Replace Windows XP with Zorin

I am new to Zorin and wish to clarify a few installation steps. I have an older (around 8 years) laptop running Windows XP. I want to replace XP completely with Zorin - no partitioning.
1) Should I install the Core or Lite version? If I install Lite, can I upgrade to Core?
2) Should I completely wipe the hard drive before installation?

Thank you

Hi,

you can let the auto installer take care of the partitioning for you if you want to!. I normally create my own partitions and choose them manually during install and that way; I know exactly what size my parts are!!.

Zorin Lite is very light and I would go for core because there are far more features with it!!.

Regards Wolfman:)

Hi I am also new to Linux, and I would really like to install zorin os lite since I don't have enough memory for the zorin core. Here are the specs of my old lap top http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-Satellite ... B0000DJEGI

My laptop just had spyware, malware, trojans, rouges, and I just removed them with avast anit virus and webroot spy sweeper. Would it still be okay to just run the dvd of zorin lite when the system reboots? Or should I use dban to wipe everything out since I had so many viruses in it and then install zorin? Also, I do not have a copy of windows xp on a disc, so if something goes wrong after installing zorin lite I will not get to install xp again. After installing zorin, will I have to reinstall all of the laptop's drivers, including wireless internet driver? If so, how do I get all the drivers it will wipe out before I install zorin? Also, if all goes well and I did everything right, is there any kind of maintenance I need to learn to keep zorin running smoothly? I apologize for so many questions, there are some things I didn't understand on the how-to section for there were many terms that I don't know about. Thank you for your time. I will be looking forward to your answers. Have a nice day ^_^

as far as wiping the HDD when you install zorin there in an option to erase the HDD and install zorin. as for the drivers if you hook up to the LAN connection while installing it should grab the driver for your computer i have installed it on a few different computers and never had a driver issue.

Thank you very much for all of your answers, I will give it a go! Double checking, as long as I am physically hooked up to the internet, (not wireless) and pop in the zorin disc, all my drivers will be downloaded automatically? I will update on what happens next. I really appreciate your help.

yes that is how i did my installed because when you are physically hook up then it will install the latest updates for zorin as well

Just stick with Zorin OS Core 3.1 for stability's sake.

Okay here's my update... I tried to install zorin os lite, and when the desktop finally loaded up, nothing really worked when clicking on the Z and clicking on the browser section or any other option. The only thing that did work was rebooting it. So, I guess that's what you mean by unstable Obsidian1723? I took your advice and went for the zorin os core, but in the middle of the installation, (blue screen with the Z) it would freeze. It would let me reboot from there, but I'm not sure why it does this. Is this a hard drive issue? I really would like to replace xp with zorin as my xp is running so slow and I don't think my laptop has issues as I did run the CHKDSK (sorry I don't remember what it was called), defragmented my hard drive, the registry, cleaned the unused part of the disk and incinerated deleted files. Also, I honestly do not know which option it is to delete the HDD and then replace it with zorin when the list of options pops up in the beginning. I just normally click the option that says to straight install. If I am doing this all wrong please let me know. Thank you all again for your patience with me.

hello swarfendor437, thank you for your reply. Is the recovery software an .exe file under the system folders? My laptop only has 512 Mb RAM. If this does have a recovery software, how do I confirm that and how would I remove it? If the other issue is the APIC, do I change that setting in the beginning when rebooting? The F12 option? Same with the BIOS for changing the graphics to Cxxx? And yes I will stick to the zorin core 3.0/3.1. Thanks for the video, it got me thinking on doing a manual partition also. For the small size of my 512 Mb RAM do you suggest partitioning it into two? Or not at all? Thank you again, after I work on the next steps here I will update again. Have a nice day ^_^

Thank you again for your reply swarfendor437, unfortunately I still have more questions. I am using Acronis image online back up to back up my files, but for some reason it was taking longer than 2 days to do it? I am not sure if that is normal or not, but there was about 28 gb of files to back up. In the end it didn't even back up any of the files, it was just calculating. If I don't want to run windows alongside zorin anyway, is it still necessary to back up?

I burned gparted on a disk and now I am not sure how to run it off the disc. What file or icon am I supposed to click on?

And lastly, if I don't know how to change the boot entry file, the APIC issue, and the BIOS issue, if I completely wipe the drive out with dban or something like that, will it take care of both issues for me? If so, from there will I be able to just install zorin 3 from the disc or will there be more problems since dban will wipe out all of windows xp? Also, I don't have a windows xp reboot disc.

Thank you again, I still have a lot to learn and I apologize for not knowing how to do a lot of things you are suggesting, this is my first time trying out a linux os. If you have suggestions on where I could find tutorials on changing the boot entry and the BIOS please let me know.

Once again, thank you very much for your help. Just updating, I have done as you said, I backed up all my system files along with all the files you listed to back up I changed the BIOS order to CD-Rom, then Hardrive. I disabled the "stretch screen" in BIOS. And now I have not changed the boot entry APCI=noapic because I'm not sure how to do that? Do I just type in APCI=noapic in the boot.ini file? And I didn't find an option in BIOS for changing the graphics from Exxx to Cxxx. And I didn't find anyone who has an Xp Home Ed. cd and yes I still have the serial number. Please help me change the APCI. thank you

You will only need to change ACPI if you are really having problems.

If you are wiping Windows then don't worry about partitioning, the installer will do it for you, don't select "Encrypt Home Folder" and you will be fine.

I never use anything to backup my files except an external USB drive, this is more than my needs, all the backup progs are ok; but even they can have their problems!!.

Once you have done your install; it is important to update the system before you do anything else.

Regards Wolfman

Thank you very much again for everyone's help. I didn't try to change to NOAPIC, and I ran the zorin 3 disc under live and again it froze. How do I know what's causing this? Could it be the disc? It was a new DVD RW that it's burned on. Does this mean I really can not install zorin to this 8 year old toshiba? I apologize for getting discouraged. I really don't know what other options I have.

Thank you everyone for all of your help and patience with me. I think my hardware has a lot of incompatibility issues with zorin 3 and I am not ready to put money in this 8 year old toshiba so I have concluded to try a new distro. I just wanted to let everyone know that I have learned a lot through your support. Now I know how to use gparted and put in new partitions in my laptop, burns iso's slowly on a disc, back up system files, customizing bios and I'm sure there are more that I don't remember at the moment. Thanks to all of you, now I have a fresh clean start. I am truly greatful. Have a blessed new year everyone! ^_^