[RESOLVED] Dual-Boot Install on Acer Swift 3

Very new to Zorin and Linux, but trying to learn as I go.

I'm trying to do a dual-boot install on an Acer Swift 3 laptop. I keep getting stuck at the screen where Zorin doesn't recognize Windows as an existing OS and the only option is to wipe the whole disk.

I've tried to research this on my own, but am totally stuck. I have changed the power and hibernation settings within Windows. I've also changed to Legacy mode. No luck. Any advise is appreciated. Thanks!

This article might help:

https://www.infofuge.com/acer-swift-3-s ... -from-usb/

But first, if you are able to launch Zorin in Live mode, can you try and launch GParted and upload a screenshot to the forum?

(How to upload a screenshot - very old tutorial here: https://www.veoh.com/watch/v385833212XzmANbj)

Thanks for the response and advice.

I've followed the steps provided for Acer Swift 3. Creating the boot USB and getting it to run isn't the main issue. I'm able to boot from the USB and begin the installation.

Here is a screenshot that shows my partitions. The one labeled Zorin was a partition I created to see if that would make a difference...I can easily delete that if it shouldn't be there. When I get to the install screen, it still doesn't recognize Windows and wants to wipe the whole disk.

I did notice there is the option to do "something else" at the bottom -- which looks like I can install to a specific partition. However, I don't understand the options after that step, and I don't know if that will allow dual boot?

Thanks again!

OK, you need to do the "something else". Delete that partition - GNU/Linux does not use NTFS it uses Ext4 (which is a journaling system like NTFS but different). So boot into the live mode having made sure that
1. Fast Boot is disabled in BIOS
2. Windows Boot Manager is disabled
3. In Windows itself, Advanced Power Setting not normally seen - go into that and turn any settings that put the HDD to sleep to never.
Now before going any further, if you have the resources I would backup your entire drive, preferably with C:\ drive back to it's normal size, and include all the hidden partitions. You should also make a Windows Repair Disc whilst windows is functioning in order to get back to a working Notebook should problems arise with Booting into Windows.

Boot into Live Mode of Zorin, Run the Installer and this time:

1. Make a primary partition of 20 Gb and Mark it '/' and format to Ext4.
2. Whatever is left make an extended partition and inside of that at the end make a swap area equal to your RAM (swap areas format themselves - someone once posted that they thought it was FAT32 but don't take my word for it.
3. In front of the swap area (what is left) make that '/home' and format to Ext4
4. You now need to decide if you want your BCD bootloader overwritten with GRUB - if you don't then you should start with a /boot partiltion formatted to Ext4 of 100 Mb - now this is where you might hit a snag as you will already have reached 4 Primary Partitions - you need to decide if you want to keep your restore partition at the end. The reason I am suggesting this is so that you can install EasyBCD from NeoSmart in Windows which automatically backs up the BCD/MBR of your Windows install - it then allows you to Add GNU/Linux to the BCD without upsetting your Windows install.

https://vimeo.com/110085401

Thanks! I'm going to try this when I get home this evening.

Another thought I had: my need for Windows will be pretty minimal...I occasionally have to use Adobe InDesign and Photoshop for work, as well as a couple Microsoft programs. Any thoughts on if I did a pure Zorin install and ran Windows in a virtual box for the few times I do need it? I'm trying to think of downsides to that, but can't come up with many.

You're only downside might be graphics unless you use a dedicated card for the VM and even then apparently it does not work well (dedicated card that is) with VB. I have Windows 7 32-bit running on my 64-bit Feren OS as a VM as well as 64-bit Windows 7 on a separate drive and now I have a Ryzen 7 processor Windows keeps moaning that I need to upgrade to Windows 10 and M$ have blocked my updates - I know it is not long before 2020 but I need Windows to use Serif Web Plus 8 for my website - I'm too old (sic. lazy) to learn css/html! Obviously the more RAM you can allocate the better - I have 16 Gb of RAM and I allocate 4 to it and 2 processors from this 8 (16 threads) CPU. I understood that you had a notebook - you would need Windows 7 Service Pack 1 media to do that - you can get it from here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/softwar ... d/windows7

I could only get the above page to show in 'Arora' web browser! Firefox and Vivaldi both got stuck/stalled. Make sure you know which version you have installed and remember to also have Service Pack 1 downloaded too as you can't get updates without SP1.

