Installation won't start; next to [windows], [legacy] boot

Hi, I'm new here, but I tried looking my problem up on the forum, either didn't find exactly what I needed / didn't help.

So I have been currently trying to install Zorin OS on my laptop for a few days. My HW is following:
cpu: Intel i5-6300HQ (not skylake.... I've read there are problems with those) x64
gpu: nvidia GTX950M
Can be easily looked up as MSI GL62 6QD

I was following the guide (official one) on how to install this, so I downloaded the .iso(Zorin-OS-12.2-Core-64.iso) file, did the checksum process, made bootable USB stick using 'etcher' and tried booting the laptop. The secure boot is off, it is legacy boot mode, my windows uses, therefore I remained in legacy, changed the boot priority and saved.
The "keyboard and interaction" ikon shows up, so according to this ( viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7981 ) number 8. exactly I changed the keyboard map (no reason) and using F6 chose "acpi=off". From this point on nothing changes. The same happens when go for Install, the same as for Try. No matter if I don't choose any options, go for "acpi=off" or 'nomodeset" (as I saw could help with the nvidia issue on this forrum) or both of them, the screen goes black, the laptop resets and gives me the original screen (the keyboard and interaction icon, nothing else). I waited a bit... then with no interaction it just keeps reseting into this screen, with interaction I found it is indeed just a reset and I can do this all over again.

I tried doing the same thing with Ubuntu (ubuntu-16.04.3-desktop-amd64). I come to the screen where I choose whether to Install or Try. With no options used, both go into the loading screen (ubuntu icon and the loading dots) and freeze after a while. I tried using the "acpi=off" option, also the "nomodeset"(just for kicks) and with both I was able to get into installation (I have to admit I haven't got past the point where you set the partitions, because I was just testing in order to give some information here on the forrum).

Any ideas? I would really like to try Zorin, so this makes me really sad.

add: I tried it on other laptop I got and the installation seemed to start right (didn't procceed, but I got a lot further, like to the actual system, using Try OS....) so that should be a good proof that the file and stick are okay, and the fault is not there.

add2: Little update: I have successfully installed the Zorin OS on the OTHER laptop I've got, no issues.

I'd be happy for any kind of help.

Cheers,

john

Hi John

you done already lot of effort to make your laptop work. I had a bit of looking around and it seems a NVIDIA driver issue and/or UEFI/BIOS. it is a fact that some hardware combinations suck

I hope the high skill guys in here can take your case at hand to guide you through

Zorin is heaven if it fits your profile - good luck in using linux

cheers

Hi, with all flavours of Zorin where I have dual-booted I have only succeeded by:

1. Booting into 'live' (try) and use the desktop installer;

2. Use the something else method.

3. If using Windows 8/10 you have to turn the advanced power settings that are normally locked for quick boot as well.

My preferred method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlTgaWs9BD0

See also:

https://vimeo.com/110085401

You may also wish to try Rufus instead of Etcher:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHt6OGrIJA

so....
@zorinantwerp it is actually Legacy, not UEFI. Also might be worth mentioning. I tried using UEFI (even though I have my win on Legacy -> should use legacy) and I managed to get into the Zorin loading screen (the logo of zorin, kinda flickering, nothing else) where it frozen just like the Ubuntu tried I have made.

@Swarfendor437 thank you for your input, but I'm not really sure what is the point...? I watched like up to a half of the first video (Moore's one).... there was no pressumption that the boot would not work. Yes I can see what he wants to do and stuff... but his linux installation works and he doesn't talk about any case it wouldn't so I don't see how does that help (although I bookmarked it since it's interesting). The second one from vimeo.... I'm sorry, but I'm getting headache from the sound, no offense, you have to understand. If you wanted me to watch it so I know all the steps necessarry to do in windows in order to the installation work I would just hope, there would be list of steps, because the vimeo vid is very shaky and slow.
On that last thing you mentioned I will try the thing with Rufus now. I don't think that is the case, since the official guide says use Etcher, so it should be just fine.


edit: tried the exact thing guy on the last video did. Also tried normal using rufus made stick. Still no change.
Conclusion:
not caused by etcher / rufus
starting the boot from Windows by going into setting and resetting as "recover the system from a bit copy" as was done in the last video; then choosing the usb and booting from it doesn't help.

I really think it's either some legacy boot issue or actually caused by my HW which should have some resolution....

