(SOLVED) Previously functional Live DVD stopped working

Hello everyone,

I am new to Linux and trying Zorin after a brief stint with Mint. This is my first time posting here, so a warm hello to you all.

Having successfully used the Live DVD I created after downloading the 64bit Core iso file via this site, I can say I *really* like Zorin and was thinking of definitely installing it on my Toshiba C50-B14D laptop, some details of which are below:
CPU: Intel Celeron N2830 2.1Ghz x64 i686
RAM: 2GB
Graphics: GMA 3150
Current OS: Windows 8.1 (and yes I am eager to leave it behind, or at least dual boot, having reverted to it from the incredibly invasive and domineering Windows 10).
Fast Boot: Off
Secure Boot: Off
Bios Boot Order: ODD, USB, HDD, LAN
Optical Disc Drive: External USB drive (LG GE20 LU10)
Of note: USB worked for Mint 17.2, but not Zorian on my system)

My problem:
Having booted successfully several times from the Live DVD (, it is suddenly being totally ignored, as though I never changed the BIOS boot order. It goes from the Toshiba splash screen to Windows. Over and Over. No matter how many times I restart or power off or change USB sockets. Always Windows, suddenly).

Previous to this problem, I accessed a couple of my photos in the Windows partition to see what the viewer was like. Could this have provoked some kind of response in which Zorian is shut out from the boot process? I didn't do it using sudo privileges of any kind, just the Live user account.

Are there any obvious solutions or crumbs which may lead me to one? I really hope to enjoy Zorian more in future as it is a very aesthetically pleasing distro.

Thank you in advance if you can help in any way.
C.

Can you check by booting into windows that fast boot has not become enabled again? Sometimes this will happen if you have booted into Windows 8.1 (happened to me and I don't have a machine with secure boot). Also be aware that M$ have issued patches to Win 7 and 8.1 to monitor what is happening on your machine - but I don't think that will have caused it. Keep us posted!

Thank you for your kind reply, Swarfendor437.

I also wondered if my turning off fast boot had been ignored. I rebooted 4 times before posting my original post here, to be sure. It always says it is turned off.
The issue took a surprising turn though. Suddenly the Live USB is working. It was to late to install when it happened last night, so I will try shortly.

I have the feeling you are right about the M$ angle and will explain a little on that for anyone who may stumble on this thread with similar issues. After trying Windoze 10 briefly, I reverted to 8.1 ... Only to have it force a reinstall of 10 after a day. So much for choice. So rather than allowing the update files, I deleted them. It tried, failed, said it was reverting, tried again and then admitted defeat and I was finally back at 8.1. However, certain M$ apps refuse to work now, such as Fresh Paint, Weather etc. Clearly something is slightly admits and I think the payoff for preventing forced reinstall of 10 was some kind alteration or corruption of files involved in booting, compromising DVD/CD access.

I am therefore going to mark this solved as I feel this is not specifically a Zorin issue - but possibly illuminating, nonetheless.

Your comments about M$ confirm the kind of tactics I saw at play on my machine. Very underhanded and intrusive. I find it unacceptable, so will definitely do a complete wipe of Windoze and install of Zorin 9.1. I will research how to do that properly. My only hesitation is that I use a Nokia Lumia 1020 mobile for its superb camera and a few days after hooking it up to an installation of mint 17.2, it had to be reset because messaging became erratic and then stopped sending etc. Again, it could be an underhanded tactic, or an incompatibility that corrupted the system somehow. They really don't seem to want us to try Linux, and where I may have felt a certain loyalty I now feel the forced 10 updates etc. really burned through any trust I had for Windows.

So, I will probably be popping back here from time to time, to absorb and understand more.
I am really grateful for your reply and hope further clarification of possible causes for the original problem will illuminate others.

Warmest regards to you and all readers - Now to try that dual boot install as a first step. Once I feel I know Zorin better, I will dump the M$ option altogether and help family to. They are all waiting, expectantly. No pressure, lol

Glad to be of help my friend!

Just remember that not all Windows applications will run under GNU/Linux using WINE or PlayOnLinux. I use Serif WebPlus for website design and once Windows 7 is no longer supported I will probably turn network devices off, create websites, save as .html files then upload using FileZilla on GNU/Linux.

If you want to check what software will run on GNU/Linux that normally runs on Windows, check these links out:

https://appdb.winehq.org/

https://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/

https://www.playonlinux.com/en/supported_apps.html

Please note that winehq provides a lot of code to codeweavers which is an application that has to be paid for - wine and playonlinux are already present in Zorin.

For installing alongside 8/8.1 check this video out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlTgaWs9BD0

and mine for dual-booting with 7:

https://vimeo.com/110085401

If you do decide to ditch Windows altogether, you may like to dual-boot Zorin 9 with MakuluLinux 10 "Aero" once it reaches final release:

https://vimeo.com/132269126

So helpful, and also so polite considering that my autocorrect had turned Zorin into Zorian three times I have re-edited that!

The links are as is the mention of the forthcoming Makulu release. For this to be mentioned I assume people dual boot multiple Linux distros successfully without to much hassle?
Does that bit about Wine being preinstalled in Zorian suggests Zorian users have to pay for that part of the installation? I will have to look that up.

Ps I am now looking at a beautifully booted Zorin desktop! Haven't checked if Windows loads yet but I am less and less worried about that. As for software, I am actually pretty happy with the Linux software I have seen so far.I use gimp, for instance, in Windows anyhow, as Photoshop is way too expensive.

So for now I am smiling and VERY grateful that a friendly face helped be get through the nerve wracking early stages of installation!

All the best to you!

Hi, Whilst I was looking at an article on Ransomware in the local supermarket Magazine shelves I suddenly remembered what I forgot to say in the last post - you have to go into the advanced settings of Power Settings that are not normally shown in Windows 8.1 - that is where you also (as well as the BIOS) have to turn off fast-boot!

No, you don't pay for WINE - it is open source - if you wanted a 'paid for' solution, Codeweavers 'Cross-Over' is the commercial side of WINE which you can try for free for 30 days.

As you are a GIMP user you may also like to play with 'DarkTable' (an open source equivalent to 'LightTable' for editing photos (which is what I do) to produce 'walls' like this:

http://gnome-look.org/content/preview.p ... +Estimated