Help me install Z5 Core in existing ntfs partition

I have installed many Linux systems before and they all had an option to install to either the entire hard drive or another existing primary partition. After i would choose the option to install on an existing primary partition, it would suggest default sizes for a root(slice), a swap file(slice) and a Home (Slice) or what have you... It would then use the partition i told it to use and re-format it setting up those 3 "slices" for me using defaults. I have never had to manually set up a swap file and the rest of the slices.

This is what i hate about your installer. You want to make it easy on windows people.. dont use this installer. Use one like the easy ones I suggest above.

I have made a primary partition of 13 gigabytes and formatted it with ntsf. (I know Zorin will re-format this with ext4) In the installer I cannot choose use entire drive.. i have to choose the custom mode to select this partition, but after i select the partition it still asked me to set up a swap file. I have no idea how to do this because your installer does not suggest defaults or gives me any instructions. many installers will have help files built in to walk you through stuff like this. your's does not.

I wanted to be able to get this running and test it on my hardware before i purchase your ultimate version. Please help.

Hi ER,

when using the installer, use the manual setting "something different" and create 3 partitions, 1. / (root partition), 1. /home (home partition) and 1 swap (there is no mount point for swap).

Swap should be double the size of your RAM if you have an old PC, if you have a new PC with 4GB of RAM or more, then swap can be the same size as your RAM. That said, if you have 4GB RAM or more; then swap is not really necessary and you can proceed despite the warning about having no swap set!. (IMO!). (others may disagree!)

You can also use the "select free space method but if it picks up the wrong partition, you could end up losing stuff!!.

Regards Wolfman

Here is an info link for you:

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/display- ... ual&lang=C

I already have the 13 gig partition i want to use.. let me get this right.. I need to delete it giving me the unallocated space of 13 gigs back. Out of that space I need to make 3 partitions, one for swap ( since I have 4 gigs of ram i will only use 1 gig for swap to give it a little.. i dont want to use a whole 4 gigs with only using 13 gigs to begin with) How big should my root and home partitions be? Do i have to choose a mount point for each?

6 for root and 6 for home, that way you have some space to install a few extra progs, 1 GB RAM for swap is okay!!.

Yes you do have to create mount points for both!!.

Regards Wolfman:)

Thanks.. I'll give it a shot.. wish me luck..

Darn Zorin.. I liked the easier installers of the other linux distros just so I would not have to deal with setting up slices manually.. I liked Zorin so much in a VM that now, I'm going to have to do it.

I curse you Zorin, you made me learn something.

Good luck, you can read that "how-to" as well and you will learn a lot more!!.

Regards Wolfman

O.k. i got a problem.. i believe it installed correctly, although i did get an error on install saying it may not have installed all my documents and settings correctly but it was continuing with the install.. i got to the end where it said i had to reboot the machine..

That isn't the problem...

I do not have an entry in my windows boot loader.. in fact, there might be one but i use easyBCD to dual boot already with win 7 and PC-BSD. I'm supposed to tell an installer not to use Windows MBR to install grub to ( or whatever boot loader Zorin uses) , but tell it to install the boot loader onto the root partition of Zorin - I didn't see that option under where to install the boot loader to. How can I tell it to do that? ( perhaps it's there and i just missed it) I want to reinstall anyway to see if it gets passed that error from above.

O.k. i figured that out.. i can point it to the Root partition.. But when it starts to boot I get a command prompt right away. Help Please ( It uses Grub 2 doesn't it
') Oh.. still got the error about the documents and settings not installing right.

This time i choose not to make a Home partition to make things easier.

If you are selecting "encrypt home folder" don't!!!!, not a good idea. Are you installing in "safe graphics mode".

Please post your PC's specs thanks!!.

Regards Wolfman:)

I was not using the encrypted home option. I did not choose any safe graphics mode for install. I only choose direct install from the boot menu, didn't even load the live CD.

Here are my specs:

Product Number WA980UA#ABA
Microprocessor 2.1GHz AMD Sempron Processor for Notebook PCs M120
Microprocessor Cache 512KB L2 Cache
Memory 2GB ( I use the Max of 4)
Memory Max 4096MB
Video Graphics ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 Graphics
Video Memory 128MB Display Cache Memory (up to 1022MB total graphics memory )
Hard Drive 250GB (7200RPM)
Multimedia Drive LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support
Display 15.6" Diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1366x768)
Fax/Modem High speed 56k modem
Network Card Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN
Wireless Connectivity 802.11b/g/n WLAN
Sound Altec Lansing

Boot the live CD fully in safe graphics mode and once it has fully booted, then choose to install it!!, your system meets the min requirements for Zorin OS.

Don't encrypt home folder!!.

Regards Wolfman

O.k. trying again now.. I'll get back to you.
Where are the system requirements listed anyway? I found this for Zorin 4 - . Did they change that much for version 5?

