ZorinOS Headless Install

Installing Zorin OS
#1

Hello,

I want to try out and possibly install ZorinOS on my (currently) Windows laptop. However, the screen is completely busted and I don’t want to replace it, so I’ve been using the laptop with a secondary monitor so far. I’ve tried booting Zorin from a USB to test it out, however since the laptop screen doesn’t work and Zorin on the USB hasn’t been configured to use the secondary monitor I have no way to switch the input to the second monitor, especially since the function key for choosing the display doesn’t work. Is it possible to set up Zorin, prior to booting it, for headless access, similar to setting up a headless raspberry pi? Or are there any other suggestions for how I might set this up to force Zorin to automatically boot to the secondary monitor?

1 Like
#2

Zorin OS is built off Ubuntu, so searching for Ubuntu should still lead you to the right place:

Install Ubuntu Server on Raspberry Pi in Headless Mode and SSH Into It.

#3

Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be that simple. Booting from the usb, Zorin does not come with SSH already installed, meaning I would have to install SSH and make the change persistent across live boots, which as far as I'm aware, is not possible with ZorinOS. On top of that, the password for the live user does not appear to be "zorin", so I would also have to change the password and make that persist across live boots.

Any other suggestions?

#4

The default password on Try Zorin is simply blank.

Yes, you can make persistent boot across live boots using Ventoy or Unetbootin.
Ventoy is probably the easiest, simply because it is checking the box for it.