I've already took a look into switching my windows from LEGACY into UEFI boot mode. Seems feasible. Do you guys think that might help? If any more information is needed, give me a ping here. I will try to run the install once again from the UEFI mode, make sure I can get deeper into the installation, if so it might really be possible to work this out by switching into UEFI and then using the nomodeset.

Cheers,

john

As I understand it, Zorin 12 does support UEFI. Here is a script of my shaky video - replace Zorin 9 with 12:

swarfendor43's Avatar

Joined: Sep 2009
Total Posts: 5,908

As a kid using a reel-to-reel I hated the sound of my voice - I used gespeaker to read the text - you can always mute the sound - and just watch - you should get the drift. I did post a 'text' version but not sure if on this thread. so here it is from the Zorin forum:

1. Prepare Windows first by going into Windows 7, and if you don't have 'Computer' on desktop, go to menu, right-click and 'manage'.

2. Select the partition with 'C:' on it, right-click and select 'Properties', then go to 'Tools' Tab. Select 'Check disk' and make sure both boxes in the next pop-up screen are checked and then click on start which then brings up another window to select 'Schedule a scan' - click on that.

3. Close all windows and reboot - you will get the cursory 10 second count-down to cancel Chkdsk - DON'T - you could end up with an unbootable system - I did this on a 200 Gb drive and it took a good half-hour.

4. After chkdsk has completed it will reboot, give a cursory report that it is clean (hopefully - just as mine did) and you may get a brief message that there is no signal (from graphics card) and then your login screen will appear.

5. Go to 'Manage' once more and do a defrag analysis of C drive - uisng the same procedure above [2.] but click on Defrag tool - mine was only 4% so not needed but like to do this anyway for dual-booting - analysis took quite a while and then I ran the defragment option - another good half-hour.

6. Re-boot to windows once more to see if Windows finds a change and requires a reboot - this used to happen on XP but does not appear to be needed for Windows 7.

7. Go to Manage once more, right click the C: drive, Properties and 'Shrink drive' - let Windows do all the calculation and just accept what it offers - this will eventually after 15-20 minutes a reduced drive with unallocated space to the right of it. - This is where we will install Zorin. Put the Zorin DVD into the drive and reboot - use your one-time boot option (if you have one) to boot from DVD - Dells = F12, HP = Esc, if you have a 'homebrew' like the one I built with an Asus Mobo then F8 might be the button to press. Select the Optical Drive - if your machine does not have this option it will mean pressing the 'Del' key to enter BIOS and go to 'Boot' section then 'Boot Order' or 'Disk Priority' - usually pressing the + key will change the first default option (the hard disk) - on older machines you should also change second option as this would have been the optical drive (I am disregarding machines with Floppy Disks which would be 1!) and change to hard drive or you will go round in a loop!). Press F10 to save changes and exit.

8. Booting from Zorin 9 will bring up a blue screen with the symbol of a keyboard and Accessibility logo - as soon as you see this press the spacebar.
You will be taken to the 'language' selection, which is 'English' by default - press the Escape key then press F3 for the Keyboard map and use your cursor up arrow to select UK (default is US - I wonder why!), then if you have a notebook, press F6 (you may need to choose one of the options for some desktops as this affects whether you get to see the desktop - try default of none first but if this fails, reboot and select 'acpi=off'

9. Then press Enter to select the first menu option of trying without installing.
The screen will change to a glowing/pulsating 'Z' on a blue background - then darkness for quite some time, then a mouse cursor, then the desktop - the menu applet (a Z) takes quite some time to load. Be sure at this point you have a wired connection to your router/internet connection - and click on 'Install to Hard Disk/drive' icon on the desktop. (Alternatively, Menu | System Tools | Administration | Install Zorin OS).

9a. Can't remember at which point this screen appears but you get a check list that

a. you have enough space to install to

b. are connected to the internet

Be sure to check mark the bit about installing updates and other stuff during install - this is why it takes quite a bit of time to install!

10. Installation Options screen appears - choose the last option - 'Something Else' - this will launch the Partition Editor. Select the 'Free Space/Unallocated Space' then click on the '+' symbol, bottom left of the window that is open and a new interface opens - make it a Primary Partition with size 30000 Mibs (About 30 Gb) - you might get away with 15000 (15 Gb) but I like to play safe! - format to 'ext4' (ext2 if SSD) and mark as '/'. Next highlight the remaining unallocated space, '+' once more and this time create 'Extended Partition' - select this partition to add at the END the 'swap area' - I make this 4 Gb (4096) and then everything in front I create the last partition, '/home' where all your data and windows applications live at the 'BEGINNING' of the extended partition - make this 'logical'.

