Disappointed with fresh install of Zorin OS Core as a Proxmox VM

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1

Briefly,

I install Zorin OS Core as a VM under Proxmox. I get the machine up and running and the first thing I do is update the OS.

Then I test a critical requirement: Can Files browse my LAN and show me LAN devices. This does not work. Files lists nothing.

Then I spent hours with ChatGPT or SuperGrok trying to get network browsing to work to no avail. Around 3 hours into the ChatGPT or SuperGrok session, I start covering ground I've already covered. Nothing works.

This is the same experience I've had with Linux Mint and Ubuntu Desktop, all under Proxmox as a VM.

In all cases browsing the network from the terminal window works, but Files > Other Places (Networks) shows nothing:

michael@michael-Standard-PC-Q35-ICH9-2009:~$ avahi-browse -a
+ enp6s18 IPv6 eero                                          _eero._tcp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 eero #2                                       _eero._tcp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 eero                                          _eero._tcp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 eero #2                                       _eero._tcp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 dbeeb3e8a3f65b09                              _trel._udp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 bfc17f100dbeccbd                              _trel._udp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 83fff20e3feeb4ba                              _trel._udp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 dbeeb3e8a3f65b09                              _trel._udp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 bfc17f100dbeccbd                              _trel._udp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 83fff20e3feeb4ba                              _trel._udp           local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 eero_thread #5B09                             _meshcop._udp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 eero_thread #B4BA                             _meshcop._udp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 eero_thread #CCBD                             _meshcop._udp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 eero_thread #5B09                             _meshcop._udp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 eero_thread #B4BA                             _meshcop._udp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 eero_thread #CCBD                             _meshcop._udp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 eero                                          _eerogw._tcp         local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 eero                                          _eerogw._tcp         local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Michael___s iMac Pro                          Apple Net Assistant  local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Michael___s iMac Pro                          Apple Net Assistant  local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Michael___s iMac Pro                          VNC Remote Access    local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Michael___s iMac Pro                          VNC Remote Access    local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Denon AVR-X3700H                              _qobuz-connect._tcp  local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Denon AVR-X3700H                              _qobuz-connect._tcp  local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Denon AVR-X3700H                              _heos-audio._tcp     local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Denon AVR-X3700H                              _heos-audio._tcp     local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Denon AVR-X3700H-f86a24134e5bee4d7290da0f6f9ce2f4 _tidalconnect._tcp   local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Denon AVR-X3700H-f86a24134e5bee4d7290da0f6f9ce2f4 _tidalconnect._tcp   local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 SHIELD                                        _androidtvremote2._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 SHIELD                                        _androidtvremote2._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 SHIELD                                        _nv_shield_remote._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 SHIELD                                        _nv_shield_remote._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   _uscans._tcp         local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   _uscans._tcp         local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   _uscan._tcp          local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   _uscan._tcp          local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Canon MF450 Series                            _uscan._tcp          local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   Web Site             local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Denon AVR-X3700H                              Web Site             local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Canon MF450 Series                            Web Site             local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   Web Site             local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Denon AVR-X3700H                              Web Site             local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   _scanner._tcp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   _scanner._tcp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Canon MF450 Series                            _scanner._tcp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   _ipp-tls._tcp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   _ipp-tls._tcp        local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   Secure Internet Printer local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Canon MF450 Series                            Secure Internet Printer local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   Secure Internet Printer local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   Internet Printer     local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Canon MF450 Series                            Internet Printer     local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   Internet Printer     local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   UNIX Printer         local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Canon MF450 Series                            UNIX Printer         local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   UNIX Printer         local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   PDL Printer          local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Brother MFC-L3780CDW series                   PDL Printer          local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Canon MF450 Series                            PDL Printer          local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 2dcff321-ffb3-746d-17d2-3e14bcbf6cbb          _googlezone._tcp     local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 2dcff321-ffb3-746d-17d2-3e14bcbf6cbb          _googlezone._tcp     local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 SHIELD-Android-TV-2dcff321ffb3746d17d23e14bcbf6cbb _googlecast._tcp     local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 SHIELD-Android-TV-2dcff321ffb3746d17d23e14bcbf6cbb _googlecast._tcp     local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 MICHAEL-STANDARD-PC-Q35-ICH9-2009             Device Info          local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 MICHAEL-STANDARD-PC-Q35-ICH9-2009             Device Info          local
+     lo IPv4 MICHAEL-STANDARD-PC-Q35-ICH9-2009             Device Info          local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 MICHAEL-STANDARD-PC-Q35-ICH9-2009             Microsoft Windows Network local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 MICHAEL-STANDARD-PC-Q35-ICH9-2009             Microsoft Windows Network local
+     lo IPv4 MICHAEL-STANDARD-PC-Q35-ICH9-2009             Microsoft Windows Network local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 70-35-60-63.1 Outdoors                        _sleep-proxy._udp    local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 70-35-60-63.1 Outdoors                        _sleep-proxy._udp    local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 6C4A853F5910@Outdoors                         AirTunes Remote Audio local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 0006784BFF92@Denon AVR-X3700H                 AirTunes Remote Audio local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 8EE8C1AD7A19@Living Room (20863)              AirTunes Remote Audio local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 6C4A853F5910@Outdoors                         AirTunes Remote Audio local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 0006784BFF92@Denon AVR-X3700H                 AirTunes Remote Audio local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 8EE8C1AD7A19@Living Room (20863)              AirTunes Remote Audio local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Living Room (20863)                           _companion-link._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Outdoors                                      _companion-link._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Living Room (20863)                           _companion-link._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Outdoors                                      _companion-link._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Living Room (20863)                           AirPlay Remote Video local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Outdoors                                      AirPlay Remote Video local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Denon AVR-X3700H                              AirPlay Remote Video local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 Roku Express 4K                               AirPlay Remote Video local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Living Room (20863)                           AirPlay Remote Video local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Outdoors                                      AirPlay Remote Video local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Denon AVR-X3700H                              AirPlay Remote Video local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 Roku Express 4K                               AirPlay Remote Video local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 0006784bff92Denon AVR-X3700H                  _spotify-connect._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv6 267500ce-d9c8-5425-9575-08b864272c5e          _spotify-connect._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 0006784bff92Denon AVR-X3700H                  _spotify-connect._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 267500ce-d9c8-5425-9575-08b864272c5e          _spotify-connect._tcp local
+ enp6s18 IPv4 807529621                                     _teamviewer._tcp     local
^CGot SIGINT, quitting.
michael@michael-Standard-PC-Q35-ICH9-2009:~$
2

