HI
I'm trying to install Zorin on my 15-year-old Lenovo PC to revive it, but after installing it, I get this error.
Can you help me?
Thank you so much and congratulations on Zorin.
Welcome to the Forum!
Is Windows still installed on Your Machine and do You want keep it? Are Secure Boot and Fast Boot in BIOS disabled? What Tool did You use to create the Bootstick?
This error usually means the BIOS/UEFI is looking for a bootable partition but can't find your Ubuntu installation. Here is how to troubleshoot it step-by-step:
1. Check the Boot Priority
Sometimes the system tries to boot from an empty USB drive or the wrong hard drive.
- Restart and tap F1 or F12 (depending on your model) to enter the BIOS/Boot Menu.
- Go to the Startup or Boot tab.
- Make sure your SSD/HDD or the entry labeled "ubuntu" is at the top of the list.
2. UEFI vs. Legacy Mode
This is the most common cause on Lenovo hardware. If Ubuntu was installed in one mode but the BIOS switched to another, it won't boot.
- In the BIOS, look for Boot Mode or UEFI/Legacy Priority.
- If it is set to "Legacy," try switching it to UEFI Only.
- Ensure CSM (Compatibility Support Module) is enabled if you are running an older setup.
3. Physical Connections and USBs
Since you often work with USB and Bluetooth peripherals, a "ghost" connection might be interfering:
- Unplug all external drives or USB sticks and try rebooting.
- If you're using a desktop (ThinkCentre), try re-seating the SATA cables. Lenovo cables can sometimes become loose or fail.
4. SATA Controller Mode
Check how the motherboard communicates with your drive:
- Look for SATA Controller Mode in the BIOS.
- Switching between IDE and AHCI can sometimes fix the visibility of the OS. Ubuntu generally requires AHCI.
5. Repairing GRUB (The Bootloader)
If the BIOS settings are correct but it still won't boot, your boot files might be corrupted.
- Boot from an Ubuntu Live USB.
- Open a terminal and run Boot-Repair:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y boot-repair && boot-repair
- Click on "Recommended repair."
Note: If you hear any clicking sounds coming from the drive, it might be a hardware failure. If not, one of the BIOS tweaks above usually does the trick!
1 Like
When using the Zorin Bootstick, there is Boot Repair in Live Mode already available and don't have to be installed or a PPA is needed to add to install it.
2 Likes
you are right 
1 Like
Done but don't work
boot-repair-4ppa2088 [20260505_1542]
============================== Boot Info Summary ===============================
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.
=> Grub2 (v2.00) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,2)/grub. It also embeds following components:
modules
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
offsetio extcmd macho elf file gettext boot bufio verifiers crypto
terminal normal datetime date mmap drivemap blocklist archelp newc
vga_text relocator video chain ntldr search_label search_fs_file
search_fs_uuid search keylayouts at_keyboard pci usb usb_keyboard gcry_md5
hashsum gcry_crc gzio xzio lzopio lspci fshelp ext2 xfs acpi reboot
iso9660 gcry_sha1 div udf exfat font diskfilter raid6rec zstd btrfs ventoy
read halt video_fb vbe linux linux16 test true sleep echo bitmap gfxterm
bitmap_scale trig video_colors gfxmenu videotest videoinfo functional_test
videotest_checksum video_cirrus video_bochs vga minicmd help configfile tr
biosdisk disk ls tar zfs squash4 pbkdf2 gcry_sha512 password_pbkdf2
all_video png jpeg part_gpt part_msdos fat ntfs loopback
gfxterm_background procfs gfxterm_menu smbios
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
sda1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: vfat
Boot sector type: FAT32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files: /efi/BOOT/fbx64.efi /efi/BOOT/mmx64.efi
/efi/ubuntu/grubx64.efi /efi/ubuntu/mmx64.efi
/efi/ubuntu/shimx64.efi /efi/ubuntu/grub.cfg
sda2: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Zorin OS 18.1
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /etc/default/grub
sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: exfat
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed: mount: /mnt/BootInfo/sdb1: /dev/sdb1 already mounted or mount point busy.
dmesg(1) may have more information after failed mount system call.
sdb2: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: iso9660
Boot sector type: Grub2 (v1.99-2.00)
Boot sector info: Grub2 (v1.99-2.00) is installed in the boot sector of
sdb2 and looks at sector 0 of the same hard drive for
core.img, but core.img can not be found at this
location.
Operating System:
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg
================================ 1 OS detected =================================
OS#1 (linux): Zorin OS 18.1 (18) on sda2
================================ Host/Hardware =================================
CPU architecture: 64-bit
Video: Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller from Intel Corporation
Live-session OS is Ubuntu 64-bit (Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, resolute, x86_64)
===================================== UEFI =====================================
BIOS/UEFI firmware: 9XKT24AUS(0.24) from LENOVO
The firmware is EFI-compatible, and is set in EFI-mode for this live-session.
