Making preparations for installing the latest version of ZorinOS on a Lenovo ThinkPad L450 Type 20BW
Lenovo's website lists this laptop model as 'end of support' and no linux drivers are available from their driver download page.
Also unable (thus far) to find any linux drivers for this machine, which means having to rely on the USB stick installation finding and loading the correct drivers.
We use a password protected mobile WiFi modem, and not sure if the installation will automatically prompt for the WiFi network name and password (?)
If anyone has any advice or suggestions for getting this right from the git-go, it would be very much appreciated.
Will also need to find drivers/software for a Canon Pixma TS205 printer, and a Canon CanoScan LiDE 100 scanner. Have been unable to find these as well.
I can see from the model that this is a bit of an older laptop, but nothing out of the realm for anything linux related, as far as I can see. What you can do is create a live usb of the linux distro and boot from it, then at the option to either Install or Test, you can test the OS and make sure everything is working from there. If it works in the live environment, you should be good to go. You can even test printing/scanning and see if they work by default with or without any fiddling, all without installing beforehand.
And yes, so long as the wireless card works, it will bring up a prompt to sign in to your wifi. Another thing that can be tested on the live usb
A live boot usb sounds a perfect solution.
Is there a download link for the boot image?
The L450 is indeed from the 2010's
I've used only older laptops to keep running Windows XP, since Windows 10 and 11 are complete rubbish and unusable for me.
Have finally reached the point where it's time to ditch Windows permanently. The few Windows programmes I use (Photoshop, et al..) can easily run in Wine, and most have better linux based open-source alternatives. So it will be a strictly Linux workspace from here on.
If you're looking for the downloads for Zorin you can find them here: Download - Zorin OS
At the bottom is also a link for Zorin OS lite, which may be worth a try as well given your older system.
In addition, here are some installation instruction for making a bootable USB: Install Zorin OS - Zorin Help
There are many other tools than what they recommend, such as Rufus, Ventoy, etc. Realistically it's whichever one you find that works best for your situation. But once you create the bootable usb, you can then boot from it (after selecting it in your bios) and select try and see how the experience goes.
If you need any other help, the forum is always here
So - Downloaded etcher and bootable usb.
I presume etcher will pre-format the usb stick, and the boot installer will format the SSD -- but which file format is ideal for the final installation of ZorinOS.. Ext2 or Ext4? since NTFS is not compatible with Wine.
When using etcher, it should give you a list of options to use (and your usb you wish to use should be one of them). Once you select it and the ISO for Zorin, it'll then format the drive properly and make a bootable USB ready for you to use.
Make sure there's nothing on the USB that you want, otherwise it will erase everything and you won't get it back.
As for final installation (assuming that tests go well) ext4 is usually the default filesystem Zorin uses (if you choose the automatic install, this is what would be done). If you're wiping the entire drive, I would just use the automatic installer, that usually does things pretty well. But ONLY if you want to use the entire drive and wipe everything, because it will delete everything that was there before.
But again, booting into the liveUSB and selecting the Try Zorin option will leave your harddrive alone until you decide to install.
some added info
i also have an OLD laptop (samsung rv510) , and have tried before making a bootable OS with USB... i failed .
instead i always make a bootable OS with dvd , and it always worked.
also strongly suggest you try Lite 1st .
ps: i use xfburn to burn iso img to disk , never failed me yet
edit : hmm wait , searched your laptop now and see it's an i5 with like 8gig ram . Is that correct?
ignore the Lite install then
sure you won't have any problem running zorin
Alternatively, You could go over the Mirror-Server List, too:
What You should do after downloading the ISO is verify the Checksum:
That should make the Program that You use for creating the Boot Stick. If I have read it right, You use Balena Etcher, yes? That is a simple Program. You open it and You see a 3-Step-Picture. Very simple to use. If you use Windows, there would be Rufus a good Alternative but Etcher should be able to do the Job, too.
Big thanks to everyone for pointing us in the right direction.
A Zorin usb boot drive was successfully made ( ! )
The Bios configured to boot from usb (only)
and restarted with ZorinOS in "try" mode.
Everything worked perfectly, including the WiFi network login.
It looks and feels great!
Encountered some issues when changing the regional settings, and restarting.. found myself confronted with a user login screen asking for a password, but there is no password.. at least not one I myself have made.
This login screen comes up instantly now on restart. Is there a default password I can use? Can this login prompt be disabled?
Also, cannot find a way to add keyboard layouts in Zorin. I use DE (QWERTZ) as default, and also SV, NO, and IS as alternate key layouts. How exactly is this done in Zorin?
This is a NEW old lappy -- my last 2 were both Samsung R60 from 2008, downgraded from Win 7 to XP, and both have gone to Laphalla
The Password is the one that You create during the Installation where You create Your User Account with User Name, Name of the Machine and that Stuff. And this Password is needed when You need sudo Rights for installing something for Example.
The Login, you could set to automatic Login (could you already done on the Installation Process at the same Place where creating the User Account). to do it now got to Settings>User and click there here:
That presents a serious dilemma..
Booting Zorin in "Try" mode bypasses the installation process.
Since there was no installation -- there is no password.
I will only do the full installation when all hardware has been installed, and everything is working as it should (as a test).
The obvious problem here is that I cannot login without a password,
and since no password exists. I am completely locked out of Zorin.
Oh, so You are using the Try Mode ... The Try Mode has no Password if I remember right. so, when a Password Request should come, it should be enough to simply press Enter. Alternatively typing in ''zorin'' or ''user'' would be worth a Try.
But when You are in Try Mode ... How You can restart? As far as I remember: When You restart there comes a black Screen where stands something similar like ''Please remove the Installation Medium and press Enter''?
Exactly..
But hitting "Enter" alone has no effect. Also tried using "password", but no effect. Basically Try mode locks you out if you make any changes to the key layout or region settings, and then restart.
I found that shutting down > removing the usb stick > resetting boot order in bios > restarting windows > shutting down again > reconnecting the usb stick > resetting boot order in bios (again), and restarting -- takes me back to the start of try mode with no password prompt.
Now I've learned by instinct how to get myself out of these little predicaments and misadventures.
Restarting Zorin is actually quite easy in Try mode.
Next I need to try installing a linux driver for the Canon Pixma TS205 printer. If the printer works, then I can do the installation.
If not, then I will install Wine and try again with windows drivers.
Any advice on the right version of Wine for Zorin OS?
Wouldn't it be easier to install Zorin beneath Windows and have a Dual-Boot System? So, You have it on the System and You can test it and if You should be not happy with it, You can delete it. And Windows is still installed.
Yes, it would be easier.. but an Ext4 file format is optimal for Zorin,
and Windows wants an NTFS file format, so I will use a seperate SSD for each OS installation. It's just to unplug one SSD and plug in another. 1 SSD for Zorin, and 1 partitioned SSD for XP and Win7.
I have a lot of applications which run in XP and not Win7, and vice-versa.
I have complete confidence in Zorin, so I will install and use it as a primary OS. One way or another I will get my scanner and printer to work in Zorin, even if I have to hire a developer to sort it out.
That is not a big Problem. The Zorin-Partition would have the ext4 Format and Windows NTFS. I had a Dual-Boot System, too and didn't had Issues with that. But okay, that is up to You.
For Wine You could simply take the Version from the Repo's or You take a Look at the Wine-Website and look there for Instructions and the Documentary for installing it from there.
Alternatively you could install Bottles, too. It is available in Gnome Software.
