[CLOSED] WinXP computer won't read the installation disc

I burned the disk for Zorin 8.1 with my Vista computer, and the files are there, but when I put the disk in the XP computer, it didn't boot and when I looked at the disc, the computer thought the DVD was empty. Then I tried downloading the *.iso file on the XP computer and burning it in the XP computer, but again nothing showed up. I'm stymied. My XP is 32-bit, and I was careful to download the 32-bit version. Any ideas?

Hi and welcome to Zorin!

Firstly, did you use Firefox or Opera to download the .iso? After that did you use 'imgburn'? (http://imgburn.com) - it is the ONLY burning program that I use to burn .iso's. The other thing is to ensure that you burn at the lowest possible speed your burner can burn at and the DVD's are compatible (speedwise). Also check the md5sum using winmd5free (http://md5com).

We did have similar issues a long time ago and all that was needed to sort the problem out (before burning) was to used one of these:

http://www.allsop.com/cleaning-/dvd-carbon-edge-pro-/

Hope this helps!

I used Firefox and Imgburn. I couldn't find how to burn at different speeds. I will check the md5sum--whatever that is and check out the link. Thanks!

Also would advise against connecting XP to the internet now that Security Patches have ended!

That's why I'm switching to Linux. XP is a sitting duck. I'll miss my old XP. right now I'm waiting for the file to finish downloading.

If you have severe problems still to install from a DVD, you can try to use a USB drive instead if you have a USB port and the computer boots from a USB. If you have still Windows XP / Vista or 7 installed you can use the UUI installation software that you can download from this link.

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal- ... -as-1-2-3/

Format the USB drive to FAT 32 before installing !

Hope this works better.

Henriolavi wrote:If you have severe problems still to install from a DVD, you can try to use a USB drive instead if you have a USB port and the computer boots from a USB. If you have still Windows XP / Vista or 7 installed you can use the UUI installation software that you can download from this link.

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal- ... -as-1-2-3/

Format the USB drive to FAT 32 before installing !

Hope this works better.

Even if your computer does not boot from a USB, try plop boot manager to create a bootable CD and then through it, boot using the USB.
http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager/index.html

I dl'd the *.iso file again, at 4x speed, because the program won't dl at lower speeds. Well, the md5 program says there are 15 errors in the *.iso program that I dl'd. Why? What can I do about it? I'm off to Google. I assume that if I can't dl a good file, that the USB stick won't work either. grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Found out, using BurnAware, that XP won't read the disc because it's not big enough for all the files. Sigh. Now I'm trying the USB route.

Hi

Before you make any new tries to install the os. you should have an error free .iso file. There will be problems regardless which media (DVD or USB) you use if you don't manage to download an error free .iso file first. Check that you have a good internet connection with using an ethernet cable connection to the router. Check also that the source of the download is the officially recommended one. http://zorin-os.com/free8.html. I hope that USB installation works better, but make it carefully step by step securing all steps before going forward.

The easiest way i found to get Zorin 8 Os was to purchase the disc from Zorin.I fooled around for two weeks trying down load to disc and flash drives.Disc was best 8 bucks I 've spent in a long time.I did a clean install and did away with Windows forever.Love Zorin and I've run XP since it came out.Zorin is as close as you'll get to XP.

kay500 wrote:Found out, using BurnAware, that XP won't read the disc because it's not big enough for all the files. Sigh. Now I'm trying the USB route.

Is this because you have a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive instead of DVD-RW drive? You can't burn any Zorin .iso to CD - they are all DVD in size.

All things are not possible--but it's hard to give up.
My computer is about 10 yrs old. There's no DVD drive, so I have to boot from the A drive or the CD drive. Obviously Zorin won't fit on a CD. After much agro, I figured out PLOP, but I still had to burn the Linux *.iso file to my flash drive. ImgBurn won't let me do that, nor will about 5 other burn programs. Finally, I found a program that will burn to a flash drive. Yippee--home stretch. Uh, of course, not--it's just been one obstacle after another. Yet another error message--the MBR is messed up, so now I'm formatting the blasted usb stick--again! If this doesn't work, I surrender, and will install a small linux program that fits on a CD. Wonder what agro that will lead to?

I give up. I'm going to follow Taloneka's lead. Thanks all.

Hi

Why give up? Just follow the given advice. There is links given to all software you need to boot from a USB. Use these links and software there, nothing else. If you however have decided to buy a DVD from Zorin so it definitely works, but you have to buy, rent or loan also an ext. DVD player to make the installation there.

Did you use this UUI or some other USB installer software ?



How far you have managed to go/get in the process? ... Where does your process exactly fail?

- Do you have the downloaded .iso file from the official source
- Have you checked that it is error free using md5sum sw
- Did you format the USB to Fat 32 format using the content completely erasing option (slow)
- Do you have UUI downloaded (or do/did you use some other USB installer sw)
- Did you manage to install the software error free to the USB. (Can be followed in UUI)
- Did you try it in some other computer in live mode that it boots and works ok.
- Can you get your computer to boot from USB by using PLOP
- If every step is ok. untill now, then you may try to install it to HDD selecting the "Install Zorin" icon from the live running os.' screen.

This is a "hard wired" step by step process where you can track that everything goes ok. and also where it (may be) fails.

Then you can follow the installation quids like how to partition the HDD for installation and post install quids to get it updated and configured to your needs.

Keep us posted how you navigate.

If you are considering a lighter alternative, take a look at:

MacPup (Mac Like looking Desktop for Puppy Linux - easier to install than Puppy!)
LinuxLite
Trisquel - this even has a minimal 200 Mb install but you may have some wireless issues as it will not come with proprietary drivers
VectorLinux
SolydX

This could be your way forward though:

http://how-to.linuxcareer.com/one-cd-di ... netboot-cd

LinuxLite did the trick. Thanks so much. That computer goes to my autistic granddaughter, and as a bonus, LinuxLite also fits on my 14-year old computer, so my 3-yr old granddaughter can use that one. She loves BBC Teletubby games and typing letters. You can guess how many viruses, etc., these two have put on my computer!

Hi, glad you got things sorted in the end!

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