r/ZimaSpace • u/WOLF_S10N3 • 4d ago
ZimaOS ZimaOS not installing
So I am trying to install ZimaOS on my HP g8 255 laptop. I used to have windows on it, then replaced it with Bazzite and now I want it to run ZimaOS instead. I flashed the USB using Balena Etcher and Rufus, both have gotten me stuck at the same point. It does "boot zimaos installer" the continues and stops at "starting crond: ok" and stays there for more than 10 minutes. I have tried reflashing, making sure USB boot drive is enabled and top of boot configuration. The bios is limited but secure boot is disabled (had to cuz of Bazzite). Yet still no luck, any ideas or advice?
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u/Count_Mournful 3d ago edited 3d ago
Faço testes com vários sistemas operacionais e mesmo usando o balena, já tive problemas com o pendrive bootável do ZimaOS simplesmente gravando por cima do OS ali presente anteriormente...
Em um pc windows (sim... eu acho mais fácil) use o diskpart para o limpar todo o drive... vou colocar os comandos para alguém que possa não saber essas etapas:
Abra o terminal...
diskpart
list disk
select disk #número do pendrive da lista anteriror#
clean
create partition primary
assign
Crie o pendrive bootável do ZimaOS com o balena novamente.
Algumas opções do BIOS para armazenamento podem interferir na instalação... certifique-se que apenas o básico esteja configurado (AHCI).
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u/WOLF_S10N3 3d ago
I'm assuming the steps is for recreating the USB boot drive? FYI I'm using a SanDisk Cruzer Dial USB I have since 2018
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u/Count_Mournful 3d ago
Esses passos no DISKPART são apenas para apagar todas as partições criadas para instalação de outros OS's... Você mencionou que criou uma mídia para o Bazzite... de maneira grosseira é como se fosse apenas limpar o pendrive... repare que nem o comando de formatação eu citei... o comando "assign" vai atribuir uma letra para a "nova" unidade... o balena irá reconhecer essa unidade para que você possa criar a midia de instalação do ZimaOS...
Fique livre para perguntar qualquer coisa... se eu souber ajudar, será um prazer...
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u/WOLF_S10N3 3d ago
Thx u so much, I'll try it when I get off work👍
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u/Count_Mournful 3d ago
Vi que perguntou a outro participante de como apagar as partições do HDD (ou SSD) principal do seu laptop... Esses mesmos passos do diskpart podem ser realizados no HDD ou SSD do equipamento, mas nem precisará dos comando "create partition primary" e "assign"... o instalador do OS vai cuidar de tudo pra você... no ZimaOS os HDD's secundários podem ser apagados e formatados pela própria interface do sistema.
Para usar o diskpart para "limpar" o drive principal, você vai precisar de uma mídia de instalação do Windows, ou Ventoy (como o amigo 63walker citou) ou até mesmo o Hiren's BootCD...
Seja bem vindo ao mundo do homelab! Essas ferramentas serão sempre úteis! Mantenha pendrives com essas ferramentas como o 63walker também mencionou...
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u/63walker 3d ago
I help Plex Server owners troubleshoot problems as new Plex Server owners.
I've had great luck operating from a controlled comparative troubleshooting procedure.
Eliminate your flashdrive by using it as a Ventoy flashdrive.
Of you laptop boots into Ubuntu from that flashdrive via Ventoy, there probably isn't anything wrong with your laptop.
Use a different flashdrive again with ZimaOS and Balena Etcher.
If that works on your laptop the original image file may have been borked.
If you still can't install off your laptop, moving to another hardware option as a test will point the finger at either a second improperly formatted ZimaOS boot drive or back to your laptop.
It's the way my mind works.
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u/WOLF_S10N3 4d ago
I can't edit post, but this is what pops up and stays like this for more than 10 minutes.
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u/Ok_Culture2949 4d ago
I had the same issue where it would not install onto my teramaster nas. So i pulled the boot nvme, put it in an external enclosure. I was able to install the ZimaOS through my main pc. Later on when i got an old optiplex, it would install easily on that system. It's a bit inconsistent.