11. Crucial this bit - install GRUB on the partition marked '/' - this should be sda3 - remember the number - this is crucial for when you get to use Easy BCD 2.2 Community Edition.

12. The installer screen starts - begins with Language - default is English, click on 'next'

13. Memory is going - can't remember if Keyboard layout is next or 'where are you?' - anyways, because of what was chosen back at F3 on second screen that appeared it should pick up the fact it is English UK. clickk on 'next'.

14. Where are you - enter Sheffield and be amazed at the number of places around the world that share our great City name! - and of course, ours is at the top! so select that (obviously!). once done, click on 'next'

15. Username etc screen next - DON'T use capitals in username.
System - rename this - preferably in lower case - no hyphens, no underscores, no gaps. DON'T checkmark 'encrypt home folder' or the OS will not insall or boot correctly!!! Click on Next. This takes a VERY long time!

16. After eventually it has completed installation, either carry on playing in live environment or re-boot into Windows 7.

17. In Windows 7 - Download Easy BCD 2.2 Community Edition from Softpedia.com. After install it offers you option to launch - do so - it even offers language to launch in - nice touch. Now then we need to add a Linux Partition so we go to the Penguin tab - for the Boot, drop down to GRUB2, (if memory serves me right the default is 'neo-smart' or some such).
Next select the partition where GRUB is - now this latest edition is very cool - you should recognise the smallest of the two GNU/Linux partitions of '/' and '/home' and it will also be indicated by the size we chose earlier - highlight that ('/') partition to select it to boot from. Next we give a name to the bootloader entry - mine is 'ZorinOS 9 32-bit Ultimate' - and that is what shows up as the second entry in my Windows 7 Boot loader on boot - the other neat thing that Easy BCD does is it automatically captures your existing mbr settings at point of launch after install!

Save your Easy BCD settings, close the application and re-boot - you now have an uninterrupted mbr so your Windows will NEVER be affected!

This method will work with any distro - you just have to remember to stop the distro of choice wanting to put the Bootloader in the MBR.

I reported some issues with Windows 7 and reinstalled it - the MBR was intact so I could boot Zorin after reinstalling Windows - basically thanks to Matthew Moore and EasyBCD - my video differs as it shows how to make room for GNU/Linux - Matthew Moore's video is working with a 'blank canvas'.

Swarfendor437 wrote:As I understand it, Zorin 12 does support UEFI. Here is a script of my shaky video - replace Zorin 9 with 12:

As I said I tried to procceed with the installation on UEFI. Indeed, the installation freezes right at the zorin logo after you choose to try/install. Also the screen where you choose thishttps://drive.google.com/open?id=13raNAwb--iwUzM6NMCdnDlv7VJgARsp5 is different from the normal one https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VqHx2srUGkxEmkHo3KYS3tOUmWNeiGLq for no apparent reason. As you see from the screen, there is actually no logo also there are no options like in the normal installation screen. There is the 'e' for for settings (according to the icon) and 'c' for ... something. Following are the screens that show it's usage:
'e': https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sgkrkvyXtq4HCzTT9oLQP17WLaMa_ovV
'c': https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Ow_E6e5xf6vu4LbjfoUa99nwFvatMkNK
It does not interact with ANY of the F keys (especially not the required F6) so I cannot choose no acpi, nor nomodeset.
I hope the screen somehow help dettermine my options of how to fix this.

@Swarfendor I will surely go and try the windows steps today, if you think some of it might be the resolution. Thank you for the script, is way better.

Also I saw somewhere on the forrum that someone was advising in a problem concerning the NVIDIA cards to "install using intel, not nvidia"... as much as this seems as a good advice and I think it might help, how exactly is this done?

Cheers,

john

Take a look at this thread also;

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8004&p=38810#p38810

I've seen this post already, also I've made the things in the steps you followed. Neither helped.
I would like to make sure with you I understand right, because you gave me few tips... half of them were not concerning my problem half of them suggest solutions I've already tried, so I would just like to make sure we understand each other.

My problem is I cannot get anywhere behind the Try or Install screen, because the pc resets just after I choose one of those.

I have indeed tried using the acpi=off option, nomodeset, also combination of both. None of those have ANY impact whatsoever.

I have not really seen the same problem here on the forrum.

Hi, guess you have tried the solution here?

https://askubuntu.com/questions/838212/ ... p72-laptop

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to everyone.

This post actually to my surprise DID help!!

