Installing from ISO on USB created with Rufus
Secure Boot disabled, as well as Fast Boot
What happens on boot:
Reads USB
Offers install options screen
Validates checksum
Shows error "4.942936 Integrity: Problem loading X509 certificate -65" twice
Shows another message too quick to read but concerns "missing cache ???"
Zorin logo pulses for about ten seconds
Zorin logo freezes
System hangs with screen showing green Acer logo and a static Zorin logo
Disable Secure Boot in your BIOS / EFI settings, then with that done, boot into the existing Windows.
(Secure Boot is for Windows only and since you are not going to use Windows nor dual Boot, it would be senseless to leave it enabled).
Once booted into Windows, go to the Control Panel > Power Manager and follow the steps to Disable Fast Boot or Fast Startup (you may need to do a quick google search on how to disable Windows Fast Boot if you are having trouble).
With both of those disabled, you should be able to proceed to Zorin OS install without that hiccough.
I have also now run the installer in verbose mode. The screen print out is very long but here is an image of the point at which the process hangs - last entry
[OK] Started Switcheroo Control Proxy service
Well, you could try changing UEFI to Legacy and see if that works... But Before You Do That...
Try launching gparted in the LiveUSB of Zorin OS.
Select the partition you wish to install Zorin OS to.
Click the (-) icon to delete it.
Click the newly created free space.
Click the (+) button to add formatting to that free space.
Format the partition in ext4.
Once formatting is complete, then launch the Zorin OS Installer from the desktop icon.
See if it runs through...
It seems the OS's have no where to go!
as you have removed the battery(BIOS) you will need to flash the machine BIOS,
Also look into VMD as another choice.
This can be done check here.