Now if you don't know what you CoA key is (sometimes they get wiped out with usage on Notebooks) there is a handy script you can use to get your original windows key:

Copy and paste the following into Notepad:

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
MsgBox ConvertToKey(WshShell.RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DigitalProductId"))

Function ConvertToKey(Key)
Const KeyOffset = 52
i = 28
Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"
Do
Cur = 0
x = 14
Do
Cur = Cur * 256
Cur = Key(x + KeyOffset) + Cur
Key(x + KeyOffset) = (Cur \ 24) And 255
Cur = Cur Mod 24
x = x -1
Loop While x >= 0
i = i -1
KeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & KeyOutput
If (((29 - i) Mod 6) = 0) And (i <> -1) Then
i = i -1
KeyOutput = "-" & KeyOutput
End If
Loop While i >= 0
ConvertToKey = KeyOutput
End Function

Don't save as .txt - change to save as 'All files' and name it 'productkey.vbs' - double click to run it and voila - there is your Windows 7 product key in all it's glory.

[Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/206329/how-to ... duct-keys/]

parf78 wrote:Thanks! I'm going to try this when I get home this evening.

Another thought I had: my need for Windows will be pretty minimal...I occasionally have to use Adobe InDesign and Photoshop for work, as well as a couple Microsoft programs. Any thoughts on if I did a pure Zorin install and ran Windows in a virtual box for the few times I do need it? I'm trying to think of downsides to that, but can't come up with many.

There is also Wine. I would strongly recommend that you update wine immediately after installing your new OS if you are installing 12.4. If you are installing Zorin 15, the wine is probably up to date.
I have used Wine for a few things and it works fast and it works well. I don't notice it as acting separately or differently in any way. Depending on what you are doing, it MAY be an option for you. Since Zorin comes with Wine installed, I'd say try it out first.
I run American McGees Alice on it ('cuz I be ol skool like dat ). And ScanXL autodiagnostic tool.
Also, Gimp is similar to Photoshop. There is also Inkscape. Is it possible that you can do what you need to do using non-windows software?

Swarfendor437 wrote: I'm too old (sic. lazy) to learn css/html!

It's a pain in the
I regret it. I have only learned enough so far to be dangerous with theming. It's still not enough to complete what I started out trying to do.
Yet.

Wine is not present in 15 and it was broken in 12.x. I would uninstall the version of Wine that comes with 12 unless the first system update after install replaces Wine 3 with Wine 4.

Swarfendor437 wrote:Wine is not present in 15 and it was broken in 12.x. I would uninstall the version of Wine that comes with 12 unless the first system update after install replaces Wine 3 with Wine 4.

I did not know that it doesn't ship with 15. Thanks for the correction.
Agreed- I upgraded the Wine on my 12.4Lite to Wine 4 immediately after install. Well... Immediately after third install and when I realized that I needed to...

OK, you definitely talked me out of relying on running Windows in a Virtual Box.

I went back and tried to set up using the partition directions. No luck. I almost gave up, but then I decided to do a fresh Windows install (totally clean install, no Acer stuff). After that, I ran the Zorin install USB and it presented the option to install alongside Windows. I chose that option and everything seemed to install fine!

When I restarted the PC, it went right into Windows. Did some research and learned that I needed to run this in the Windows command prompt: bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi

After that, it gives me the option to choose which OS to run.

I am happy to report that I am up and running on Zorin! Now, I just need to figure out how to use it haha!

Thanks again for all the help; it's nice to know there's a great support network out there.