The final release of Zorin OS 17 will include the Direct Upgrade Tool.
The recommended action is to perform a fresh install of Zorin OS 17 when it is released in its final version (non alpha or non-beta).
Many Beta testers have been utilizing Virtual Machines to test Zorin OS 17 Beta.
For the daring, they can install the Zorin Upgrade Tool at the time of the Zorin OS 17 final release and use it to upgrade their installed bare metal Zorin OS 17 Beta to Zorin OS 17 Pro. If this is a fresh install of Zorin OS 17 beta with a final release not far off, I think it is not necessary to feel the need to preserve such a recent build.
As I understand it, the direct upgrade tool is not part of the Beta and will be included with the Final Release of Zorin OS 17.
But a user can just install it from the repository:
That's never going to happen because the Beta talks (currently) to Custom Servers that Team Zorin have setup specifically whilst the Beta is running. On a side note I have installed the Beta to bare metal alongside 16.3. Minor issues like sound from speakers when moving mouse, Dark theme changing to Light theme while undertaking a task (Open windows only, not the Panel (Dash) which kept to Dark theme. Had first freeze tonight after deleting a video file and trying to show Trash bin on desktop through Zorin Appearance.
Can't remember, thought the sound issue was just in live mode. I do have an issue with sound though as it is saying I am using S/PDIF when I am not at all but only option to get sound out from SoundBlaster Audigy Rx (Pulse Audio screws up still so will be installing Alsa and consigning Pulse folder in /etc to /etc/PulseOff! Then following my own copied guide on how to blacklist HDMI.
Once the Beta is released and installed, it is subject to the same available upgrades and updates procedure that a normal release/install would have.
You won't have a New Beta Release.
The Beta is released and after the information and reports it has generated has helped refine the Final Release of Zorin OS 17, then Zorin OS 17 will be released.
Weeeeelll..... probably gonna have to wait for 17 Lite to drop Too much RAM usage when idle, with effects all the way off - not a strong laptop (4GB RAM) haha Mint MATE for now, 16.3 for the main laptop till alpha drops.. Man, I gotta get new stickers if that's the case I got some Mint stickers to slap over the Gateway logo and a metallic OS sticker that looks better than the Windows ones of course, the Zorin ones looks much better Now I just need a laser etcher to blast off 'ZenBook' and replace it with 'ZorinBook' hehehehehehehehehehehehehe
I have to say idle RAM usage is comparably low, if you look at Zorin 16. That has to do with Gnome 4x being much better about RAM usage, compared to 3x. My RAM usage on 16 is usually above 1GB when idle, but with 17 I'm around 900MB, which is just around as much as I had on openSUSE, Manjaro, and Arch using Gnome.
I love Zorin Os, since version 15 it has become my main distribution.
That said, I agree that they took too long to release a new version, (I remember that in the case of Zorin Os 16 the beta came out a year after Ubuntu), this can play against them to attract new users. I understand that they are a bit overwhelmed, considering that the project is run by the two Zorin brothers. It seems to me that it is about time that they open the project to more contributors, otherwise they run the risk of losing market in the Gnu Linux ecosystem.
16.3 Core on an 11th gen i7 and 16GB RAM - ~1GB RAM idle... 17 Beta on an N4020 Celeron and 4GB RAM - 2.3GB RAM idle.. meh, I'll wait for Lite to drop on that one. MATE runs a solid 900MB on idle.. all day lol
Not saying it can't just didn't see it from that machine. Disabled all the effects and all, too. I could add more RAM, but I'd have to know what chip it's using and hot-air solder it in. More work than it's worth
The much anticipated Zorin OS 17, from the impatient crowd, finally got their BETA version. I could not believe just how much people talked about Zorin OS 17, literally what seemed like a year ago, just right after Zorin OS 16 was released. It really left me with the what they heck reaction lol.
I won't be testing the BETA version, I am perfectly happy with my Zorin OS 16.3 version for right now, does everything I need it to do, and its not full of bugs. I much prefer to wait until OS 17's full release, and all bugs are fixed, and I can use the upgrader on OS 16, to upgrade to OS 17.
Now I did have one issue with OS16, with the Zorin Connect APP, but it appeared to be a common issue that other's have had. Its where you can send SMS messages with the computer, but you can't read any incoming SMS messages. I had to turn on Legacy mode just to see all my contacts at all. So this is just a long way about saying, hopefully Zorin Connect has been improved in OS17.
Hello:
When will the final version of Zorin Os 17 be released? I ask this because in the case of the previous version (Zorin Os 16), the stable version was released 4 months after the beta was released.
Zorin OS 16 Lite was released in December, in time for Christmas. So it stands to reason, that Zorin OS 17, will be released very soon! Buckle up buttercup, looks like its going to be a wild ride!
Too much RAM usage when idle, with effects all the way off - not a strong laptop (4GB RAM) haha Mint MATE for now, 16.3 for the main laptop till alpha drops.. Man, I gotta get new stickers if that's the case 
I got some Mint stickers to slap over the Gateway logo and a metallic OS sticker that looks better than the Windows ones 
of course, the Zorin ones looks much better 
Now I just need a laser etcher to blast off 'ZenBook' and replace it with 'ZorinBook' hehehehehehehehehehehehehe
just didn't see it from that machine. Disabled all the effects and all, too. I could add more RAM, but I'd have to know what chip it's using and hot-air solder it in. More work than it's worth 