Linux Operating System ZORIN OS 18 _ Booting up a Live DVD ZORIN OS 18 to RAM or to a a RAM drive HOW-TO

Copilot , i can boot up my DEBIAN 13 machine TORAM because you have taught me how to do it recently , but Copilot , if possible i would also like to do it with my ZORIN OS 18 machine and currently i am running my ZORIN OS 18 PC/Desktop/machine by using a ZORIN OS 18 Live DVD with the help of a FLASH DRIVE . THANKS for your answer.

Hi Grandpa Norizan! 😄

YES! In many cases you can boot Zorin OS 18 into RAM (TORAM) just like you do with your beloved Debian system, but there is a small catch.

Zorin OS 18 is based on Ubuntu, and Ubuntu's live boot system uses Casper. The traditional Debian boot parameter:

toram

does not always work the same way under Ubuntu-based distributions.

For Zorin OS 18, try editing the boot entry and adding:

toram

or

copytoram

depending on which bootloader is being used.

How to test it

When the Zorin boot menu appears:

1. Highlight Try or Install Zorin OS.
2. Press e (or the key shown on screen).
3. Look for a line containing:

quiet splash

4. Add one of these after it:

quiet splash toram

or

quiet splash copytoram

5. Boot with:
   • Ctrl + X
   • or F10

(depending on the boot menu)

---

How to know if it worked?

After the desktop appears:

1. Wait a few minutes.
2. Remove the USB flash drive.
3. Open a terminal.

Run:

mount | grep -i iso

and

df -h

If the system continues running happily after the USB flash drive has been removed, then the operating system has most likely been copied into RAM. 😄

---

Another important consideration

Grandpa Norizan, your machine has:

• 32 GB RAM (from our previous discussions)
• Zorin OS 18 Live DVD image is roughly a few gigabytes

So you have more than enough RAM to experiment with TORAM booting.

The advantage is exactly what you already enjoy in Debian:

✅ Faster operation after boot

✅ USB flash drive can be removed

✅ Less wear on the flash drive

✅ Very quiet and smooth operation

---

A little detective work 🕵️

Before trying TORAM, I would also like you to check which live boot system Zorin is currently using.

Boot your Zorin Live USB and run:

cat /proc/cmdline

and

ls /casper

If you show me the output of those two commands, I can tell quite quickly whether toram, copytoram, or another boot parameter is the correct one for your particular Zorin OS 18 image.

HA-HA-HA! 😄 If we can make Debian 13 run entirely from RAM, then surely Grandpa Norizan and Copilot can try to persuade Zorin OS 18 to do the same trick! 🚀💾

Yes, you can load and run Zorin OS 18 entirely from RAM, but it is not built to do so natively out of the box like Knoppix 9.1 or Debian 13. Knoppix and Debian use specific, baked-in boot parameters (like toram) to copy the entire system image into your system's temporary memory at startup. Zorin OS 18 does not officially support this parameter in its default configuration. [1]

However, because Zorin OS is built on an Ubuntu/Debian foundation, you can achieve a "run-from-RAM" setup by using custom bootloaders, specialized live-USB tools, or modifying the boot arguments. [1]

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How Zorin OS 18 Compares to Knoppix & Debian

Feature	Knoppix 9.1 / Debian 13	Zorin OS 18
Native toram Support	Yes (Built into the default bootloader script)	No (Requires third-party tools or manual adjustments)
RAM Footprint	Low to Moderate (Highly optimized for live execution)	High (Zorin's desktop features and animations demand more RAM)
Persistence	Supported via native overlays	Supported only if explicitly configured on a USB
Primary Design Intent	Live rescue, forensics, and diskless operation	Desktop replacement for permanent drive installation

---

3 Ways to Run Zorin OS 18 from RAM

1. The Easiest Way: Use Ventoy's Memdisk Mode

Ventoy is an open-source tool used to create bootable USB drives. It features a built-in mechanism called Memdisk Mode that forces the host computer to map an entire ISO directly into the RAM before execution. [1]

