I came ti Zorin because it was supposed to be thr dustro best suitrd to ease thebtransituin from Windows, but just configuruing my VPN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN MY INTERNET C8NNECTUIN (THE SAME VPN I've used for 2 years without issue), and spent most of the night going through possible fixes (80% of which were all in tlTerminal). If I have to type out multiple commands for everything I'm trying to do, that does not feel easier.
Welcome to the Forum!
Could You say what VPN Provider/Service You use? It would help to take a Look at it. Also a bit more Details about the Issue and what You did to get it work would be good, too.
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I bought my first computer in 1993, a Gateway 486 DX33/2 with (I quote) "a massive 340 megabyte hard disk", 4MB of RAM and Windows 3.
It took me 3 weeks to work out that my new modem wasn't working because I apparently had an internal modem which needed to be switched off first, and I was proud and pleased when I downloaded my first file from 5000 miles away (California) over a 4kbps network. There wasn't an enormous support network as we have today,and I solved it by myself.
So what I'm trying to say is this: you're entering a new environment, and of course it won't be the same, but you're learning with every problem you face and overcome, either by your own efforts or with the great help of the Linux/Zorin community. Stick with it. I'm still learning after 6 months and it's great to have a customisable non-spyware OS.
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Well like any new OS there will be pitfalls errors and a learning curve...but as time goes by and you learn (with help from here) you will come to love Zorin OS if you really think back to when you first started useing windows it was all new and im sure it wasnt "easy" either....hang in there it will not only get easier but will grow on ya too....
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I guess your "how long" question depends on what you require your system to do, how experienced you are, and how much time you have to put in.
Personally, it probably took me a couple of weeks to get everything the way I wanted it, which is a bit longer than it would to get a new windows computer configured the way I want. It was a few more months before I was ready to blow away windows completely and go 100% with Zorin.
What takes the extra time isn't defects in the OS but rather that a lot of manufacturers don't put any effort into making their hardware Linux friendly. Same with software, some have Linux versions, some don't. Some have great open alternatives, some not so much.
The good thing is that participants on this forum have seen most of the problems and can advise you, though it may be an iterative process as one issue gets resolved then the next one appears.;
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Sorry you're having trouble. Offer some info about your VPN provider and how you're attempting to install it (.deb file, Zorin store, a Windows .exe file, etc.). That info might help us to help you.
It does get easier. If I remember right, the first two weeks were the hardest for me. After two months, I stopped using Windows. Just hang in there and keep asking for help when you get stuck.
I am out of work.
Malware destroyed my desktop leaving me with a 5-year old Dell with a dead C port and a dead eathernet nic.
I came to Zorin after seeing an interview the CEO did on Techlore because it sounded safer and like a transition that I would be really familiar with. Then zI get here, and pretty much every source of information tells me to do something in Terminal (which I've almost never done)
I need my computer working to send out resumes and such.
And this thing is so fragile that setting up Mullvad broke it?!? It's not like I was tryung to do anything fancy. I hadn't even gotten onto thr internet with it yet, and was tryung ti make sure app armor was properly configured.
I DON'T HAVE RENT FOR NEXT MONTH.
I might have enough food to make it if I go down to 1 meal a day.
There are no friends/family to lean on. I am the backup plan.
I don't have time for learning experiences.
I literally wored on it from 2AM until 11:30 this morning going to messagevboards resding articles, etc. And for all m know I just made it worse.
If I can figure out how to retrieve thr Terminal logs, I'll post them.
Mullvad. And that's just it. IT'S STILL _____ BROKEN!
I spent all night and am not a bit closer to an answer than when i started. I'm trying ti figurr out where thr logs for thr almighty Terminal are stored, but this thing doesn't seem half as user friendky as advertised.
I hear you. You appear to be in a stressful situation, and that is not a great time for learning experiences.
Zorin's user interface is very easy and intuitive to adapt to, but if you came from Windows, everything underneath is different.
Think of it like a car. You swap from petrol to EV and everything is fine - until something breaks. All your knowledge is around petrol cars. You have no idea what could be wrong with the EV. You either need to learn, or find someone who can help.
We're here to help, but we're doing so remotely. 
Zorin is a vastly more privacy respecting option than Windows. So good choice.
Zorin is pretty intuitive to use. Good choice.
Zorin will be completely different to resolve many issues. Difficult timing for you.
From what you've said, you've been delving into the issues, and possibly entered commands you don't understand, it may indeed be worse now. Is starting clean an option? Re-install Zorin 18.1 from scratch, do the updates. Try Mullvad VPN installer. If it doesn't work - reach out to us first so we can start at the first issue.
