We don't know that he has a UEFI machine, no info on that. Since he is using windows 7, probably not as the standard with windows 7 is a Legacy install.

Right, I forgot it's Windows 7:-

IF it were Windows 10 a EFI partition would have to be created right?

I have a Dell Optiplex 780 usff using Win7 Pro 64 bit. I have disconnected the internal HDD. I have tried several times to load Mint 18.3 and even 17.1 onto the SSD and each time it fails. I get the message that partion offset is too low or some parts shuold be at least 5.6 GB. Then I get an error message 141. Then when I try to bug out I get asked for a user name and password. Neither of which I have set up?
I am wonering if my SSD is faulty. My laptop cetainly does not recognise it. It acts asthough its not there. But I can see it in the mangement screen but the option to 'format' is not active.
Who needs Computers ? ?

Hello Yancek. Well I can report some success. I have given up on Mint and installed Zorin 9.1. It went onto my SSD without any problems. I am currently testing it. I will report back when all goes well and when I try it on my Laptop.
Thanks to every one for your help.
Best regards
P.

In a normal dual boot situation, there would already be an EFI partition with the windows efi files and the Mint installer would create another directory for the Mint EFI files. If he wanted to use the SSD on other EFI machines, he woould need to create an EFI partition.

If you got Zorin 9.1 to install and boot, newer releases of Mint may be too much for the computer (just a guess). I'm not familiar with the error message you posted earlier.

Thanks yancek-

Congrads on your fresh installtion of Zorin OS.-

I checked on the .iso image of Zorin for a 64 bit machine and it was 1.5 GB.
The .iso image of Linux Mint 18.3 Mate for a 64 bit machine is 1.8 GB.

Looks like Zorin is more of a light weight distribution than Mint.

The current version of Zorin is 12.3.
https://zorinos.com/download/

Error code might be that there isn't enough room for the installation.
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=894279

It sounds like the / ext 4 partition needed to be larger than 5.6 GB. Most of the / ext 4 partitions that I make for a fresh install are at least 20 GB.

-::-System Requirements for Linux Mint 18.3-::-

1GB RAM (2GB recommended for a comfortable usage).
15GB of disk space (20GB recommended).
1024×768 resolution (on lower resolutions, press ALT to drag windows with the mouse if they don't fit in the screen).

https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3458

1 members found this post helpful.

Hello, Thanks for you input. I'm quite happy with Zorin. I just have to get it to work with my laptop WiFi. I think that's got to be another thread.
Best regards
P

You're Welcome pascal.
Glad to hear you are happy with Zorin-

Yup getting the wifi to work is a job for a fresh new thread. In the meantime this link may get you started.
https://zorinos.com/help/set-up-wireless-hardware/

Don't forget to mark your thread Solved:-

1 members found this post helpful.

Hello Friends who have helped me.
My problem is solved. The real issue was the fact that I was loading onto a SSD which has a modern configuration. That's why I kept getting the strange error message ".. . ..offset of 3584 bytes from minimum alignment . . ." This threw me completely.
I got help from somewhere else and I was instructed step by step how to partition the SSD and make a successful installation.
I will now mark this thread as Solved.
Thanks.