USB Stick Install looking to CDRom Drive

Hello Community!
Thank you so much for being here to help out. With the ending of support of Windows XP, having an older laptop and limited funds, I'm excited to jump in with both feet using Linux. No going back, learn to use it or no computer for me. I am choosing Zorin mainly because it's said to have the option of a Windows XP interface. I'm not pretending that it is windows but I'm hoping that seeing some familiar images will decrease my learning curve.
So, enough of that. Here is my problem:

I have Windows XP.
I own an Alienware 9700i laptop.
My CD Drive is broken.
I want to get rid of XP altogether, no dual-boot.
I've downloaded the 64bit Zorin 9 Core iso
I've created an installation USB stick by using UNetbootin.
I've used a 16GB stick.
I've formatted the stick to FAT32 using the Windows XP tool that is available when you right click on the drive icon.
I did not allocated any persistant space. I tried this and UNetbootin couldn't finish the creation process.
I set my BIOS to boot from the USB first.
I get a UNetbootin screen offering the following options:

Default
Help
Try Zorin OS without installing
Test Memory
Boot from Hard Disk
Try Zorin OS without installing
Install Zorin OS
Press [TAB] to edit options (this is in Red and Centered on the row)

I pressed TAB while Default was highlighted and I read this:
/ubnkern initrd=/ubninit file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash --

I pressed TAB while Install Zorin OS was highlighted and I read this:
/casper/vmlinuz.efi initrd=casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash --

Both "Install Zorin OS" options had the same line.

When choosing the "Instal Zorin OS" or the "Default" options I get as far as receiving a Z screen, a grey screen with a top bar on it, a blank screen and a reboot to the original menu.
It seems to me that if there was a way to change a way to make the install program look for files in the USB instead of the cdrom it might work, but I don't know how to do that.

Thanks in advance for your help.

OK, boot into live mode first so you see the Zorin Desktop, then click on the 'install' to hard drive option. Once there, choose the 'something else' (last menu option) of installation - then follow my advice here:

posting.php?mode=reply&f=4&t=8675

If all you get is a black screen, you may need to press the Tab key before going into live mode and add the following commands:

Code:

acpi=off xforcevesa

Keep us posted!

I'm sorry to sound ignorant, but let's face it... I am.
By "Live Mode" I guessed that you mean the "Try Zorin OS without installing" option.
I tried that and came up with the same results. That being the blank screen.
I'm sorry that I didn't mention that before.

And that you SO much for your help and reply!

... and by the "blank screen" I mean the sequence of the Z splash screen, the gray screen with the bar on top, the reboot and then the blank screen.

Thank you VERY MUCH!

I finally got to a desktop using the acpi=off xforcevesa idea.
I've gotten to the place of the "something else".
Could you please re-post the link to the instructions you wanted me to follow?
It seems that the link that came through merely brought me to a "reply screen" for lack of a better term, where I am now typing this reply.
Again.... thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hi, the issue with Zorin 9 taking so long at first install will occur if you select 'install updates at time of install' - if you are prepared to wait, it will work. Now the first thing you should do is run Zorin in Live Mode - if it launches from your DVD or USB without any issue then you are 'good to go'.

Basically, depending on a reasonable size hard drive this is how I would do it:

1. Boot from DVD and go to the 'live' desktop, then click on the 'install to hard drive' icon on the desktop.

2. When it asks you how you want to install, choose the last option - 'something else'
Now the crucial bit will depend on whether you are using a standard PATA (IDE) SATA drive OR SSD - if either IDE or SATA - '/' and '/home' need to be formatted to 'ext4' - if you are using a Solid State Drive you may need to 'trim' the drive and format to 'ext2'.

3. For me a single install of Zorin and nothing else would be like this:

a. Create a Primary Partition, format to ext4 (if SATA drive) and size it to 30 Gb (30000), and mark it '/' - this tells GRUB where the system files are to boot the OS.

b. Create an Extended Partition of the rest of the drive and first, create a 'swap area' AT THE END OF THE PARTITION - you do not have to specify what filesystem this is as it automatically creates the correct one. [Updated 21:54 hrs GMT - forgot to mention size of swap - this can be 2048 (2 Gb) or 4096 (4 Gb).]
]
c. At the BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED PARTITION, format this to 'ext4' file system and mark as '/home'

See my dual boot video which is what I did - it is just the same apart from living alongside Windows - the only difference is, if you are not intending to dual-boot, is to ensure that you place GRUB (bootloader) in the mbr or your drive.

[DON'T use caps in username, DON'T use hyphens in computer name - even if installer attempts to do this - replace with something else with NO spaces, DON'T attempt encryption of /home folder at point of install]