Greetings
I am new to Linux.. not completely but it's my first time installing a Linux distro.
I have a HCL Laptop P41 PDC 15 years old approx with processor Pentium T4200 2.00Ghz and 3GB Ram. I have tried Prime Os and Bliss os but failed to install. It is an MBR based system. Would there be any issues for Zorin too?
Also can I dual boot without grub if possible. Because I have some bad memories being stuck on it.
Before Installation, you can try Zorin OS on a bootable USB Drive.
This thread provides useful pre-installation advice: Before you install
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dual boot with what ? windows ? i wouldn't recommend that ,with 3gig ram
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Welcome to the Forum!
With Your Hardware Specs I would think that it would be a good Idea to use Zorin Lite instead of Zorin Core.
If You create a USB Stick for this and You do that on Windows I would recommend Rufus to create the Stick because with this Program You can choose between GPT and MBR. So, You can directly choose MBR for create the Stick.
Ok just created the bootable usb and went to try it. It was really very smooth. Dual boot is required for some windows applications(though available on Zorin) and other reasons.
But then while booting up with Flash drive I found Tocblock error database may be corrupt error. Though I went to installer without having to do anything.
The main error arose when Zorin did not list correct partitions when I chose Something else.Can you please suggest a fix? Also in the file manager I am able to view free space and all.
I am using Zorin Lite
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Also please tell what to choose in Bootloader location
• One option as shown
And other options as sda1 sda2
When You install it, do You didn't got the Option to install Zorin alongside Windows? That would be a bit easier. You get a toggle with that You can select how many Disc Space You want use and the rest makes the Installer.
But okay, if You prefer the Something Else Option that is okay too. For the Boot Loader Location You got to ''Device for Boot Loader Installation'' and click on the Dropdown Choice. There You look for Windows Boot Manager and choose that. Here a Picture:
I did not see any option to install it alongside windows there were only two options erase disk and install zorin and other was something else.
I can not see any partition named windows boot manager but the 100 mb partition is the boot partition because I saw it somewhere.
Perhaps Windows Boot Manager is not available because of mine being MBR.
So, it doesn't detects it. Which doesn't wondering too much because of Your Partition Overview.
There is another Thing: All Your Stuff on the Picture is shown as formatted in ntfs. But the Boot Manager should be formatted in FAT32.
From Your Picture I would think You have to use sda2 for the Boot Loader Installation. But the Way the Partitions are show, it would be risky to simply do it. I mean, You don't want break Your System.
I formatted the windows partition as I decided but I have kept the 200Gb partition for it contains 140gb of data in it.
Installing bootloader in any device sda, sda2, or sda of Zorin itself did not work. Also I watched the video for installation of Ubuntu on MBR with Legacy bios but it did not work.
Also the 200GB partition is now shown as unknown.
Please help me with it.
I also deleted sda1 sda2. It did not work either. The installer always stucks on grub-install /dev/sda failed Fatal error. Rest it works fine till that.
I ran boot repair it said your disk is dynamic.
Is it a problem due to dynamic disk?
Can you please suggest a tool to convert basic to dynamic disk without any data loss on Linux?
Sorry, I don't know about this. Maybe another more experienced Use can help You more.
I have never heard of "dynamic disk" before this. However, searching on here I found this post, see the last bullet point that has a link. Lenovo ThinkPad x61 Dual Boot Installation Option Missing - #4 by Aravisian
I would seriously backup all your data on the disk in question before considering doing this conversion. I see the linked item has a Warning "BE VERY CAREFUL. A MISTAKE CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF ALL DATA ON THE DISK.", so do at your own risk.
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I followed a video on youtube and using testdisk on Live USB I messed up. That's what has happened. I don't have any data left. I have done a couple of mistakes there one being - Deleting Windows.
Now I have no option but to install Zorin OS anyhow. Also unfortunately there was no way to backup that 140gb.
By the way is there any way to recover data after installation?
Boot Zorin Live USB as "Try Zorin". With that, can you still find your data and back it up or copy it off?
The whole ntfs partition has been deleted upon writing wrong structure in testdisk.
I tried recovery in live cd. It also found the ntfs partition but it could not show the files in it. Error was "The file system seems damaged".
Then because I did not have any 140gb ntfs drive in my life other than this I wrote a structure with only this partition. But as soon I go to reboot Live Zorin shows it has mounted and then upon reboot it is showing all the files of Zorin with ext4 contents.
None of my data has been recovered.
Good morning everyone
Yes it is a good morning
It seems as if Dynamic disk was the whole problem.
I used testdisk to create and write a sample partition structure with 3 partitions. Upon reboot with live usb I also got the option "Install Zorin alongside Zorin Os 17.1" (Some glitch no problem). I chose Erase Disk and Install. The installation completed in no more than 30 minutes. Upon reboot, I was in Zorin but the hard disk has changed to "Valid GPT with protective MBR" (upon running gdisk)
Thank you all for your patience and support.
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