SecureBoot disabled (confirmed by mokutil).
BootCurrent: 0007
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0007,0001,0006,0009,0003,000A,0005,0008
Boot0001* PLDS DVD-RW DS8A8SH BBS(CDROM,,0x0)AMBO
Boot0003* IBA GE Slot 00C8 v1381 BBS(Network,,0x0)AMBO
Boot0005* Generic Usb Device VenHw(99e275e7-75a0-4b37-a2e6-c5385e6c00cb)
Boot0006* Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB BBS(HD,,0x0)AMBO
Boot0007* Zorin OS HD(1,GPT,39ac3787-92cc-45c3-b68d-59af90b84481,0x800,0x100000)/\EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi
Boot0008* ubuntu VenHw(99e275e7-75a0-4b37-a2e6-c5385e6c00cb)
Boot0009* KingstonDataTraveler 3.0PMAP BBS(HD,,0x0)AMBO
Boot000A* UEFI: KingstonDataTraveler 3.0PMAP PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1d,0x0)/USB(1,0)/USB(1,0)/HD(2,MBR,0x39bde617,0xe6f0000,0x10000)AMBO
39bc76ff6662f4fbe9aa116e4c997b41 sda1/BOOT/fbx64.efi
4ba5a5aad43c197e9fb58b76b404d287 sda1/BOOT/mmx64.efi
94c7467f956700d44c5b4dcd3967535c sda1/ubuntu/grubx64.efi
4ba5a5aad43c197e9fb58b76b404d287 sda1/ubuntu/mmx64.efi
07e25dcaf57c776875f78fa36827c58e sda1/ubuntu/shimx64.efi
07e25dcaf57c776875f78fa36827c58e sda1/BOOT/BOOTX64.efi
============================= Drive/Partition Info =============================
Disks info: ____________________________________________________________________
sda : is-GPT, no-BIOSboot, has---ESP, not-usb, not-mmc, has-os, no-wind, 2048 sectors * 512 bytes
sdb : notGPT, no-BIOSboot, has-noESP, usb-disk, not-mmc, no-os, no-wind, 2048 sectors * 512 bytes
Partitions info (1/3): _________________________________________________________
mapper/sdb1 : no-os, 64, nopakmgr, no-docgrub, nogrub, nogrubinstall, no-grubenv, noupdategrub, not-far
sdb1 : no-os, 64, nopakmgr, no-docgrub, nogrub, nogrubinstall, no-grubenv, noupdategrub, end-after-100GB
sda2 : is-os, 64, apt-get, signed grub-pc grub-efi , grub2, grub-install, grubenv-ok, update-grub, end-after-100GB
sda1 : no-os, 64, nopakmgr, no-docgrub, nogrub, nogrubinstall, no-grubenv, noupdategrub, not-far
Partitions info (2/3): _________________________________________________________
mapper/sdb1 : isnotESP, part-has-no-fstab, no-nt, no-winload, no-recov-nor-hid, no-bmgr, notwinboot,
sdb1 : isnotESP, part-has-no-fstab, no-nt, no-winload, no-recov-nor-hid, no-bmgr, notwinboot, exfat
sda2 : isnotESP, fstab-has-goodEFI, no-nt, no-winload, no-recov-nor-hid, no-bmgr, notwinboot, ext4
sda1 : is---ESP, part-has-no-fstab, no-nt, no-winload, no-recov-nor-hid, no-bmgr, notwinboot, vfat
Partitions info (3/3): _________________________________________________________
mapper/sdb1 : maybesepboot, no---boot, part-has-no-fstab, not-sep-usr, no---usr, part-has-no-fstab, no--grub.d, sda
sdb1 : maybesepboot, no---boot, part-has-no-fstab, not-sep-usr, no---usr, part-has-no-fstab, no--grub.d, sdb
sda2 : not--sepboot, with-boot, fstab-without-boot, not-sep-usr, with--usr, fstab-without-usr, std-grub.d, sda
sda1 : not--sepboot, no---boot, part-has-no-fstab, not-sep-usr, no---usr, part-has-no-fstab, no--grub.d, sda
fdisk -l (filtered): ___________________________________________________________
Disk sda: 232.89 GiB, 250059350016 bytes, 488397168 sectors
Disk identifier: 9C3B437F-FCF5-4C52-851E-EEB8B6856F5C
Start End Sectors Size Type
sda1 2048 1050623 1048576 512M EFI System
sda2 1050624 488396799 487346176 232.4G Linux filesystem
Disk sdb: 115.5 GiB, 124017180672 bytes, 242221056 sectors
Disk identifier: 0x39bde617
Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
sdb1 * 2048 242155519 242153472 115.5G 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
sdb2 242155520 242221055 65536 32M ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32)
Disk mapper/ventoy: 6.07 GiB, 6518974464 bytes, 12732372 sectors
Disk identifier: 2FDF80BE-E145-40C5-AA53-61A53AB5282E
Start End Sectors Size Type
mapper/ventoy-part1 64 12721411 12721348 6.1G Microsoft basic data
mapper/ventoy-part2 12721412 12731707 10296 5M EFI System
mapper/ventoy-part3 12731708 12732307 600 300K Microsoft basic data
Disk mapper/sdb1: 115.47 GiB, 123982577664 bytes, 242153472 sectors
Disk identifier: 0x00000000
parted -lm (filtered): _________________________________________________________
sda:250GB:scsi:512:512:gpt:ATA Samsung SSD 850:;
1:1049kB:538MB:537MB:fat32:EFI System Partition:boot, esp;
2:538MB:250GB:250GB:ext4::;
sdb:124GB:scsi:512:512:msdos:Kingston DataTraveler 3.0:;
1:1049kB:124GB:124GB:::boot;
2:124GB:124GB:33.6MB:fat16::esp;
mapper/ventoy:6519MB:dm:512:512:gpt:Linux device-mapper (linear):;
1:32.8kB:6513MB:6513MB::ISO9660:hidden, msftdata;
2:6513MB:6519MB:5272kB::Appended2:boot, esp;
3:6519MB:6519MB:307kB::Gap1:hidden, msftdata;
mapper/sdb1:124GB:dm:512:512:msdos:Linux device-mapper (linear):;
blkid (filtered): ______________________________________________________________
NAME FSTYPE UUID PARTUUID LABEL PARTLABEL
