Dual BIOS OEM Image support woes

Installing Zorin OS
1

Hey all,
I am trying to create an OEM image of Zorin OS, to install on old computers and donate them.

The issue I am facing is this, some of these do not support UEFI, thus when I try to deploy the image to that machine I get:
“Partition Table Invalid”

I do not wish to maintain 2 separate images one for UEFI and one for Legacy, I tried creating an unformatted partition and using the following command:
sudo grub-install --target=i386-pc --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda

And other suggestions online, but everything I tried I get invalid partition table still.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

2

Welcome to the Forum!

Would it be so problematic to create one USB Stick with GPT Sheme for UEFI Systems and one with MBR Sheme for Legacy Systems? I would say that this is the easiest and fastest Way to do that.

3

Hey, it's not a USB stick, it's a full OEM Image.
I customize it, with free games and useful software for kids to learn and be introduced to Linux on older machines that can't run Windows 11.

So I need to be able to use the same image for both, otherwise, each change I make I have to make in 2 images, and that becomes way too much work.

I had this working on Mint before I switched to Zorin, I just can't get this working in Zorin.

4

Oh, okay. With that I can't unfortunately help because I don't know how this works. I only know that it is possible to create a Hybrid-Image. I think, it is called Hybrid-MBR where You would have MBR and GPT in one. But how this all works ... Sorroy, I don't know. Maybe Other's here can explain that to You.

1 Like
5

Thanks for trying anyway.

1 Like
6

I noticed you are trying i386 which equals 32-bit. Try Q4OS 32-bit Plasma.

7

I tried what was suggested online, I want x64 but thought this was the only way to get both UEFI and CSM working on the same drive.

How do I set up what you recommend?

8

Creating Q4OS OEM Image

Based on the provided search results, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create an OEM image of Q4OS:

Prerequisites

  1. Download the Q4OS ISO file from the official website.
  2. Acquire a Windows machine with administrative privileges.
  3. Ensure the Windows machine has a compatible architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) matching the Q4OS ISO.

Step 1: Extract the ISO contents

  1. Mount the Q4OS ISO file as a virtual DVD drive using software like Virtual CloneDrive or Daemon Tools.
  2. Extract the contents of the ISO file to a temporary directory on your Windows machine.

Step 2: Prepare the OEM image

  1. Run the Imager setup wizard from within Windows (available for download from the Q4OS website).
  2. Follow the guide-style installer to choose the storage space for the OEM image.
  3. The installer will start downloading, extracting, and expanding the target image file.
  4. Installation takes time, so be patient.

Step 3: Customize the OEM image (optional)

  1. If desired, customize the OEM image by modifying the configuration files or adding specific applications.
  2. Note that Q4OS recommends using the Desktop profiler tool to apply the most applicable desktop profile according to your intention.

Step 4: Create the OEM image

  1. Use the Imager setup wizard to create a self-extracting installer for your OEM image.
  2. The resulting file will be a .qsi installer, which can be used to install Q4OS on a target machine.

Additional Tips

  • For a more efficient OEM image, consider using the Q4OS Development Pack to create a custom installer for your application.
  • If you need to create an OEM image for an ARM-based board (e.g., Raspberry Pi), refer to the Q4OS documentation for specific instructions.

Important Notes

  • The OEM image creation process may vary depending on the specific Q4OS version and configuration.
  • It’s essential to ensure the OEM image is properly configured and customized according to your requirements before distributing it.
  • Q4OS recommends using the official Imager setup wizard and following the provided guidelines to ensure a successful OEM image creation process.

By following these steps, you should be able to create a customized OEM image of Q4OS for your specific use case.

9

What? why are you telling me to replace Zorin? I do not want to move to another distro...

10

Because I can't find any documentation that pertains to Zorin - you just replace reference to Q4OS with Zorin. :wink:

11

Yeah, they do not work the same way in regard to OEM, but thanks for trying.