If that's not an option (or not preferred), then the community will try our best to help.
Note for the future - it's often much better to get personalised assistance from a community rather than rely on fixes used by other people for issues that may not be quite the same as yours.
As an aside, do you need your VPN out of the gate? You could possibly work on your immediate need: getting your resume updated and sent. And look at the VPN once that is sorted. Either way, you still need your internet, and we can try to help there. If the internet > VPN, then that might be easier for people to help you with. One issue at a time
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So am I understanding right that you are trying to set up the old computer on Zorin because it is no longer adequate for windows but it’s all you have right now?
It might help some of those trying to help you if you could post the full specs. Include your Ethernet and Wi-Fi cards RAM size etc.
Did you already load Zorin? Or are you using a live USB? Is it version 18.1? Is it Core or Lite? Is it the only OS, assume you aren’t trying to dual boot. Is secure boot disabled in bios?
Terminal is actually pretty user friendly and folks on forum can give you explicit instructions on commands to type but we reallly need to know exactly what you are trying to do, one problem at a time.
It sounds like internet access, browser, email, printer, libre office of similar might be a priority list but we need to hear from you.
I can reinstall i guess, but since I wiped Windows and screwed up my first install, this'll be thethird in a week. Not sure how many a drive can take before it taps out.
Any idea how I turn off thr encryption?
Not to mention the fact, I don't actually know for sure what I did. I took some screenshita though, ans will include them.
I found logs, but it's a lot because I'm not really sure what's important (I'll never understand why that sort of thing has to be communicated in codes and vague descriptions instead of just plain language -in Zorin's defence Windows does that too).
As for specs:
Dell Precision 3561
CPU: 11850
32GB DDR4
T600
H
Close. I'm trying to set up the laptop on Zorin because Malware destroyed my desktop (Replacing the RAM alone would cost almost $3K these days!).
I wanted to mive the laptoo to Zorin ti make it less vulnerable since it's all I have to work with.
Arey you trying the manual setup?
Mullvad have a GUI app which makes things easier and provides their own repository to keep it up-to-date in the future. You can look at their official instructions to get it under Zorin: Mullvad VPN for Linux
Note: Zorin 18 is based on Ubuntu 24.04 so while looking for online solutions make sure to check the instructions are applicable to Ubuntu.
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If you re-install, you will have an option to wipe the drive completely and start clean. It will remove the encryption automatically. If you choose encryption on your new install, it will implement new encryption.
Will your problems happen again? It depends what happened
If you re-install Zorin and things are working ok, i suggest you work on your resume and whatnot - do the things you need to do today. Then, when you're less pressured, talk to us about Mullvad VPN.
Also, after Zorin installs, make sure it's fully updated before you try anything with Mullvad.
Note on Mulvad: VPNs often have a "killswitch", whereby if the VPN connection isn't working then it will block the internet. The problem could be on their end, or something else. It's possible something that has happened has enforced this killswitch, but we have too little information to work on at this stage. Knowing you have a working Zorin before we get to the VPN will be helpful.
So are you still without internet or did you fix it? Is that problem #1?
Other than that is Zorin working for you right now? If it is it may not need to be reinstalled.
If you are still without internet, are you trying to get wifi or ethernet or both to work? Whichever, try typing in terminal: sudo lshw -C network and post the output.
As well as this (thanks for the link), i notice there's 2 ways to install:
- The hard way (terminal)
- The easy way (download) - see below.
(forgive this awful screenshot, i'm learning how to use the screengrabber 
)
The file download isn't available to select until you click 1 and 2.
Bad site design, i don't know why they hide it like this. It took me a minute to find it and i was looking for it!
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Thanks for the screenshot as illustration.
The 2nd method is easiest as you download the deb file and install it by double clicking. The only demerits of it is that in the future if there is an update to Mullvad then the user manually again need to get the deb and update it. However in the 1st way by adding the repository the future updates will be included in the system updates. It is not that hard, you just have to copy and paste the shown the commands (only the green line ones). Anyway users should use whichever is easier for them, I mentioned the 1st method as it makes the future updates easier.
And I agree about the site's design. It's UX needs some reworks for end-user convenience.
I suspect the .deb will set up all the stuff needed for it to auto-update in some way or another. Like Steam does.
They probably want people to go "cool, i am a |33+ haX0r..." /taps furiously at keyboard.
Hold on. If that's the case, then what did I do on my first install to have the encryption still hanging around after my first reinstall?