sda
├─sda1 vfat 787E-6AB8 39ac3787-92cc-45c3-b68d-59af90b84481 EFI System Partition
└─sda2 ext4 c20926da-0b7b-4e14-ac35-99715e888ee1 1a15746f-df4f-4464-a906-021c8b789ca4
sdb
├─sdb1 exfat 4E21-0000 39bde617-01 Ventoy
│ ├─ventoy
│ └─sdb1
└─sdb2
Mount points (filtered): _______________________________________________________
Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/mapper/sdb1 99.4G 14% /mnt/boot-sav/mapper/sdb1
/dev/mapper/ventoy 0 100% /cdrom
/dev/sda1 504.8M 1% /mnt/boot-sav/sda1
/dev/sda2 185.5G 13% /mnt/boot-sav/sda2
efivarfs 36.1K 68% /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
Mount options (filtered): ______________________________________________________
/dev/mapper/sdb1 exfat rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,iocharset=utf8,errors=remount-ro
/dev/mapper/ventoy iso9660 ro,noatime,nojoliet,check=s,map=n,blocksize=2048,iocharset=utf8
/dev/sda1 vfat rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro
/dev/sda2 ext4 rw,relatime
============================== ls -R /dev/mapper/ ==============================
/dev/mapper:
control
sdb1
ventoy
===================== sda1/efi/ubuntu/grub.cfg (filtered) ======================
search.fs_uuid c20926da-0b7b-4e14-ac35-99715e888ee1 root hd0,gpt2
set prefix=($root)'/boot/grub'
configfile $prefix/grub.cfg
====================== sda2/boot/grub/grub.cfg (filtered) ======================
Zorin OS c20926da-0b7b-4e14-ac35-99715e888ee1
END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober
UEFI Firmware Settings uefi-firmware
END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware
========================== sda2/etc/fstab (filtered) ===========================
/ was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=c20926da-0b7b-4e14-ac35-99715e888ee1 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/boot/efi was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=787E-6AB8 /boot/efi vfat umask=0077 0 1
/swapfile none swap sw 0 0
======================= sda2/etc/default/grub (filtered) =======================
GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden
GRUB_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=( . /etc/os-release; echo ${NAME:-Ubuntu} ) 2>/dev/null || echo Ubuntu
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""
GRUB_THEME=/usr/share/grub/themes/zorin/theme.txt
GRUB_DISABLE_MEMTEST=true
==================== sda2: Location of files loaded by Grub ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
32.753765106 = 35.169087488 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
171.586875916 = 184.240005120 boot/vmlinuz 1
142.313434601 = 152.807886848 boot/vmlinuz-6.17.0-20-generic 1
171.586875916 = 184.240005120 boot/vmlinuz-6.17.0-23-generic 1
142.313434601 = 152.807886848 boot/vmlinuz.old 1
171.878913879 = 184.553578496 boot/initrd.img 2
171.371105194 = 184.008323072 boot/initrd.img-6.17.0-20-generic 2
171.878913879 = 184.553578496 boot/initrd.img-6.17.0-23-generic 2
171.371105194 = 184.008323072 boot/initrd.img.old 2
===================== sda2: ls -l /etc/grub.d/ (filtered) ======================
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 18123 May 17 2025 10_linux
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 43192 May 17 2025 10_linux_zfs
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 14513 May 17 2025 20_linux_xen
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 786 May 17 2025 25_bli
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 13120 May 17 2025 30_os-prober
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1174 May 17 2025 30_uefi-firmware
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 722 Mar 13 03:54 35_fwupd
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 214 May 17 2025 40_custom
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 215 May 17 2025 41_custom
====================== sdb2/boot/grub/grub.cfg (filtered) ======================
Try or Install Ubuntu
Ubuntu (safe graphics)
Boot from next volume
UEFI Firmware Settings
==================== sdb2: Location of files loaded by Grub ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
?? = ?? boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
================================= User choice ==================================
Is there RAID on this computer? no
Suggested repair: ______________________________________________________________
The default repair of the Boot-Repair utility would reinstall the grub-efi of
sda2,
using the following options: sda1/boot/efi
Additional repair would be performed: unhide-bootmenu-10s use-standard-efi-file
Final advice in case of suggested repair: ______________________________________
Please do not forget to make your UEFI firmware boot on the Zorin OS 18.1 (18) entry (sda1/efi//grub.efi (**** will be updated in the final message) file) !