• How to do it: Format your USB with Ventoy, copy the Zorin OS 18 ISO onto it, boot into the Ventoy menu, select the Zorin ISO, and press Ctrl + d to enable Memdisk mode before hitting Enter. [1]
• The Catch: Your computer must have enough physical RAM to hold the entire ~3.5 GB Zorin ISO plus the 2 GB to 4 GB required to run the operating system itself. You will realistically need at least 8 GB of total RAM. [1, 2]

2. The Native Tweak: Manually Adding toram (Hit-or-Miss)

Because Zorin OS utilizes the standard Ubuntu Casper boot system, you can attempt to force the command during startup.

• How to do it: Flash Zorin OS 18 to a USB using Rufus or balenaEtcher. Boot the USB, and when the Grub menu appears (where it says "Try or Install Zorin OS"), press e to edit the boot arguments. Find the line that starts with linux /casper/vmlinuz... and append toram to the very end of that line. Press F10 to boot. [1, 2]
• The Catch: This method occasionally throws errors or fails to unmount the USB completely due to how Zorin's customized GNOME desktop loads its assets. [1]

3. The Live Session Alternative ("Try Zorin OS")

If your primary goal is simply to run Zorin OS without touching or installing anything to your hard drive, you don't necessarily need to force it into RAM. [1]

• How to do it: Simply boot the standard installer USB and click "Try Zorin OS".
• How it works: This creates a hybrid environment. While the static system files stay on the USB stick, all your temporary files, open apps, and browser sessions run entirely out of your RAM. [1, 2, 3]

Critical Trade-offs to Consider

• Ample RAM is Mandatory: If you successfully copy Zorin OS 18 to RAM, you will lose a large chunk of your system memory to the OS files. Ensure your machine has at least 8 GB to 16 GB of RAM so your applications don't crash from out-of-memory errors.
• Data Volatility: Just like Knoppix, everything you do while running in RAM will completely vanish the moment you turn off or restart the computer unless you explicitly save your data to an external drive or cloud storage. [1]

If you want to move forward with this, let me know:

• How much total RAM your computer has
• Whether you want to save your changes between reboots (persistence)
• If you are comfortable using tools like Ventoy

I can give you step-by-step instructions for the method that fits your hardware best!

_____________________________________________________________________

Can i install PUPPY Linux  to a RAM just like KNOPPIX 9.1 and DEBIAN 13 ?

_____________________________________________________________________

Yes, Puppy Linux is actually designed to run entirely from RAM by default, making it even easier to use this way than Knoppix 9.1 or Debian 13.

While Knoppix and Debian require you to explicitly pass a toram boot parameter to copy the system into memory, Puppy Linux automatically copies its entire core operating system into your RAM during the boot sequence. Once it finishes loading, it completely frees up your USB drive or CD, allowing you to unplug the boot media entirely while the system keeps running flawlessly.

---

How Puppy Linux Compares to Knoppix & Debian

Feature	Puppy Linux	Knoppix 9.1 / Debian 13
Default Boot Behavior	Loads into RAM automatically	Requires manual toram cheat code/parameter
ISO Size (Resource Footprint)	Extremely Small (~400 MB to 700 MB)	Large (~3.5 GB to 4.7 GB)
Minimum RAM Required	1 GB to 2 GB is plenty	4 GB to 8 GB minimum for full RAM execution
Save Mechanism	Prompts to create a "Save File" on shutdown	Requires pre-configured persistence overlays

---

Why Puppy Linux is Superior for Running in RAM

• Ultra-Lightweight Size: Because a standard Puppy Linux image is usually under 500 MB, it leaves almost your entire RAM capacity open for web browsing, media, and applications.
• Automatic Media Unmounting: Once booted, you can physically pull your USB stick out of the computer. The OS will not freeze or crash because everything it needs is already sitting in your system memory.
• Smart Saving (PupSave): When you shut down or reboot, Puppy Linux will ask if you want to save your session. If you plug your USB back in, it will write your changes (browser history, downloaded files, settings) into a single file. On the next boot, it loads that file back into RAM, giving you a persistent experience without slowing down the OS.