Not to be over the moon, for my legacy boot, this had no impact whatsoever.

However I've tried changing some of my BIOS settings, mentioned in this post. And also changing the original command used for installation and I am currently writing this post from my Live version of Zorin. (It has a weird resolution and cannot be changed right now, but I believe this can be resolved, I've already seen some issue like that on the forum).

Currently my work status does not allow me to destroy my windows just yet, but in few days I will surely go and try changing my boot system to UEFI and will let you guys know how the installation went. Also, don't worry, I will provide all the information that should help resolving similar cases in future.

Cheers,

john

☆*★*☆ JOY! You succeeded to master the issue☆*★*☆

Merry Xmas 2 u

So finally finished what had to be done and I tried changing my boot mode to UEFI. Worked fine (pretty much, appart from one weird bug, if you want to know I might post about that too), having UEFI now, not restricting me any way known to me.
Anyway, I finally proceeded with the installation and I got to say... sorry but the thing is pain in the a**. i) the buttons don't work now and then, so you got to use Tab + Enter to actually move somewhere ii) the resolution is impossible to work with. I have fullHD 1920x1080 monitor and basically what keeps happening is it runs in a smaller resolution and everytime there is a tab with more text that can fill into the screen, too bad for me, so in HALF of the goddamn installation I wasn't able to see buttons like Quit, Back, Continue, so I had to write down onto paper how many times do I need to 'Tab' until i can press 'Enter' to continue to next step....
Anyway after a while I finally finished the installation, removed flash after I was prompted to (said few pcie errors, didn't catch it) and then it gets sort of stuck in a prompt (but it doesn't actually interact). I just killed it Ctrl+C, then the pc finally reboots.
Odly enough, reboots into win10, not grub (my other pc loaded into grub and just work from that point on).

Also worth mentioning, I followed the steps you wrote down... you should update it a little. Apparently EasyBCD CANNOT work with systems with UEFI boot mode and is disabled by default right after it's installation. So I guess it's worth mentioning this in your tutorial, since UEFI users cannot use it.

Looking for some workarounds now, but I'm kind of loosing hope.


possible error on my part:
@Swarfendor437 in the tutorial provided by you

11. Crucial this bit - install GRUB on the partition marked '/' - this should be sda3

. You say "install" but there is not actually mentioned how. Is there some option in the installation that actually does this? (would be my fault if I just didn't see it) or did you mean something like "you will install GRUB on the partition...." referring to later on step?

Cheers,

john

In terms of choosing where to place GRUB this is when you use the something else method:



EasyBCD should be installed on Windows 10 partition after you have set up Zorin on an Extended Partition.

I DID use the something else method. The question I asked was about specifically installing the GRUB.... from the screen there is clearly not mentioned anywhere how to install the grub, neither where. Thus my question. Other than that I did make the 3 partition as you said in the tutorial, the / root partition(ext4), the /home partition(ext4) and the swap space.
The thing is... you do this.... and you don't say "install GRUB here, please...." or "make this a point from where I wanna boot up". So I am asking where exactly at this is the installation of the GRUB, how can I possibly affect it in any way.

To the EasyBCD topic. I may not have spoken clear on this, so another disclaimer here:

If your Windows PC is booting in EFI mode, Microsoft has blocked the loading of legacy or non-Windows operating systems from the BCD menu. This means that you can no longer use EasyBCD to add Windows 9x, XP, or Server 2003 entries to the BCD bootloader menu. You also cannot add DOS, Linux, BSD, or Mac entries.

Here's link to the whole article about this. https://neosmart.net/wiki/easybcd/uefi/

There is some sort of solution in the end of this article that I might be able to use. To be exact, I mean the following:

When installing Linux or any other 3rd party OS that ships with its own bootloader, instead of choosing to install GRUB to the bootsector as is traditionally done when opting to use EasyBCD to control your boot menu, choose to install GRUB to the MBR (or disk, in this case) and make it the main bootloader for your PC. You can add the Windows boot menu to the GRUB2 EFI boot menu – in this case, you’ll see GRUB’s boot menu when your PC starts, and from there you can choose Windows. You can still use EasyBCD to control the Windows boot menu and set up multi-boots and re-configure Vista+ entries in the BCD boot menu, but with the GRUB2 EFI menu loading first, you can use that to boot into Linux and to chainload NTLDR to boot into Windows 9x.