Your Zorin OS is installed on sda2 with the EFI partition on sda1. The error 1962 happens because the Lenovo BIOS is timing out or failing to hand over control to that specific partition.
Here is what to do to fix this:
1. EFI File Fix
Lenovo BIOS firmware (especially older versions like your 9XKT24AUS) is notorious for being "picky." It often looks specifically for a file named BOOTX64.EFI in a specific folder, ignoring the Ubuntu/Zorin entries.
Since you are on the Live USB, run these commands in the terminal to force the Zorin bootloader into the "default" slot:
# Mount your partitions
sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi
# Copy the Zorin/Ubuntu shim to the default "fallback" path
# This makes the BIOS think it's a generic bootable drive
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/BOOT
sudo cp /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/shimx64.efi /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI
sudo cp /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/grubx64.efi /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/grubx64.efi
2. Update the Boot Order
Your log shows BootOrder: 0007,0001,0006.... 0007 is Zorin OS, but the BIOS might be failing to initialize it. Let's try to force it via terminal:
sudo efibootmgr -v
If you see multiple "ubuntu" or "Zorin" entries, you can try to reset the order:
sudo efibootmgr -o 0007,0008,0006,0001
3. BIOS Settings (The "Lenovo Special")
Once you've done the terminal commands above, restart and enter the BIOS (F1). Check these three specific settings:
- CSM (Compatibility Support Module): Even though you are in UEFI mode, try setting CSM to Enabled but keep Boot Priority on UEFI First. Some Lenovo boards need CSM enabled just to "see" GPT drives properly.
- SATA Mode: Ensure it is strictly on AHCI.
- Boot Priority: Make sure the Samsung SSD 850 EVO is physically the first drive in the list, even before the "OS Boot Manager" if possible.
Thanks for your precise instructions
I followed your instructions step by step, running the commands from a live Ubuntu. The Zorin one wouldn't start, it took forever to load, and it still gives me the same error. I'm really sad. 
did you disable Secure Boot in your BIOS ? and also Rapid Boot / Quick Boot if it exist
yes !all
1. The "Power Cycle" (Static Discharge)
Lenovo ThinkCentres/ThinkPads can sometimes have "stuck" state in the controller.
- Shut down and unplug the power cable.
- Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds.
- Plug it back in and try to boot. This forces the motherboard to re-initialize the SATA bus.
2. Physical Port Swap (If it's a Desktop)
If you are on a ThinkCentre tower:
- Open the case and swap the SATA cable to a different port on the motherboard (e.g., move it from SATA 1 to SATA 2).
- Also, swap the SATA cable itself if you have a spare. Error 1962 is very frequently caused by a failing SATA cable on Lenovo machines.
3. BIOS: Disable "Quick Boot"
The "forever to load" part suggests the BIOS is struggling with the handshake.
- Enter BIOS (F1).
- Go to the Startup tab.
- Find Quick Boot or Diagnostic Boot and set it to Disabled (or "Full").
- This forces the BIOS to wait longer for the SSD to "wake up" before it decides there is "No operating system."
4. Forced Re-install of the GRUB EFI (via Live USB)
Since the manual copy didn't work, let's try to re-register the bootloader completely using grub-install. In your Live USB terminal:
# Mount the system
sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi
# Bind necessary system directories
for i in /dev /dev/pts /proc /sys /run; do sudo mount -B $i /mnt$i; done
# Enter the system
sudo chroot /mnt
# Reinstall GRUB to the drive
grub-install /dev/sda
update-grub
# Exit and unmount
exit
sudo umount -R /mnt
One last thing: In your log, I noticed Secure Boot is disabled. That’s good. However, if your SSD is older, look in the BIOS for a setting called "Aggressive Link Power Management" (ALPM) and try to Disable it. It can cause SSDs to hang during the boot process.
