Checking out Linux and Zorin

Hi all.

I'm about as long time a Windows User as it gets. I grew up with Windows and between my Dad and I, we can usually solve just about any Windows problem we run into. Except, of course, for the problems created by Microsoft themselves.

Right now, my desktop runs Windows 7 (and I went out of my way to ensure it would never update to Windows 10.) Don't misunderstand; I love Windows 7 and regard it as one of Microsoft's best operating systems. I would run this computer for the rest of my life (well, maybe not that long) if I could. Trouble is, nothing is forever and although I've gotten very good service, eventually, the hardware is going to fail and I'm going to be out of a lovely desktop. I'm also going to be forced permanently onto Windows 10, which essentially treats its users like A) babies and B) product. Beyond the whole forced Windows updates thing, I have heard rumor that not even your personal files are personal once Windows 10 gets ahold of them. As I am neither a baby nor a product, I'm naturally looking into Linux, but I know better than to swim before I can paddle. Although, as ambitious as some of my secret plans are, I may well be in over my head already.

I definitely like the look of Zorin and I'd like to retain the options of maybe installing Windows software if need be, but I'll be honest. As much as I know Windows, I know next to nothing about Linux aside from one or two classes at my local community college.

Essentially, what I'm looking to do is the following:
1. Turn my Win 7 into a VM (possibly with GPU passthrough so I can still use the software and games on it).
2. Play both DVDs and Blu-Rays on my new computer.
3. Failing the Blu-Rays on the Linux, either run the Blu-Rays in a VM or have remote access to a Windows computer (that I own, of course) to play my discs.
4. Continue to use my preferred web browser, Pale Moon. It does have a Linux version, but I'm unsure if it's available on the Linux Software App thing.

Yeah, I know, I'm crazy. I've looked into GPU passthrough, so I know it's possible (if difficult), but what I don't know is whether it's theoretically possible with Zorin. I've also looked into Blu-Ray and I understand it's quite hit or miss on Linux. Which may, unfortunately, force me back to Windows because I have quite the collection of Blu-Ray discs and I'm not about to lose them. I also understand that you can't really play a Blu-Ray with a VM - but could you do it with GPU passthrough? While not a permanent solution (eventually graphics cards won't support Win 7 any more than motherboards and processors do now), it would buy me time to find another possibility.

I realize this may be way more than I can chew, so I might be stuck with Windows, but surely it's worth a try?

Thank you for your time and any help. If I've posted this in the wrong area (or forum), please, point me in the right direction.

Hi and Welcome!

I have done something similar on FerenOS - Installed Oracle's Virtual Box (VB) and have Windows 7 running inside of that. Unfortunately, VB appears to limit graphics memory to 128 Mb of RAM even though multi Gb graphics card might be present. I'm guessing this is to cater for older kit I'm not sure or whether it has anything to do with how an .iso is configured. I noticed recently that a GNU/Linux .iso I was running in VB was able to get 256 Mb of Graphics allocated so it is all very strange. As for Blu-Ray that is still in the offing I think - 'Thee Mahn' of Ultimate Edition fame was going to look at cracking that Holy Grail so not sure how far he has got with that. Some games will run in Wine - another thing to consider is to install gCDEmu - this enables you to create a virtual CD drive of your games, particularly useful if you need the disc to be present in order to play the game. Wine creates a fake 'C' drive and is inside the hidden '.wine' folder in your '/home' folder - whatever your game CD is called when you insert it in the optical drive, create a folder in the fake 'C' drive with that name that shows up on the CD. For example, Homeworld for me is named 'NEW' so I named the folder created in 'C' as 'NEW'. Next copy the entire contents of the CD into the created folder. Select all .exe files in the folder, right-click to select 'Properties' then go to 'Permissions' tab and check mark 'allow to run as executable'. Then choose the main 'run' or 'Setup' exe file, right-click and use 'Launch with Windows Program Launcher'. Please be aware that Zorin 15 does not come with Wine - the devs are wanting to concentrate on the Corporate market - it is simple enough to install - You will need to install Synaptic Package Manager after install from the Software Channel then search for WINE - the current version is 4 - the software channel puts version 3 - you don't want that!

If there is anything else I have missed, please advise.

Thank you for the welcome and the reply.

I'm still at the research stage of figuring out if I want to go to Linux (and which distro, if so), but essentially GPU passthrough allows a Virtual Machine to use an actual graphics card (which means the system must have two, but it overrides the limits on VMs). I don't believe it's possible with Virtual Box; all the guides I've seen reference VMWare.

It's a touch disappointing to learn that Zorin 15 won't have Wine by default; I suspect I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, but when all I've used are Windows installers and now I'm reading about tarballs and Software Centers and what not, I'm more than a bit intimidated. Unfortunately, I'm not sure my current Blu-Ray program would work - I think I read somewhere that Powerdvd requires the Windows kernel, but perhaps that information was out of date. So hard to tell what's true and what's not - or what was true, but no longer is. That's why I was wondering if a GPU passthrough would get around the Blu-Ray DRM, though it's typically meant for gaming (and probably used more with Win 10).

I am familiar with mounting virtual discs - is gCDEmu similar to Elaborate Byte's Virtual Clone Drive?

One last question: do you know where I might find a Live CD version of Zorin? Or something I can put on a Flash Drive to take a peek at how things work? That's another thing I'm still figuring out - how to experiment and see which distro I might like.

Thanks again.

Hi and welcome also.

Your story sounds like mine when XP support ended and I moved to Linux Mint 15 and Zorin OS 8. Although everything seemed difficult and frustrating at the time it was the nudge I needed and haven't looked back.
You can download a live (CD) .iso of Zorin from https://zorinos.com/ and use 'Etcher' (https://zorinos.com/help/install-zorin-os/) to burn the file to a USB Drive from which you can boot up the live system and/or install Zorin.

https://distrowatch.com/ lists most of the Linux distros should you want to try something else. Some might even have Pale Moon.


Most Linux Distros can be installed onto a USB drive (either thumb drive or spinning type) from the 'Live CD' so that may give you options for testing beyond the 'Live' system so long as the drive has sufficient space. I recommend unplugging your internal drives before doing this!

I have heard of GPU pass-through for virtual machine gaming etc and seen videos about it on you tube but no luck myself.
Depending on what games etc Steam with 'Proton' works well on Linux and seems to improve daily. See here https://www.protondb.com/
Lutris and WINE for gaming also??

DVD's play on Linux but Blu-Ray is another animal. Have seen articles about using VLC to do so but not been able to get it working myself.
MakeMKV can 'rip' Blu-Rays and 'steam' them but no luck streaming myself. Have seen a few other tools for this but not tried them myself. Rip and watch works. DRM for a disc you own but can only watch where 'they' say you can...Big Brother!!



As your situation is similar to what mine was this is what I did.

2013-14
Test and play with some 'Live CDs'
Installed Linux Mint onto separate HDD for more testing.
Installed Zorin OS 9 in Dual boot mode with current 'XP' system until weaned off Windows, for me was when I got MakeMKV working on Linux.
Blow Windows away for a few years until I started gaming.

2016
Installed Windows on separate Drive just for gaming.

2018-19
Waiting for Steam 'Proton' to enable playing the last few games I have on Linux.

2019-20
Getting ready to Blow Windows away again. More fun than actual gaming...


As you can see endless options for you, and given that you seem comfortable breaking and fixing things you should have plenty of options as I did.
It took some trial and error to get through all of the above and I am by no means an expert but so glad that now the word Windows means something that I look through and enjoy the view.