Zorin OS minimal system requirements:

* CPU: 700 MHz
* RAM: 256 MB
* HDD: 6 GB
* DVD or USB connection
* Graphics card capable of 640x480 resolution

Zorin OS recommended system requirements:

* CPU: 1 GHz
* RAM: 512 MB
* HDD: 10 GB
* DVD and USB connection
* A 1024x768 resolution monitor
* Internet access

From here: http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/coffee ... -like.html

O.k. i tried twice. I cannot get the live cd to load in safe graphics mode. I get an error that says Virtual Box Guest PCI not found -

(So Ubuntu and Zorin (others I'm sure) use virtual box to run the live CD's.. very cool, I did not know that)

Anyway, I cannot get passed that error.

I have followed the same instructions as you suggest in your video. Your not setting up a Home folder, your using 512 for swap that is a logical partition and using 400 gigs for your root which is a primary partition. Thats the same as I have done.. but instead of telling the installer to use windows ( disk 1) for your boot loader, I have to tell it to use my disk 5 which is my root partition for Zorin. (I cannot use windows for Zorin boot loader, because it will mess up my other boot configurations in my EasyBCD boot tool). Then it does seem to install all the way through and asks me to reboot.The OS installs fine I'm sure ( except for that documents and settings error)

The problem is When I point my EasyBCD boot tool to the Root drive of Zorin Grub 2 starts to load and stops, giving me a command prompt. The boot sequence should be good or Grub 2 would not try to boot at all.

I will try it again, but this is the outcome I keep getting.

1. download gparted and burn it to a CD
2. boot your PC with gparted CD inserted and start gparted
3. delete your existing linux partitions
4. in the empty space that you now have, create an "extended" partition
5. within the extended partition, create a "root "/" a swap (swap has no mount point) and a /home partition (/home)
6. apply changes and let gparted do its thing
7. restart PC with Zorin disk inserted and let it boot fully
8. choose to install Zorin and when it comes to the part about how you wish to install, select "something else" and you can then point the installer to the partitions you just created
9. underneath the window where you can see you partition list is a bar asking you where the bootloader should be installed, it should say something like:
/dev/sda ATA xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. this is normally the MBR (master boot record) of your hard drive.
10. you should not need a 3rd party bootloader to select the OS you wish to boot as Zorin will install grub in the mbr.

Hope this helps you further.

Regards Wolfman

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php

Wolfman wrote:10. you should not need a 3rd party bootloader to select the OS you wish to boot as Zorin will install grub in the mbr.

I'll give it a shot although this is essentially the same thing I have been doing. You see, the EasyBCD boot tool controls and manipulates the windows MBR/boot loader. I no longer boot my machine with the Windows boot loader until I tell the EasyBCD menu I see at startup to point to it. I cannot even access the Windows boot loader unless I go through the EasyBCD menu.That's why they tell you not to install boot loaders in the Windows MBR area.. because you won't be able to access them. I either HAVE to go through the Easy BSD menu Or lose all my other dual boot machines.

If it worked at all they way you suggest, I would see the EasyBCD menu them select Windows 7, then IF windows boot loader boots after that with two options one for Windows and one for Zorin, then it might work, but this is contrary to what my EasyBCD documentation tells me to do - But I'll try it anyway.

I downloaded a fresh copy of Zorin 5 64 bit using Firefox and burned it at a slow X8 speed. I'll get back to you, thanks.

Here is the current situation.

I have followed your instructions to the letter. I used the gparted ISO and set up the slices as you suggested. I installed using those slices and told it to install the boot loader to "/dev/sda ATA xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx", ( there is another option for installing in Windows i did not try) I also tried to tell it to install to the root partition of Zorin like I said earlier., tried several ways.. I still got the error about it not copying the documents and settings correctly. This happens with the new ISO copy I made. On reboot i had no access to any grub 2 menu, so i told my EasyBCD software to point to it, and on reboot i got the option to load Zorin. Clicking that option brought me to the grub2 screen which crashed to a command prompt as soon as it loaded.

I tried again. This time, i uninstalled my EasyBCD software, and rebuilt the Windows boot loader from a windows 7 system repair disk. I again installed following your directions above. On reboot, again, i do not have access to any grub 2 menu, it only loads Windows. I have tried this several times.

The way i see it, these are our (your) options.

1) As I have suggested, you guys need to use a different installer. Take a look at the current Mephis installer. This is the installer i used to set up Mephis on an existing partition. It choose defaults for Root, Swap and Home for me and installed with no problems. I was able to use this with my EasyBSD software to load Mepis as well as Windows 7 and PC-BSD - again for this Mepis install i only had the one primary partition to use.

2) You guys could get in touch with the EasyBCD people and talk to them about why your system doies not work with thier boot loader program. Together you could find the problem and create a solution. They do this all they time when the program has trouble with some OS's so i'm sure they would be happy to talk to you. I have asked them for help and this is what they replied with : " You need to find out

a) If it's grub or grub2
b) Where the menu file is located on the Zorin partition

As I have never heard of Zorin before, I won't be able to help without this info. "

http://neosmart.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8755 <- Tha'ts from this thread. I believe it would be to both your benefits to get this working because EasyBSD is very popular with windows users and they are your target users, they would not want to use Grub or Grub 2 for dual or triple booting.