Welcome to the Forum!

My Guess would be that it is because it is running in a VM. I'm not really familiar with VM Run's but as far as I know it is neccessary to set up the VM for using Network Stuff.

Did You tried that from a USB Stick in Live Mode or in a Dual-Boot Configuration?

3

But the VM can see all the devices on the network from within a terminal window running on the VM, it's just the GUI Files app (Nemo or Nautilus) that can't.

And no, I have not run the OS directly on that hardware; always as a VM.

4

The current version of the file manager (Nautilus) in Zorin OS doesn't automatically scan the network for locations to connect to. You have to use the Connect option at the bottom of that "Other Locations" section, and enter the details manually. Once a connection is established, it will appear and you can access to it with one click on demand.

Newer versions will replace "Other Locations" with a "Network" section that will show available network locations. Hopefully, this will be included in Zorin OS 18.

2 Likes
5

That makes Nautilus a poor replacement for Windows File Explorer, and in turn makes Zorin OS a poor replacement for Windows, which is my ultimate objective. Everything else in the distro appears to be a suitable replacement for Windows, except this. This is a big miss.

6

Zorin is based on Ubuntu LTS 22.04. It is VERY much an LTS focused distribution, more concerned with ensuring things don't break in changes than... pretty much anything else. You might try swapping out Nautilus for another file manager and using the rest of Zorin as is (Dolphin is another), which may or may not suit you better. I'm in a similar place due to Zorin being built on an older version of a library that prevents me from switching the desktop environment to the newer versions of Plasma.

If your goal is replacing Windows and this is a dealbreaker, your realistic options are basically to try other file managers as mentioned above, or continue checking other distributions.

3 Likes
7

When only Nautilus is a Problem for You, the easiest Way would be to use a different File Manager. Nemo for Example.