I changed pc with another of the same model..
Because I suspected the very slow disk was having some problem, I installed Zorin from scratch, but the same problem.
I set everything correctly at the BIOS level, but the same error occurred.
I ran the commands you indicated for grub, but nothing happened.
I'll copy the bootloader for you.
boot-repair-4ppa2074 [20260508_1120]
============================== Boot Info Summary ===============================
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.
=> Grub2 (v2.00) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,2)/grub. It also embeds following components:
modules
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
offsetio extcmd macho elf file gettext boot bufio verifiers crypto
terminal normal datetime date mmap drivemap blocklist archelp newc
vga_text relocator video chain ntldr search_label search_fs_file
search_fs_uuid search keylayouts at_keyboard pci usb usb_keyboard gcry_md5
hashsum gcry_crc gzio xzio lzopio lspci fshelp ext2 xfs acpi reboot
iso9660 gcry_sha1 div udf exfat font diskfilter raid6rec zstd btrfs ventoy
read halt video_fb vbe linux linux16 test true sleep echo bitmap gfxterm
bitmap_scale trig video_colors gfxmenu videotest videoinfo functional_test
videotest_checksum video_cirrus video_bochs vga minicmd help configfile tr
biosdisk disk ls tar zfs squash4 pbkdf2 gcry_sha512 password_pbkdf2
all_video png jpeg part_gpt part_msdos fat ntfs loopback
gfxterm_background procfs gfxterm_menu smbios
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
sda1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: vfat
Boot sector type: FAT32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files: /efi/BOOT/fbx64.efi /efi/BOOT/mmx64.efi
/efi/ubuntu/grubx64.efi /efi/ubuntu/mmx64.efi
/efi/ubuntu/shimx64.efi /efi/ubuntu/grub.cfg
sda2: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Zorin OS 18.1
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /etc/default/grub
sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: exfat
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed: mount: /mnt/BootInfo/sdb1: /dev/sdb1 already mounted or mount point busy.
sdb2: __________________________________________________________________________
File system: iso9660
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg
================================ 1 OS detected =================================
OS#1: Zorin OS 18.1 (18) on sda2
================================ Host/Hardware =================================
CPU architecture: 64-bit
Video: Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller from Intel Corporation
Live-session OS is Linuxmint 64-bit (Linux Mint 21.2, victoria, x86_64)
===================================== UEFI =====================================
BIOS/UEFI firmware: 9XKT24AUS(0.24) from LENOVO
The firmware is EFI-compatible, and is set in EFI-mode for this live-session.
SecureBoot disabled - This system doesn't support Secure Boot.
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001,0006,0008,0003,0009,0005,0007
Boot0001* PLDS DVD-RW DS8A8SH BBS(CDROM,,0x0)AMBO
Boot0003* IBA GE Slot 00C8 v1381 BBS(Network,,0x0)AMBO
Boot0005* Generic Usb Device VenHw(99e275e7-75a0-4b37-a2e6-c5385e6c00cb)
Boot0006* SAMSUNG MZ7TE128HMGR-000L1 BBS(HD,,0x0)AMBO
39bc76ff6662f4fbe9aa116e4c997b41 sda1/BOOT/fbx64.efi
4ba5a5aad43c197e9fb58b76b404d287 sda1/BOOT/mmx64.efi
94c7467f956700d44c5b4dcd3967535c sda1/ubuntu/grubx64.efi
4ba5a5aad43c197e9fb58b76b404d287 sda1/ubuntu/mmx64.efi
07e25dcaf57c776875f78fa36827c58e sda1/ubuntu/shimx64.efi
07e25dcaf57c776875f78fa36827c58e sda1/BOOT/BOOTX64.efi
============================= Drive/Partition Info =============================
Disks info: ____________________________________________________________________
sda : is-GPT, no-BIOSboot, has---ESP, not-usb, not-mmc, has-os, no-wind, 2048 sectors * 512 bytes
Partitions info (1/3): _________________________________________________________
dm-1 : no-os, 64, nopakmgr, no-docgrub, nogrub, nogrubinstall, no-grubenv, noupdategrub, not-far
sda2 : is-os, 64, apt-get, signed grub-pc grub-efi , grub2, grub-install, grubenv-ok, update-grub, end-after-100GB
sda1 : no-os, 64, nopakmgr, no-docgrub, nogrub, nogrubinstall, no-grubenv, noupdategrub, not-far
Partitions info (2/3): _________________________________________________________
dm-1 : isnotESP, part-has-no-fstab, no-nt, no-winload, no-recov-nor-hid, no-bmgr, notwinboot
sda2 : isnotESP, fstab-has-goodEFI, no-nt, no-winload, no-recov-nor-hid, no-bmgr, notwinboot
sda1 : is---ESP, part-has-no-fstab, no-nt, no-winload, no-recov-nor-hid, no-bmgr, notwinboot
Partitions info (3/3): _________________________________________________________
