How to install Zorin OS 16 Pro on Alienware Area 51M (NVIDIA 2080)?

And the iso should be on a fat32 formatted usb.

That's why i mentioned fat32 earlier

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When i wrote my image to usb, i used rufus, dd write mode, gpt with fat32. Nothing else was touched (but the partition/ disk name).

That with your sata connection in raid should boot with nvidia or safe graphics

I know. when installing Zorin OS 16 Pro, in Rufus, no matter I choose MBR or GPT,
the file system only appears NTFS, no option of FAT32, so I can not set FAT32.

Only when installing Zorin OS 16 Core, the file system appears NTFS and FAT32.

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image

That may be the problem with rufus then. You do have the core-r1.iso?

You may want to try unetbootin... if that fails, then etcher...ugh, i hate saying that. I think this is where the issue is though

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Agreed. BalenaEtcher was useful for the Dell EFI bug, though. With the revised copies of Zorin OS available now, that should no longer be necessary.

I'm wondering if he had the r1.iso, and if that is a part of the issue.

If you don't, you can get it here:

Or the official:

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I just got r1.iso and used Rufus to create create a live USB with the option of FAT32, same result.

Also, I tried using unetbootin to create a live USB with Zorin OS 16 Pro, same result.
:cry:

You won't believe it! I just downloaded ubuntu-20.04.2.0-desktop-amd64.iso and burned my USB with balenaEtcher. it works! See below video:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1avciw5WPmLPubAR9i3UY5MpV4KMRzpnn/view?usp=sharing

However, with the same USB driver, burned the revised Zorin-OS-16-Core-64-bit.iso by belenaEtcher , booted it, still black screen.

Well, I really have no new idea for trial.
Any suggestion ?
Thanks.

Do you have PPT in your EFI settings? IF so, turning it off may help.

Other than that... I believe Ubuntu 20.04 is using the 5.8 kernel and Zorin OS is using the later 5.11 kernel. This is not a small difference.
For clarity: You are getting black screen just at booting the LiveUSB, right? You cannot access "Try Zorin?"

I can see below screen:


And just that. I tried the first 3 items. no one works.
I also tried pressing E, entering different parameters and pressing ENTER, then black screen, just like the original post

I think you got the point.
I just downloaded ubuntu 21.04 desktop (using kernel 5.11) image and burned my USB driver with balenaEtcher, booted on alienware 51m.
I saw the grub screen. And I selected safe graphics and black screen appeared!
Oh. no, it still appeared one line text as below:

No matter what keys I pressed, no response.
And now, what parameter should I add in the command line of grub to overcome the problem?
Any suggestion ?
Thanks

Did you check this?

Have you tried: iommu=soft

Searching for 5.11 kernel issues:
https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=212133

Some reports say that 5.11.10 fixes it.

Execuse me, what is that? I am afraid that I don't have it.

Under the security tab, it would be either TPM, AMD fTPM or Intel PPT.

In below screen,

I have tried disable Firmware TPM, but didn't work.
I also tried adding iommu=soft after nomodeset, neither works.

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I just checked with my Zorin 15,3.
It is using 5,4 kernel.
I wonder if OP might want to test Zorin 15,3 to see if it make any difference. If it work, then we can confirm the compatibility problem with the kernel.

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I also just read that IOMMU must be turned Off in Bios, in conjunction with the grub parameter of iommu=soft
I am sorry, I did not know this.

Hi, I just tested with Zorin OS 15.3 Core 64bit.
It works for selecting safe graphics and Nvidia graphics (I didn't test the first item).

So, I think it is the problem of kernel version.
Well, so now, maybe the only thing I can do now is to wait the newer kernel.

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Thanks for confirming this.
We can then concentrate on the kernel issue instead of a wild-gees hunt :duck:

If kernel 5.4 and 5.8 work but not 5.11... for me it is a regression.
I remember I had to stay on the old kernel due to such regression for my built in webcom. Unfortunately, it was such a long time ago, I forgot how to lock the kernel. @Aravisian, do you know how to lock the kernel?

Yes, you can use the apt-mark hold command to lock any package.

What I do not know is how the O.P. can install Zorin OS 16 given that hte kernel will not even allow the installer to boot.

The only way would be to update the kernel (rebuild the iso) so 5.11.10 is included. This should not break anything since nothing new is introduced, mainly bug fixes.

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