Zorin reload OS 17 over OS 8?

I have dualbooted Windows 7 and Zorin OS 8 and want to install the latest OS 17
I have loaded the .iso file to a ISB stick and started the installation process.
The existing partitions from OS 8 are dev/sda5 (76.8GB) and dev/sda6 (64.6GB).

  • I tried to install OS 17 in these partitions but this failed.

  • Should I delete these partitions and then how to "merge" them? Can I use MS disk manager?

Not sure how best to proceed, thanks in advance for any advice.
Rick

What are the specs of the machine you are installing to?

Just giving partitions does not tell us what they are. Was one '/' and the other /home? Additionally I suspect mbr plus your machine will not be UEFI enabled. Sure there was a post on here on how to install to mbr.

Welcome to the Forum

You could use that to delete the Zorin Partition, yes. And it would be neccessary to delete the ''ubuntu'' Entry in BIOS because You could get Issues when starting the Machine.

But in Your Case would be need to clear Questions before:

  • Is Your BIOS in UEFI or Legacy Mode? Depending on that Your bootable USB Stick should be in GPT (for UEFI) or MBR (for Legacy).
  • What Tool did You use to create the bootable USB Stick?
  • Did You made a Back-Up from the Data of Your Zorin Installation? If You should need the Data I mean.

Sorry for the late reply:

  • System is x64 based pc, i5 cpu, BIOS = Lenovo 6IET78WW, 20/05/2011

  • I used balenaEtcher to make the zorin.iso file on a USB stick

  • WIN7 is on /dev/sda1

  • There are two linux pertitions on dev/sda5(ext4) and dev/sda6(ext4)

How to proceed, thanks in advance

Can you launch a live edition of Zorin 17, launch GParted and select your hard drive with Win 7 and the Ext4 partitions and upload a screenshot?

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I'm not entirely sure what it is that you're trying to do: install Zorin OS 17 in one partition while having Windows 7 on another? Or do you want to have only one OS installed?

I have a dual boot laptop with WIN7 and Zorin 8.
I am trying to install Zorin 17.2 in the Zorin 8 partition, not a new Zorin 17 partition.
Not sure how to alter/select the disk partitions.

OK, please find attached screen shot
Thank you

The easiest way: boot into windows and remove all linux partitions. Then boot into the live iso and install zorin 17.x next to windows 7.

2 Likes

As you have Zorin 8 in extended partition I would backup your data and any drivers, basically, backup your /home folder to an external drive. Next delete all partitions in the extended partition using GParted from Zorin 17.x in live mode and create the following new ones.
FAT32 efi partition 512 Mb marked /boot/efi
Ext4 Primary 80 Gb or if limited, 50 Gb for /.
At end of partition make your swap double your Physical RAM.
Whatever space is left, Format to Ext4 for /home.

Do you use GRUB as your OS Bootloader for both Windows and Zorin? If Win 7 is mbr, then you could use NeoSmart's EasyBCD (free one) for boot choice.