dm-1 : maybesepboot, no---boot, part-has-no-fstab, not-sep-usr, no---usr, part-has-no-fstab, no--grub.d, sda
sda2 : not--sepboot, with-boot, fstab-without-boot, not-sep-usr, with--usr, fstab-without-usr, std-grub.d, sda
sda1 : not--sepboot, no---boot, part-has-no-fstab, not-sep-usr, no---usr, part-has-no-fstab, no--grub.d, sda
fdisk -l (filtered): ___________________________________________________________
Disk sda: 119.24 GiB, 128035676160 bytes, 250069680 sectors
Disk identifier: 707A8923-CDDF-4592-8A6F-D2C561DC8FBF
Start End Sectors Size Type
sda1 2048 1050623 1048576 512M EFI System
sda2 1050624 250068991 249018368 118.7G Linux filesystem
Disk sdb: 115.5 GiB, 124017180672 bytes, 242221056 sectors
Disk identifier: 0x39bde617
Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
sdb1 * 2048 242155519 242153472 115.5G 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
sdb2 242155520 242221055 65536 32M ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32)
Disk dm-0: 2.45 GiB, 2630877184 bytes, 5138432 sectors
Disk identifier: 0x14eb2669
Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
dm-0p1 * 0 5138431 5138432 2.5G 0 Empty
dm-0p2 572 9067 8496 4.1M ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32)
Disk dm-1: 115.47 GiB, 123982577664 bytes, 242153472 sectors
Disk identifier: 0x00000000
parted -lm (filtered): _________________________________________________________
sda:128GB:scsi:512:512:gpt:ATA SAMSUNG MZ7TE128:;
1:1049kB:538MB:537MB:fat32:EFI System Partition:boot, esp;
2:538MB:128GB:127GB:ext4::;
sdb:124GB:scsi:512:512:msdos:Kingston DataTraveler 3.0:;
1:1049kB:124GB:124GB:::boot;
2:124GB:124GB:33.6MB:fat16::esp;
blkid (filtered): ______________________________________________________________
NAME FSTYPE UUID PARTUUID LABEL PARTLABEL
sda
├─sda1 vfat 1835-A9F6 e6c461de-b02c-4bfe-b5ba-b311c2060da3 EFI System Partition
└─sda2 ext4 fbbafac9-9fb0-4233-b2c1-c5c9891ab607 4ce6153f-474a-40a1-aef3-da5f609f54be
sdb
├─sdb1 exfat 4E21-0000 39bde617-01 Ventoy
└─sdb2 iso9660 2023-12-23-05-05-55-00 Boot-Repair-Disk 64bit
Mount points (filtered): _______________________________________________________
Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/dm-1 99.4G 14% /mnt/boot-sav/dm-1
/dev/mapper/ventoy 0 100% /cdrom
/dev/sda1 504.8M 1% /mnt/boot-sav/sda1
/dev/sda2 79.8G 26% /mnt/boot-sav/sda2
/dev/sdb2 0 100% /media/mint/Boot-Repair-Disk 64bit
Mount options (filtered): ______________________________________________________
/dev/dm-1 exfat rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,iocharset=utf8,errors=remount-ro
/dev/mapper/ventoy iso9660 ro,noatime,nojoliet,check=s,map=n,blocksize=2048,iocharset=utf8
/dev/sda1 vfat rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro
/dev/sda2 ext4 rw,relatime
/dev/sdb2 iso9660 ro,nosuid,nodev,relatime,nojoliet,check=s,map=n,blocksize=2048,iocharset=utf8
===================== sda1/efi/ubuntu/grub.cfg (filtered) ======================
search.fs_uuid fbbafac9-9fb0-4233-b2c1-c5c9891ab607 root hd0,gpt2
set prefix=($root)'/boot/grub'
configfile $prefix/grub.cfg
====================== sda2/boot/grub/grub.cfg (filtered) ======================
Zorin OS fbbafac9-9fb0-4233-b2c1-c5c9891ab607
END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober
UEFI Firmware Settings uefi-firmware
END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware
========================== sda2/etc/fstab (filtered) ===========================
/ was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=fbbafac9-9fb0-4233-b2c1-c5c9891ab607 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/boot/efi was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=1835-A9F6 /boot/efi vfat umask=0077 0 1
/swapfile none swap sw 0 0
======================= sda2/etc/default/grub (filtered) =======================
GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden
GRUB_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=( . /etc/os-release; echo ${NAME:-Ubuntu} ) 2>/dev/null || echo Ubuntu
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""
GRUB_THEME=/usr/share/grub/themes/zorin/theme.txt
GRUB_DISABLE_MEMTEST=true
==================== sda2: Location of files loaded by Grub ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
114.145431519 = 122.562723840 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
0.657188416 = 0.705650688 boot/vmlinuz 1
86.836872101 = 93.240381440 boot/vmlinuz-6.17.0-20-generic 1
0.657188416 = 0.705650688 boot/vmlinuz-6.17.0-23-generic 1
86.836872101 = 93.240381440 boot/vmlinuz.old 1
42.925788879 = 46.091214848 boot/initrd.img 1
85.816417694 = 92.144676864 boot/initrd.img-6.17.0-20-generic 1
