32 vs 64 bit

I am brand new to linux and zorin, but would like to experiment with it, with the hope of leaving windows behind and becoming a real linux user.

Presently we have one older Thinkpad T41p laptop running 32-bit windows XP on a Pentium M CPU with 1.5 GB of RAM,

and a newer Thinkpad T61 running 64-bit Windows 7 Pro, on an Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 CPU with 4GB of RAM.

So, I just downloaded the zorin-os-8.1-core-32.iso and will try to install that on to a bootable USB stick,
using the Universal-USB-Installer-1.9.5.2.exe.

I got the 32-bit version because I am not sure if the older machine can run a 64-bit OS.
Would there be a significant performance difference between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Zorin?

Would I be able to use that same stick on either of the laptops?
In other words, as I learn more, will I be able to use the stick as a self-contained but portable operating environment?

Thank you for any assistance or suggestions.

Hi and Welcome to the Zorin forum! I don't think 64-bit is going to run on the older machine as it probably has 32-bit XP because its processor will be 32-bit - you can only put 64-bit OS's on machines that have 64-bit processors, but you can put 32-bit OS's on either 32-bit or 64-bit processor enabled devices.

If you got the 32-bit OS that should run fine on either machine, but with the older one you might be better running Zorin Lite - but bear in mind that Zorin 8 and Zorin 8 Lite will come to end-of-life just like Ubuntu 13.10 will at end of July this year when Zorin 9 should be out with 5 years support, just like Ubuntu 14.04 on which it will be based.

I don't have experience of that particular memory stick software but am aware of it's existence. Do you know if it offers 'persistence' when creating the bootable stick? If it does, this means it will save your desktop settngs and data when you switch off and it also means (if the memory stick is large enought) you can install additonal applications that you may feel are missing (but unlikely).

If you have issues booting into 'live' mode from the memory stick, it could be a graphics issue in which case you should press the 'Tab' key to edit the bootsplash command line and enter:

Code:

xforcevesa acpi=off nomodeset

but only do this if you have issues booting - after you have entered the commands given, press the enter key on your keyboard to resume booting into 'live' mode.

Hope this helps!

Hi,

I use 32 bit Linux versions on my 64 bit PC's!.

For older PC's use a lite version as Swarf suggested!.

Test the sound/Internet and general feel of the OS before commiting to a full install, make sure it runs okay so you don't waste your time, there are plenty of other Linux versions out there if Zorin doesn't work for you!.

Any further problems/questions, just post em here!.

Hi

When selecting a drive to install a USBlive use at least 8Gb size to make a 4Gb persistence file there with the installer sw. Use also a high speed drive so it will run faster. Preferably use a USB 3.0 specified USBdevice.

Look also this. There is some link to USB user benchmark of USB drives.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7410

Henriolavi wrote:Hi

When selecting a drive to install a USBlive use at least 8Gb size to make a 4Gb persistence file there with the installer sw. Use also a high speed drive so it will run faster. Preferably use a USB 3.0 specified USBdevice.

Look also this. There is some link to USB user benchmark of USB drives.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7410

I didn't think either of those machines had USB 3 compatibility and whilst 3 is backwards compatible its speed will be downgraded to the bus speed of the machine?

Hi

If you want to make a transferable "computer" in your USB live installation, so you can make a second partition for storing data there by using a bigger sized USB ie. 16 or 32 Gb drives. If the os. crashes for some reason, you don't loose the data in your second partition. You can just reinstall the os. and persistent file to the first partition.

look this alternative:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6785

Into an USB drive you can also make a full os installation but that is not transferable to any other computer due to it makes a hardware configuration and adaptation to that specific hardware you used when installing that os.