Hi everyone I would like to try ZorinOS for the first time but before making any mistakes I would like to ask you for advice....
I have a Lenovo g710 with an SSD disk with linux manjaro and a HD with windows 10 and elementary 6
I attach the images of the partition of my HD, my idea was to install Zorin instead of Elementary, but as you can see in the images when I select the partition on which to install Zorin, the message appears.
Now I find myself perplexed, I don't want to cause any damage and then not be able to use the laptop in the event that one of the operating systems fails to start.
in the menu where to install the boot loader should I select the sdb disk?
Because You have Windows, You could try it with Rufus. Choose there under Partition Sheme MBR. Then go into windiws and delete the Elementary Parition and increase the Partition from Windows.
Then start the USB Stick and the Installation. In the Installer, You should come to a Point where You can choose the Installation Method. ther You have the Options:
Install Zorin alongside Windows
Erase disk
Something else
Choose the first Option. Then You can set up the Disc-Space with a toggle and all the other Stuff makes the Installer.
On the disk where Windows is installed, I also have a partition with all my data, sda3, photos, videos, etc.
if I follow the procedure you indicated, is there any risk of compromising that partition?
I deleted the elementary partition from Windows, but since it is not positioned next to Windows it does not allow me to enlarge the Windows partition, as you can see from the image it is next to the partition with my data Files....
When You would shrink it more that the Space that you use on it, yes. But if not there should nothing happen. I've done this Dual-Boot setup every Time when I installed Zorin beneath Windows 10 and had never the Problem of Data Loss.
But I find it interesting, that You have 2 seperate Partitions for Windows. Theoretically You could use GParted in Zorin and with that move the empty Partition between Your 2 Partitions from Windiws and then add it. But with this Step it could maybe give a Problem. It don't have to. But when You move Data and Partitions this Way there is a Risk.
I don't want to take that risk, I have my kids' photos and videos in that partition and I want to avoid any risk...
if I leave everything as it is now, how can I get zorin to install in the now empty location?
I understand. And when You would save the Data to an external Drive? Would that a Possibility?
Well, that is relatively simple. You take the empy Space and use the Mounting Point / and format this in ext4. then You should see under the Partition Table the Choice ''Device for boot loader installation''. Click on it and look if You can find ''Windows Boot Manager'' and choose that:
Well tonight I will try as you said, but I want to remind you that on my laptop I have an ssd with linux manjaro and of the boot loader was installed on the ssd?
SDA Is the HD with Windows where should Zorin be installed
SDB ist the SSD with manjaro and I don't know if the boot loader is on the ssd installed, if I install the boot loader on sda is there a risk that manjaro wont boot?
What I see here on the Picture is that the Entry ''Windows Boot Manager'' isn't there. there is an Entry ''Windows 10''. That is a bit tricky now ... Theoretically I would suggest that You simply create on the free Space that You have an EFI-Partition and the Mounting Point / for the Rest of the Space. But I'm not sure if the EFI-Partition works right with Your Legacy BIOS and the Rest of the Partitions.
I would leave well alone unless you have external storage to save all your precious data that you have already indicated. I would advise you first use Rescuezilla to backup your entire Windows Drive and your Manjaro drive, better to be safe than sorry.
You should really stop what you're doing right now and make a backup of your data. All drives fail, eventually, and often without any warning signs. As the saying goes:
"There are two types of people: those who backup, and those who have never lost all their data."
As far as dual boot goes... I honestly don't like it as much as I used to. It's a cool concept in theory, but in practice it can very easily lead to complicated partition schemes, which becomes a problem when you want to change things like right now. Mixing Windows and Linux makes things worse given how aggressive Windows updates are (I've been bitten in the before because of this).
I would only recommend dual boot as a temporary measure, to test a new OS on real hardware if for whatever reason a virtual machine is not enough or restoring data from a backup, etc.
At the very least, since you have two drives, use one drive for Windows and another for Linux. You can decide which one to boot into using the BIOS boot menu.
I thank everyone for the help and I think I will do as I was advised....
First of all I make another backup
Secondly, I leave everything as it is, I rarely use Windows but unfortunately sometimes I need it.
I really enjoyed testing Zorin live and when I have time I will replace my main OS Linux Manjaro with it.
before because of this).