42.925788879 = 46.091214848 boot/initrd.img-6.17.0-23-generic 1
85.816417694 = 92.144676864 boot/initrd.img.old 1
===================== sda2: ls -l /etc/grub.d/ (filtered) ======================
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 18123 May 17 2025 10_linux
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 43192 May 17 2025 10_linux_zfs
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 14513 May 17 2025 20_linux_xen
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 786 May 17 2025 25_bli
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 13120 May 17 2025 30_os-prober
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1174 May 17 2025 30_uefi-firmware
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 722 Mar 13 03:54 35_fwupd
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 214 May 17 2025 40_custom
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 215 May 17 2025 41_custom
====================== sdb2/boot/grub/grub.cfg (filtered) ======================
==================== sdb2: Location of files loaded by Grub ====================
GiB - GB File Fragment(s)
?? = ?? boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
Suggested repair: ______________________________________________________________
The default repair of the Boot-Repair utility would reinstall the grub-efi of
sda2,
using the following options: sda1/boot/efi
Additional repair would be performed: unhide-bootmenu-10s use-standard-efi-file
Final advice in case of suggested repair: ______________________________________
Please do not forget to make your UEFI firmware boot on the Zorin OS 18.1 (18) entry (sda1/efi//grub.efi (**** will be updated in the final message) file) !
sprunge.us ko ()
On these specific Lenovo models (ThinkCentre/ThinkStation), the BIOS often has a "hard-coded" preference for certain boot labels. If it doesn't see "Windows Boot Manager" or a generic "Hard Drive," it sometimes just gives up.
1. Generic Label
Since the BIOS isn't picking up the "Zorin" or "ubuntu" label correctly, we will trick it by using the Default EFI Path. You mentioned the commands didn't work, so let's try this specific variation while in the Live Session:
- Open the terminal.
- Run these commands carefully:
sudo mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi
# Move to the EFI directory
cd /mnt/boot/efi/EFI
# Create a BOOT folder if it doesn't exist
sudo mkdir -p BOOT
# Copy the shim (bootloader) to the default name the BIOS expects
sudo cp ubuntu/shimx64.efi BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI
sudo cp ubuntu/grubx64.efi BOOT/grubx64.efi
# Copy the config file so it knows where to look
sudo cp ubuntu/grub.cfg BOOT/grub.cfg
Why this? When a Lenovo BIOS fails to find a specific registered entry, it searches for /EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI as a last resort.
2. BIOS Auto-Optimization
Lenovo BIOS versions around the 2024-2026 era have an "Auto-Recovery" feature for boot entries.
- Go into BIOS (F1).
- Go to Primary Boot Sequence.
- Look for an option called "Exclusion list" or "Error 1962 Recovery". If it exists, Disable it.
- Check if Automatic Boot Sequence is enabled. If so, move the SAMSUNG SSD to the top of that list as well.
3. CSM/UEFI Hybrid
Even though Zorin is UEFI, these models often throw 1962 if the BIOS is set to "UEFI Only."
- Set OS Optimized Defaults to Disabled (or "Other OS").
- Set Boot Mode to Auto or Both.
- Set Priority to UEFI First.
4. SATA 1 Requirement
On some ThinkCentres, the BIOS refuses to boot an OS if the drive is not plugged into the SATA 0 or SATA 1 port (usually the blue or dark connector on the board). If you have the SSD plugged into a secondary port (like where a DVD drive usually goes), the BIOS might ignore it during the boot handshake.
Final check:
In your log, I see sdb is still a Ventoy drive. Physically unplug it before you turn the machine on. If the BIOS sees the Ventoy "MBR" bootloader on a USB, it might be stopping the search for the SSD's UEFI bootloader immediately.
Try the file copy in Step 1, unplug the USB, and let me know if it finally catches.
1 - Done
2 - Done
3 - Done
4 - is ok
Final Check ok
but the same problem 
Error 1962 is often a "timeout" error—the BIOS looks for the drive, the drive doesn't answer fast enough, and the BIOS gives up.
Here are the last fixes for this specific Lenovo quirk:
1. The "Boot Up Delay" (Hard Disk Pre-delay)
In some Lenovo BIOS versions, there is a setting to make the BIOS wait for the hard drive to spin up/initialize before attempting to boot.
- Go to BIOS -> Advanced -> SATA Configuration.
- Look for "Hard Disk Pre-delay" or "SATA Wait Time".
- Set it to 5 or 10 seconds.
