will answer tomorrow with tomorrow details. Thanks!

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Here is my basic Computer Info -
Dell Inspiron 3650
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6400 CPU @ 2.70GHz 2.71 GH
8.00 GB
64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Windows 10 Home
Installed - 5/23/2026
Secure Boot - Enabled
Secure Boot Mode - Standard

I think the install date reset while I was screwing around with the computer.

I am intending to do a complete over-write install of Zorin. This is my secondary computer that I haven't used in years, and I decided to covert it. No Further need for Windows.

I used - RUFUS (4.13.2316) - to create a Bootable Zorin USB and it worked once on my main computer in the TRY mode. I think I used - GPT - format.

I did not do a checksum on the Zorin download file, but I got it directly from Zorin so I didn't think there was any need.

BIOS - I see no reference to UEFI in the BIOS. So ... Legacy?

BIOS are 2017 - American Megatrend 3.9.0

I don't think I see any ISO files on the USB Install Drive, lot of other files though. I do have the Original Zorin ISO file on my Primary Computer along with RUFUS.

In the - G:\boot\grub\x86_64-efi\ - I see lots of - ls - and - mod - files.

In the - G:\casper\ - I see lifesystem... and flatpack... files.

In the - G:\distro\ - I see folder for - noble - stable - unstable - Under those are folder for - binary-amd64 and - binaryI386 - in the three folders (nodel-stable-unstable) all have version of the same files.

The -G:\efi\boot\ has 4 EFI file - bootia32, bootx64, grubx64, and mmx64.

In the root - G:\ - are two - autorun - files - autorun.ico (34,494)- and - autorun.inf (234).

The - autorun.inf - was apparently created by RUFUS, and contains -

[autorun]

icon = autorun.ico

label = Zorin OS 18.1 Pro 64bit

Tomorrow I'll play around with Secure Boot and FastBoot, and see what I can come up with.

Hopefully, I've provided some helpful information.

6

If you don't have UEFI and only legacy you need to write your ISO in MBR Partition scheme and make a fresh install

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1 Like
7

Disabling Secure Boot would be a good Idea, too.

1 Like
8

OK, thanks. That should be easy enough to try.

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Will try that first. If that doesn't work, I'm try to remake the USB Boot using MBR Partition.

11

but @Ponce-De-Leon is right you need to disable secure boot

13

Thank you all for your Help!

I got Zoron 18.1 Installed, or rather, it is installing right now.

First, I did have both UEFI in the BIOS. I switched it to LEGACY.

Second, I turned off Secure Boot.

Third, created a new RUFUS USB Boot Drive using MBR rather than GPT Partitions.

And the Install went pretty smoothly. Not sure which of these made the difference, but on his final try, the install went easily.

Again, thanks to everyone who tried to help, putting the bits and pieces together got me right where I needed to be.

I can't thank you all enough.

4 Likes
14

Great :wink:
Don't forget to mark the topic as resolved :wink:

15

Uh... How do I mark it as Resolved?

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on the person who gave the correct answer should be a solution box click it....Thanks

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I remarked Your Post as Solution because it summarizes the Steps that You took to get it work.