Hello, I'm having trouble trying to split the EXT4 partition to have a 2nd NTFS partition to install Windows on it. I thought this would be easy but it won't let me do it. Any suggestions please? thank you
Which Partition Manager are you currently using?
Are you using Gparted on LiveUSB? Are you in the "Something else" portion of the Zorin OS Installer and setting up your partitions in Gparted there?
Are you on Windows and using the Windows Partition Management tool?
Moving or reassigning the space of a partition can often depend on whether that partition is touching another partition. A partition must be expanded or contracted. So you can "move" (expand or contract) the space a partition uses if there is free space touching it (adjacent to it), you cannot if an existing partition is adjacent to it that is in use.
A partition must also be Unmounted in order to make changes to it. So if the partition is mounted, you cannot make any changes.
So I am in the system, I am using the same mounted partition and trying to cut it and reformat the 2nd drive to NTFS. I thought that this might be easy like doing in in OSX by just going to Utilities and the Disk Manager and throwing in the new name and size and done. But I guess with Linux I can't do that. The partition data says GUID Partition Table and Partition Type - Basic Data Legacy BIOS Bootable
If you are accessing the partition that you are on and is mounted, you cannot make any changes to it. The partition must be unmounted.
I believe that on Macs journaling file system, you may be able to do so. But it is not possible on any other FS like NTFS or ext4 or BRTFS.
In addition, everything I posted above still applies.
Danger! From observing someone who had put GNU/Linux first and Windows second in the drive it caused continual crashes. Always put Windows first then GNU/Linux second. My advice would be to backup your data in Zorin first, wipe the drive, Install Windows then use Windows Disk Manager to shrink C:\ to make room for fresh install of Zorin. Unless you like taking meds for potential headaches that will follow!
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well I'm a novice in Linux just FYI, from what I'm reading I can create a USB stick with Ventoy on it with many distro loaders and that will give me the option of doing it in a live version virtually whereby I can then cut up and reformat (into whatever format I want) the existing internal drive and then install Windows on it, is that correct? thank you.
Yes, your statements are correct.
@swarfendor437 was advising that you install Windows first, then the distro of your choice second.
I also agree with this.
ok but then I would have to wipe out the Linux that is on the drive now and start off with a fresh drive, split in half for NTFS and EXT4 and then do the new installs in that sequence, I think these steps are right?
Yes, though you can do things to mitigate that being an annoyance:
You can install Windows after installing your Linux Distro.
The advice given above is just that. Installing Windows first eases the installations, minimizes the troubleshooting and reduces the risks.
It is not required or necessary.
having some trouble getting Ventoy or GParted on the USB drive to work, I transferred a bunch of files to internal Linux and now trying to install Ventoy or GParted into the USB but getting some error prompts which file is it in this attachment pic? or am I doing something wrong?
Gparted is included in the LiveUSB Zorin OS Demo on the Zorin .iso
It is not necessary to install or add Gparted separately.
I found this, kind of an updated version: How to Install Windows After Ubuntu Linux in Dual Boot - uses Ventoy as well.
Agree - Linux after Win is preferred. But, it can be reversed! 
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