What's your opinion on this? also this tutorial is not really clear to me, do you understand from it, what exactly has to be done?


cheers,

john

1. Bootloader = GRUB.

2. Other members have reported issues with EASY BCD but Matthew Moore video is probably the best in respect of using Easy BCD and an EFI Windows. I don't own such kit so have been unable to replicate and most recent BIOS appear to have a 'mixed mode' of EFI/Legacy boot so perhaps this needs revisiting but I don't have the funds to buy EFI enabled kit.

So I think I have probably found a solution to the booting problem. Completely accidentally, while installing Mint. Yes, I am installing Mint, I was deciding between arch and mint now, since I decided a big community with lots of tutorials and more reliable environment is better for me, since I am pretty new to linux and even thought I'd love to learn things, I am not willing to put up with everything right now. Sorry, this is my goodbye.

Hopefully this topic will be of some use to future users. Here is the mint solution. Basically it happens that the boot order is not changed, so this might be the case (I will not go ahead and test, sorry).


Edit1:
Now I would just like to give some feedback to the devs from me, since I probably won't wonder around anymore.
I chose zorin because of what I saw on the page... should be an OS that I use instead of mac, or win... well let me tell you this. If I actually had no experience in linux I would have never even got to make this post. It is not really an everyday thing to backtrack problems like those. Especially on forums.
Therefore, if you guys wish to present this as a replacement for macOs or Win, you should anticipate the actual users of those, thus spending hours on a forrum is not an option (also I must mention the "search" engine needs a lot of polishing). I would love to see some tutorials, with screenshots (idiots like me need pictures), I'd like to see some specific cases that occur frequently, like mine being taken care of.
I mean... the OS might be damn great.... the experience cannot be if you never actually got to it

By this I mean no offense. Just a normal break-up we're not made for each other.


Godspeed (and thanks to all who attempted to help - you make this happen),

john

wckan_ wrote:So I think I have probably found a solution to the booting problem. Completely accidentally, while installing Mint. Yes, I am installing Mint, I was deciding between arch and mint now, since I decided a big community with lots of tutorials and more reliable environment is better for me, since I am pretty new to linux and even thought I'd love to learn things, I am not willing to put up with everything right now. Sorry, this is my goodbye.

Hopefully this topic will be of some use to future users. Here is the mint solution. Basically it happens that the boot order is not changed, so this might be the case (I will not go ahead and test, sorry).


Edit1:
Now I would just like to give some feedback to the devs from me, since I probably won't wonder around anymore.
I chose zorin because of what I saw on the page... should be an OS that I use instead of mac, or win... well let me tell you this. If I actually had no experience in linux I would have never even got to make this post. It is not really an everyday thing to backtrack problems like those. Especially on forums.
Therefore, if you guys wish to present this as a replacement for macOs or Win, you should anticipate the actual users of those, thus spending hours on a forrum is not an option (also I must mention the "search" engine needs a lot of polishing). I would love to see some tutorials, with screenshots (idiots like me need pictures), I'd like to see some specific cases that occur frequently, like mine being taken care of.
I mean... the OS might be damn great.... the experience cannot be if you never actually got to it

By this I mean no offense. Just a normal break-up we're not made for each other.


Godspeed (and thanks to all who attempted to help - you make this happen),

john

Sorry to see you go - I've just started on the 'unofficial manual':

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13614

Had you been seeking advice on an alternative I would have recommended SolydX (community edition) - more Debian than Mint is.

"What you consider to be the best Linux distro for you, will often change over time to match your experience level".

zorinantwerp wrote:"What you consider to be the best Linux distro for you, will often change over time to match your experience level".

It will also depend if you want to extend the life of 32-bit machines or put them in landfill - SolydX AFAIK is the only community led distro that produces a non-PAE based distro.

I 'think' I may have found a possible solution (and Intel have a lot to answer for, not just poor support for GNU/Linux at present! LOL!):

Source: https://askubuntu.com/questions/691216/ ... roc#691245 (answer with 22 votes)

Boot with nomodeset boot parameter as it is described in this answer.

You will be able to install Ubuntu. After you do it, the system will probably won't boot again.

You will have to get to grub menu by pressing Shift or ESC button and enter nomodeset again.

Then install 4.3 kernel. It can be done this way. Run in terminal:

mkdir ~/linux-4.3
cd ~/linux-4.3
wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/ma ... _amd64.deb
wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/ma ... 49_all.deb
wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/ma ... _amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i *.deb

and reboot. I hope the system will boot without the nomodeset parameter.

Notice: The kernel will not get updates. You will need to install them manually from Mainline kernel PPA.