USB Install not read on HP pavilion

Installing Zorin OS
#1

I followed the site's instructions to create an Install USK key.
Created it on my usable MS Surface Pro.
Plugged it in to my very dead HP Pavilion
Used F8 to get boot options ... the USB key was visible.
Selected it and hit 'Enter'
Got hit with 3 lines of error message starting "failed to read"
The rest lasted less than a second and I couldn't catch it.
I checked the USB key contents with trusty DIR and got ...
DIR efi
DIR boot
FILES grubx64.efi
bootx64.efi
mmx64.efi
bootia32.efi

Any ideas?
I am IT wise; Windows capable; but Unix, Linux, Ubuntu, Zorin ... well virginal - even the terminology is new to me.
Help would be greatly appreciated ...
... I want to be shot of Windows.

#2

Hi, first check sha256 for downloaded iso. Than try to use Rufus or Fedora write image tool for Windows.
If using Linux, best way is dd.

Probably you have wrong iso or bad written usb

#3

OK, that was a bit fast ... what/who is sha256? I got the downloaded ISO for Zorin Core 16 from Zorin directly.
They advised using something called Balena Etcher ... which I used and watched it authenticate OK.
I thought of bad written USB ... that is why I listed the contents.
Would their file sizes (all non zero) be of any use?
I won't worry about Linux and dd ... all I have now is my itty bitty Surface Pro with Win 10
Any more thoughts?

#4

Have a look at this thread, which relates to Z15 but should be same for Z16:-

SHA256 is a checksum method. You should verify the checksum of the download file matches that published by Zorin devs, in case it was corrupted during the download.

List of SHA256 for current versions of ZorinOS (as shown below) can be found here; Download - Zorin OS

Zorin OS SHA256
Zorin OS SHA2561349×625 24.9 KB

USB install fails - the List
Installing Z15.3 Lite - Не загружается с загрузочной флэш карты
#5

Are you seeing the same errors covered in this thread?:

#6

I don't know how to generate a sha256.
In the world of Windows where I have lived for 20 years and which was used to create the USB key, I copy dozens of files every day. For 20 years, I have NEVER seen a corrupted copy being the problem. We just believe copy works.
I think I'll go down the rabbit hole of "secure boot" that the next respondent suggested ... and maybe come back to the world of "corrupted copy" if that fails.
Thank you for the suggestions.

#7

That sounds like my case. Not that I have three computers to try on.
Ignoring corrupt copying, would you expect my USB key to hold different data as compared to what is currently on it via BalenaEtcher? I confess to some bewilderment as to why a 2012 software (rEFInd) would do better than the Zorin recommended method ... so I must assume that what it puts on the USB key is somehow more acceptable on an oldish HP Pavilion than what my key currently holds?

#8

Not if ignoring corrupt copying.

In software, the age of a program is not always relevant. On Linux and on Windows, some software is relying on Code that is over thirty years old.

#9

Thanks to you - and a bit of luck - I made it through the thickets and brambles.
I mentioned that I decided to follow the "secure boot" comment and see where that led.
To be sure, I repeated my F8 entry into boot options and chose my USB key ... and failed again with "unreadable header" etc
I still have no idea what a "secure boot" is, but this time I used the UEFI Editor. It asked to define where to boot from. I told it "my key .. efi .. boot .. bootx64.efi"
Voila! Worked just fine and I expect to become a happy little Zorin user.
Why does "Use key" fail and "Use this file on key" work?
Dunno - smarter people might work it out fort the benefit of those who follow.

Meanwhile Zorin's recommended BalenaEtcher instructions work just fine ... when you know how to use it correctly.

Thank you very much for your help.

#10

Secure Boot is a manufacturer implemented feature in unison with MS Windows to ensure that booting a device is done only when authorized by the user instead of a third party application. It, in essence, tries to mimic what Linux has done for many years much, much simpler.
The problem with Secure Boot is that unlike Linux where a User Authorizing Password delegates security, the Secure Boot tries to 'unintelligently' do it FOR the user and it does not have the wits to know the difference between authorized and not. It just rejects third party applications.
Disabling the feature helps in installing a Linux OS or in operation of certain Linux apps (I don't have a list handy). Some folks operate on Zorin with Secure boot enabled just fine (for now) and some are less lucky.

#11

I still don't no if I was secured or not ... and no longer care very much (Recall that the Windows part of my HP computer has a partly enabled command line - and nothing else)

I am quite happy with Zorin. It is not problem-free. I still haven't figured out how to get Chrome running and the old files on HDD are in a partition that I haven't yet figured out how to see.
Typing Chinese characters. Voov. Yada, yada.
I'll get there.
And truly, really thank you ... I was getting desperate.

#12

By all means, please feel free to start a thread on this as many users of Zorin OS run Chrome or Chromium browser.

And this too; May just need to mount the partition and give it read or read/write permissions.

#13

Thanks again, Aravision.

I'm a reader of manuals. Is there a comprehensive set of Zorin manuals?
Some place where I can, for example, learn what "mount a partition" means and then, operationally, how I go about doing this mounting.
Come to mention it, I've had a little difficulty thinking in a non-Explorer way.
Maybe Zorin has a tree structure files traversing function and I only need to know what it is called.
Manuals are good. They save time ... esp other persons time.

#14

Swarfendor created the unofficial Zorin OS Manual for 15... He has left for Devuan and no longer is making manuals but most of what is present in the manual should still apply.

Aside from that, most documentation regarding Ubuntu 20.04 will function for Zorin OS.

It's called Treeview and most File Managers (File Explorer ) offer it. I believe even Nautilus does... in a round about way...
But I use Nemo File manager as it has all the features and functions within easy reach as a File Manager should have.
Thunar, which comes with Zorin OS Lite also features the tree.

In Nemo file manager, for example, if a drive is connected but not mounted, I need only click on it in the side pane of the file manager to mount it.
You can also mount a drive in terminal (For example if the File manager is not seeing it) with the command sudo mount followed by the drive I.D.

#15

Please see this update here:
NOTE:

1 Like
#16

I'm impressed.
I notice that the recommended workaround involved grubx64 where I used bootx64. I'd guess it depends on the PC's make?

1 Like
#17

It was noted that the bug affects primarily Dell computers.