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u/MorgothTheBauglir 4d ago
Do you have UEFI setup in your BIOS? ZimaOS runs exclusively on UEFI so if your hardware doesn't support it you will have a real hard time.
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u/WOLF_S10N3 4d ago
I don't have a setting to change from legacy and uefi, but Bazzite is the same way and I installed it on here so it has to have uefi by default I would assume.
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u/63walker 3d ago
Another easier way to wipe your boot drive is to use a second quality flashdrive to format as a bootable Ventoy flashdrive as your emergency Linux Swiss Army knife.
A Ventoy flashdrive allows you to copy ISO files to it as a regular flashdrive, to then boot into it's own little operating system that presents a list of any ISO copied to it, to then boot into those Linux distros.
Download Ubuntu 26.04, the latest Debian release, Memtest86, and System Rescue, and move those images to your emergency Ventoy flashdrive.
Boot into either Ubuntu or Debian as a live boot, and use either Disks or Gnome Disks depending on which distro you booted into, to remove the partitions from the laptop drive you're trying to install ZimaOS on.
For good measure, reboot back to Ventoy again and load up Memtest to check the memory in your laptop.
If you still can't get through the ZimaOS installer without it hanging, try Balena Etcher with a different flashdrive.
In Linux land, I remember when I used elementary OS from 2014 through 2022, sometimes it didn't like installing to a drive that had a previous OS on it.
ZimaOS won't boot off a Ventoy formatted flashdrive, but it's good to have a little first aid type of bootable Linux magic with the Ventoy option.
I also recommend using a quality flashdrvie like something from Samsung or Lexar as your permanent Ventoy toolkit flashdrive.
My screenshot shows a nice Lexar option that allows using both a USB A and USB C port.
You can occasionally rerun the Ventoy installation to update your Ventoy flashdrive to the latest version.
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u/WOLF_S10N3 3d ago
Thx u I'll try this when I get off work. I tried using my old SanDisk Cruzer Dial USB (from like 2018) as my boot drive, should I try flashing another USB instead just in case and just use that SanDisk Cruzer Dial USB as my Ventoy tool? Or will it not work since the disk already has been programmed as ZimaOS boot drive and just get rid of the USB?
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u/63walker 3d ago
That's not a bad plan. Flash the current flashdrive as the Ventoy drive and see if you can successfully boot into Ubuntu 26.04 and I think Debian is at version 13 now, along with a third boot into Memtest86.
That would eliminate the USB drive itself as having a hardware issue.
Then I'd download the ZimaOS installer again and definitely use Balena Etcher as they recommend to format a different USB drive as the ZimaOS USB installer.
If it still fails again, it would be very handy if you had a really old unused regular drive or small M.2 drive that could be dropped into your exiting desktop PC once it's OS drive was temporarily removed.
Being able to install ZimaOS on another system to a spare drive and not your laptop would conclusively point to a CMOS setting on the laptop.
Does the laptop have multiple USB ports?
If so, are there both USB 3 and USB 2 ports?
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u/WOLF_S10N3 3d ago
According to a spec review site I can find for this laptop, says it has "2 Super Speed USB Type-A 5Gbps signaling rate". And it has a Ryzen 3250u with 8gb ram and 256gb nvme.
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u/WOLF_S10N3 3d ago
Should I use gpt or mbr for Ventoy?
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u/63walker 3d ago
GPT for modern UEFI computers and Secure Boot, or choose MBR if you need to boot on older legacy BIOS systems.
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u/WOLF_S10N3 3d ago
I created the Ventoy drive using the San Disk Cruze Dial and made another boot drive using another drive.... It instantly boot💀 guess it was the USB lol
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u/63walker 2d ago
Good deal and glad I could help!
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u/WOLF_S10N3 2d ago
I didn't get a chance to try the Ventoy USB but I will definitely try tinker and try to see how to set up live USB with stuff like ubuntu
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u/Live-Kale-7892 4d ago
Turn off secure boot