- Why? This gives the Samsung SSD controller enough time to signal "Ready" before the BIOS tries to read the EFI partition.
2. Disable "Rapid Start" / "Fast Boot"
If your BIOS has Intel Rapid Start Technology or a Fast Boot option:
- Set them to Disabled.
- Also, look for "Quiet Boot" and set it to Disabled. This forces the BIOS to perform a full hardware initialization instead of skipping steps.
3. Change the Video OpROM Policy
This sounds unrelated, but on older ThinkCentres (Xeon E3/3rd Gen era like yours), the boot mode is often tied to the Video/Graphic initialization.
- Go to Startup -> CSM Parameters.
- Change Video OpROM Policy from "Legacy Only" to "UEFI Only".
- If it's already on UEFI, try "Legacy Only" (even if the boot mode is UEFI). This sometimes resets the way the BIOS scans the PCIe/SATA bus.
4. The "Partition Flag" Trick (via Live USB)
Sometimes the Lenovo BIOS ignores a GPT drive if the EFI partition doesn't have the "hidden" or "legacy_boot" attribute set correctly, even if the files are there.
- Open GParted in your Live Session.
- Right-click your sda1 (the 512MB EFI partition).
- Select Manage Flags.
- Ensure boot and esp are checked.
- If they are already checked, uncheck them, apply, then check them again and apply.
5. Check the CMOS Battery
Since you swapped the PC, check if the "new" PC has a dead CR2032 battery. If the battery is weak, the BIOS might be losing the specific "UEFI" bit for the SATA controller every time you power cycle, reverting to a state where it can't "see" the GPT partition table correctly.
One final "Stupid" check: Does your Lenovo have a physical "Red" or "Blue" SATA port? On many models of that era, the BIOS is hard-wired to only allow booting from the port labeled SATA 0 or SATA 1. If your SSD is plugged into SATA 2 or 3 (where the CD-ROM usually goes), it will fail with 1962 100% of the time, even if it's visible in the BIOS.
Verify the SSD is in the lowest numbered SATA port on the motherboard.
I did everything I could do, but nothing, always the same problem
1. The "MBR/Legacy" Option
Some older Lenovo machines from the Xeon E3 v2 era (Ivy Bridge) have a "fake" UEFI implementation that struggles to boot from GPT disks, even if the BIOS says it supports UEFI.
The Test: Re-install Zorin, but during the installation (or using GParted beforehand), initialize the disk as MBR (MS-DOS) instead of GPT.
- In GParted:
Device->Create Partition Table->msdos. - Install Zorin in Legacy/BIOS mode (ensure your Live USB is booted in Legacy mode to do this).
- If the machine boots in Legacy/MBR mode, you’ve confirmed the BIOS has a bug handling GPT handshakes.
2. The "CSM" Video Handshake Bug
On these specific Lenovo boards, the BIOS often refuses to hand over control to the OS if the Video OpROM and the Boot Mode are mismatched.
- Go to BIOS -> Startup.
- Set Primary Boot Sequence to your SSD.
- Set CSM to Enabled.
- Crucial: Set Boot Mode to UEFI Only, but set Video OpROM to Legacy.
- Or vice versa: Set Boot Mode to Legacy, but Video OpROM to UEFI.
- Many users have reported that "Legacy" Video OpROM is the only way to get the SATA controller to trigger the boot process on these older ThinkCentres.
3. Change the SATA Cable and Port (Again, but specifically)
I know you swapped the PC, but if you used the same SATA cable or the same power lead from the old setup, that could be the culprit.
- Check the SATA Port Color: On your motherboard, one SATA port is usually Blue. This is the primary SATA 6.0Gb/s port. Ensure the SSD is plugged into that exact port.
- If you are using a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter bracket, try plugging the cables directly into the SSD without the bracket. Some Lenovo brackets have "slim" connectors that don't seat fully.
4. The "Internal Shell" Fix (Last Resort)
If you can get into the GRUB menu by pressing Shift or Esc during boot (and if it's just the handoff that fails), we know the files are fine. But if you never even see the word "GRUB," the BIOS is failing before it even reads the disk.
One final trick:
- Enter BIOS.
- Go to Security -> Secure Boot -> Reset to Setup Mode (if available).
- Then go back to Startup and ensure F12 Error Log is enabled.
- Reboot. If it fails, press F1 immediately and see if the "Error Log" gives a more specific hex code than just 1962.
If all else fails: There is a high probability that the Samsung MZ7TE (PM851) or 850 EVO you are using has a firmware version that is incompatible with this specific Lenovo BIOS's "DevSleep" or "Fast Boot" implementation. If you have a different brand of SSD (Kingston, Crucial, or even an old HDD), try a quick install on that. If it works, the Samsung SSDs are simply timing out during the Lenovo POST.
Have you tried a different brand of drive just to see if it's a specific SSD-to-Motherboard incompatibility?