Unable to boot from USB

About 1-2 years ago, I installed Zorin 12 on my Toshiba nb100 just to familiarize myself of Linux. I only tried it for a couple of days then I quit using the laptop.

Today I decided to install XP again on the laptop after not having to boot it up for a year or so. I put the installer on my USB via Rufus which is what I always do when I'm reformatting. I turned the laptop on, hit f12 to change the boot preference to USB, then when it was supposed to go to the installer, it just went to the Zorin Splash screen then into the login screen. This never happened before when I installed Windows 7 and XP on the same laptop.

I was also going to try to boot the installer from within Zorin but I forgot my password after not using it for that long. Can someone help me out? I was about to give this laptop to my niece. All I had to do was install a fresh copy of XP on it.

Can you not download 'dban' to wipe the drive?

https://dban.org/

As for putting XP on the notebook I hope you will disable all internet devices before handing it over - or why not put Antix 17, SolydX or Makulu Flash if your notebook is not up to the free version of Zorin 15 Core.

I just found out it's quite complicated to boot XP installers from USB but I got it to work now by using WinSetupFromUsb instead of Rufus.

Mind you that I know almost nothing about linux. I've read before that Zorin is the closest to Windows and that's why I chose to use it before. Is this still the case today? I might try stuff on VirtualBox

nixiejames wrote:I just found out it's quite complicated to boot XP installers from USB but I got it to work now by using WinSetupFromUsb instead of Rufus.

Mind you that I know almost nothing about linux. I've read before that Zorin is the closest to Windows and that's why I chose to use it before. Is this still the case today? I might try stuff on VirtualBox

Yes, the premise has not changed. Zorin was introduced under the idea of easing the transition from Windows to Linux.
I started on Zorin 12.4 which I am still using now, just around the beginning of this year. Was sticking with XP at that point, though the notebook had Win7 on it.
I have now ditched all Windows entirely as trying to keep an unsupported product is superfluous and Wine4 suits any windows apps I might use.

Alternatively you could run XP inside of Zorin - I did do that on an earlier iteration to show it could be done - but it looks like I may have deleted it from my collection of vids..