If you can answer these things for me, perhaps they may be able to sort this out. But.. that does not explain why I don't have a grub 2 menu when not using EasyBCD. I did ask if you guys used Grub 2 and you never answered me but the reading i have done suggest that Ubuntu uses Grub 2 so i assumed you did too.

3) I could go ask the Ubuntu folks if they have any ideas.

4) It may be something related to the error i get about not being able to copy documents and settings.. perhaps the OS is not really finishing installing even though it thinks it is? ,, Mind you now this was with 2 different ISO's both downloaded from Firefox and the last one even slow burned at X8 speed. I do not ever have problems with corrupt DVD's so i cannot think the disk has a bad copy.

5) Or something else no one has thought of before. Remember the OS does seem to finish installing I only cannot access Grub or Grub 2 whatever your using.

The easiest for you guys is # 2 to start off with. Give me that info and i'll get back with the EasyBCD people and see if they have any ideas. ( I still think you could learn a lot by looking at that Mepis installer)

Remember, i only have the one partition available and i have Windows 7 and PC-BSD installed on my system already and currently do not have EasyBCD set up but am using the default windows loader.

6) Find out what my Zorin boot loader problem is and then tell me how to use that boot loader to load my Windows 7, PC-BSD and Zorin machines in a triple boot. ( however I prefer to use EasyBCD, as it is very easy to use and I can backup and restore my boot configuration with it, a handy feature for fixing problems)

Thank you.

Btw.. are you guys helpers or developers or owners of Zorin? - If not, and I paid for Zorin, Would I get "official" support.. i'm just thinking, no offense meant, that if you guys are not devs or official support people, then perhaps they may have better answers for me.

Sorry; but I think your problems are too many for me to handle, maybe one of the other members can help you out!!.

You can try connecting with the main man himself!!!.

Regards Wolfman;)

,Can you at least answer these four things? What boot loader does Zorin use and where is it located on the Zorin partition?

Who exactly is this main man you speak of? How can I get in touch with him?

Hi ER,

well in answer to your question about the boot loader, the answer is "Grub2" and it will automatically select the "MBR" if you do an auto install. (see #9 on my long list on this post!).

The only admin (main man) is "zorink" whom you can pm (see member list) with further questions of a technical nature, I am only an advanced user trying my best to help people but your problem seems a bit diverse (if thats the right word) for me.

Here is some info which may help you with grub:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2

Sorry once again that I cannot be of more help to you.

Good luck and you might want to search the main Ubuntu forum as there a far more members there; with far more knowledge than my tiny brain can cope with.

Regards Wolfman

Hey Listen Wolfman, I understand your not official tech support and your just a guy (Zorin Fan) trying to help. I want you to know that I do/did appreciate the time and effort you put into trying to help me. It's all good. I will contact Zorink. Thanks.

Hi ER,

I hope that things work out for you mate!!. If I were sitting beside you looking at what was happening during the attempts to install, maybe I could say "there's the problem", but I'm not and I hope that Zorink has the answers you need.

Good luck.

Regards Wolfman

Zorin OS uses Grub2. The menu file is located in /boot/grub/grub.cfg on the Zorin OS root partition. Zorin OS uses the same bootloader and installer as Ubuntu as it is based on it. I have no experience with EasyBCD so I am not sure what the problem is. It is recommended to install Grub2 to the MBR of the hard drive. Grub2 should detect Windows and PC-BSD and will let you to triple boot.

Best Regards,
Zorink

Zorink Thank you for the answer.

swarfendor437, Radeon Mobile Graphics does have dedicated memory at least 128 or 336 MB's of it depending on what chip you have. It only uses up to 1.2 gigs of main system shared memory when it has to. I don't think this would be an issue because the installation of any OS does not use more than 128 MB of video memory shared or otherwise if it even used video memory which most do not, and I have never had it cause a problem with any OS install.

Yeah but i even uninstalled EasyBCD and tried to install it like normal letting grub be the boot loader for all, and Nope.. it didn't work. The guys at EasyBCD say the app should work with the setup but since it don't they feel perhaps the install isn't finishing or the grub config isn't being created. I'm just gonna have to check with the folks over at Ubuntu for more help. One thing i never mentioned that i wonder is effecting things.. this partition is in the middle of the drive, it's number 3, 1 and 2 are used by windows and number 4 is PC-BSD.

If I could somehow access the files and see if in fact the gurb config file is being created and then look at the file, that might help. i tried to explore the partition with partition wizard and it cannot read it to explore it like it does with windows.- should it?

Hi ER,

this may help you further:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php? ... ub+restore

Regards Wolfman