This laptop was set up as a dual OS set up with Windows 7 and Linux Mint (then) 17 + an 'OS Share' partition where I could transfer files between Windows and Linux. A few months ago the Windows 7 OS went flaky, not operating at all. I had updated to Linux Mint 19 along the way and with that soon to be unsupported, would need to update to either 20 or 21. I do NOT enjoy updating - done it toooo many times gnashing teeth and pulling hair all the way (lol). So I thought, hey why not try Zorin (on new Lenovo) laptop and not mess with a Linux update. (easier to load an OS than update
So now I want to add Zorin to the old ThinkPad but I don't want to wipe the wrong partition! I am thinking that dev/sda2 is the Windows 7 partition and that dev/sda6 is the Linux OS with dev/sda5 the (Linux)'swap' partition. IS THAT WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE TO ANY OF YOU?
@mohawk - I am clueless about Clamtk, will look that up. It pretty unlikely that the Windows has a virus because I never had it 'online' (internet connected). I mainly used Win7 for a couple of programs that I couldn't do in Linux.
The reality is that Win7 was 'updated' to DEATH and always flaky anyway. I have an old Toshiba laptop that also has Win7 so do have access to the few programs that I prefer Windows for. The Toshiba is OK as long as I Hibernate it each time instead of shutting it down.
Long story short - I'd really rather have Zorin on the Thinkpad so wiping the Win7 partition and replacing it with Zorin would suit our use fine. Just want to make sure I bonzai the Win7 and not the Linux Mint!
actually win 7 was one of the better. vista was the worst IMO. In the long run grab an ssd for your device and just put Zorin on that and keep ur other drive in case you need to go get a file which you can get a drive enclosures. I say that because I have a vista and win 7 laptops with mint and Zorin....I dont use the minty laptop. get away from 2.5" hdd's. It amazed me how much life Zorin Lte and a ssd upgrade made for my older machines that now have a new lease on life. Iv even been able to revive the Factory batteries.
I know mine is outdated. That's for another day. but make sure you check the settings I don't think any of these a per-selected.
While Win7 was good enough, I'd go back to XP as the best so far. The biggest problem with Win7 was so many updates that they started tripping up the OS. Too many patches on the same tire!! (IMHO)
Thanks for those instructions zaba, but I still would like to replace Win7 with Zorin! Am I correct that dev/sda2 (see first post here) is the Win7 partition?
Yes sda2 is the Windows Partition - you could also get rid of sda1 which is the Windows System reserved area. I know what you mean about Windows 7. When I was working I took advantage of the subsidised Windows 7 Ultimate. About 6 months before end of life a 'security roll up' screwed up the updates so I never installed it as it always screwed up Windows 7. When you install Zorin, do a manual install. I would aim for 30 Gb as '/' and then the rest as '/home' - make sure that '/' is flagged as bootable (boot) on the flags bit. I would also second the idea that you would be better getting something like an M2 SSD which is what I did on an old Dell Latitude E6500 and increased the RAM from 2 Gb to 8 Gb. Sadly I could not get Zorin Education to play nicely on it and had to resort to installing Windows fx. The only issue with putting Linux on an SSD is that you can't update the firmware as they are dependent on Windows - well Crucial is anyways. Don't know about other manufactureres. I would avoid the PCIe NVMe type of SSD as a member of the local Linux User Group did on his notebook and it cascaded all the time rendering the SSD useless.
They may have sorted this out now, Samsung were notorious for cascade issues. I prefer the ones that look like a small hard drive, second photo and are easier to fit inside a notebook. Think if I really had to use an nvme it would be for a desktop, not a notebook. Also motherboard front bus is going to determine speed on an old notebook.
As a technician with over a decade of experience on windows I recently switched back to Zorin 16 Pro because my windows 11 started crawling after about 1-2 years and frankly it's just hot trash. Honestly the only thing I really was Windows 11 for is gaming and video editing (couldn't find a good Linux video editor comparable to CyberLink power director). I even checked my resource usage and hardware and everything was still way underutilized, I have the best anti-virus money can buy so that's not it. The only explanation I can think of to explain the slowdown is that windows 11 literally just corrupted enough of it's own files over time. And no it's not on an old HDD it's on the best SSD money can buy (high end Samsung M.2) in good health.
My ThinkPad was a rebuilt one that does have a SSD - 164.2 GB, 3.7 GB memory. I will hardly make use of Zorin Core, but figure I'd be hampered in some way by Lite. I am not a (video) gamer, I have an old Toshiba laptop still running (crippling) along on Windows 7 that can and does the very few things that I need Windows to do so I don't need alllll the bells and goodies of upper levels of Zorin.
Also, the ThinkPad is a dual OS with Linux Mint in the other partitions. Would like to keep that as is until Zorin runs as I like it. Guess its time to fish or cut bait and JUST DO IT.
Thanks for assuring me about the Windows partitions.
I'm really feeling like a dolt pest, but I am trying to understand before I do what I need to do to get Zorin on this (older) ThinkPad.
Do I simply reformat the sda2 and sda1 partitions (to ntfs) and install Zorin onto sda2? Will the '/' boot partition pick up on the new Zorin as well as see the Linux Mint option for booting?
File system for GNU/Linux needs to be Ext4 not NTFS. When you instruct the installer to place GRUB on '/' after installing it should pick up Linux Mint. If it doesn't just run the update grub command which will make it search for other OS's and add it to GRUB menu for next boot.
Thanks for filling me in on what I need to do. I am so not aware of the details and am trying to line up as much PRE knowledge as I can before I install. I'm so sure it much harder to 'repair' if I don't do something right the first time!
Now I am really confused - I just looked at Disks and it shows a different image than it did last week - with the 'linux' area Free Space! Yet the Linux Mint that is on this drive remains working. Gparted shows Mint as dev/sda6 & 5 [swap].
How can Disks and Gparted be so different?
(I continue to not be able to make a screen shot of either Disks or Gparted which disappear the moment I click the screen shot button)
I have been doing this for a while...
And reinstalling or installing alongside of an existing OS / making Partition changes always makes me hesitate or second guess myself.
Most likely due to the finality of the decisions being made at the moment.
The screenshot in your O.P. shows Windows as being on sda2 with Linux on sda6. You have a swap partition set up on sda5 (Which may be necessary only if you are using Hibernate manually setup.)
I wonder if Disks is struggling with the Extended partition.