How to Run It

1. Download a modern Puppy Linux ISO (such as BookwormPup64, which is built using Debian 12 packages).
2. Flash it to a USB drive using a tool like Rufus, balenaEtcher, or Ventoy.
3. Boot your computer from the USB.
4. Watch the terminal lines during boot—you will explicitly see it say Copying to RAM. Once the desktop appears, you can unplug the USB.

Depending on your goals, let me know:

• What specific computer hardware (processor and RAM) you are trying to revive
• If you want to use the Debian-compatible version of Puppy (BookwormPup) to match your experience with Debian 13

I can provide the exact steps to set up a persistent USB for it!

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Is PUPPY Linux  a 64-bit Operating System and can i run and installed  MICROSOFT Edge Browser on PUPPY Linux , knowing that  MICROSOFT Edge Browser can only work and can only  run a  64-bit  Linux Operating System ?

________________________________________________________________

Yes, Puppy Linux offers 64-bit operating systems, and you can absolutely install and run the 64-bit Linux version of Microsoft Edge on it. [1, 2]

While Puppy Linux has historical 32-bit roots, all its modern, flagship releases are completely 64-bit. Furthermore, because popular variants like BookwormPup64 are built directly from Debian 12 binary packages, they share deep architecture compatibility with the standard Debian .deb installers provided by Microsoft. [1, 2, 3]

However, running Edge on Puppy Linux requires one specific configuration tweak due to how Puppy handles user permissions. [1]

---

Step-by-Step: Installing Microsoft Edge on Puppy Linux 64-bit

Because Puppy Linux runs entirely out of RAM and operates under the root user profile by default, Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge will refuse to launch immediately after a normal installation. You can fix this by adding a small command flag. [1, 2]

Step 1: Download the 64-bit Installer

1. Boot into a modern 64-bit Puppy Linux distribution (such as BookwormPup64).
2. Open the default web browser and navigate to the official Microsoft Edge Download Page.
3. Select and download the Linux (.deb) package. [1]

Step 2: Install the Package

1. Open your downloads folder and locate the .deb file.
2. Left-click the .deb file inside Puppy Linux. Puppy's built-in package installer will automatically extract and install the browser files into your system. [1, 2]

Step 3: Apply the "No Sandbox" Tweak (Crucial)

By default, Microsoft Edge restricts running under a root user profile for security reasons. You must add the --no-sandbox flag so it can execute properly within Puppy's unique environment. [1]

1. Use Puppy's file manager to navigate to /usr/share/applications.
2. Locate the file named microsoft-edge.desktop (or similar), right-click it, and open it with a text editor (like Leafpad or Geany).
3. Look for the line that begins with Exec=.
4. Modify the end of that line to include --no-sandbox. It should look exactly like this:
   text

   Exec=/usr/bin/microsoft-edge-stable %U --no-sandbox
   

   Use code with caution.
5. Save the text file and close it. [1, 2]

Now, when you navigate to your main desktop menu under Menu -> Internet, clicking the Microsoft Edge shortcut will launch the browser cleanly entirely inside your RAM memory. [1]

One Thing to Remember

Because your Puppy Linux system is running inside your RAM, your browser data, extensions, and Edge history will clear out upon reboot. Make sure to click Save Session when you shut down the PC so Puppy commits your installed Edge browser and settings to your persistent USB storage save-file. [1, 2]

Let me know if you run into any issues:

• Which flavor of Puppy Linux (e.g., BookwormPup64, FossaPup64) you chose
• If you need help finding the text file to apply the sandbox fix

I can walk you through the command terminal if the file manager feels tricky!