Do you want to learn more about Kali Linux? It’s a famous kind of free Linux that people use to test security. Putting it on a virtual computer is an excellent way to try it without any risk.
In this article, we’ll help you install Kali Linux 2024 on a virtual machine using a program called Oracle VM VirtualBox. It’s simple, whether you’re just starting out or already know a lot. This guide will get you going with this OS on a pretend PC fast!
Try VirtualBox: Test Systems Like Kali Linux Without Changing Your PC
Do you know VirtualBox? It’s a free program made by Oracle. It lets you run lots of different systems on your PC at the same time, even if they’re not actually installed on your PC.
If you want to try out a new system like Windows, Linux, or macOS, you can do it without messing up your central system. You make a virtual machine inside VirtualBox, and then you can try out all types of stuff on it.
It’s handy for testing things and learning without any significant commitments. Say you’re curious about Linux, but you don’t want to ditch your Windows. With this software, you can test-drive Linux without changing anything on your primary device.
Using Oracle virtualization is like having a playground to try out different OSes without worrying about breaking anything. It’s super helpful for developers, too. They can test their programs on other systems without needing lots of different PCs lying around.
Installing Kali in VirtualBox
If you want to make a VM and put Kali Linux on it, you can do it by watching our video or following some simple steps. These steps will help you set up your pretend computer using VirtualBox and then install it. Once you’re done, you’ll have a pretend computer all set up and ready for you to use.
- First, open VirtualBox. Then, click on the New button to start making a new pretend computer. This will bring up a wizard. In the wizard, give your pretend computer a name and choose where you want to save it on your computer. Lastly, pick Debian (64-bit) from the options for this OS.
- When you’re setting up how much memory Kali needs, it’s best to choose either 4 GB or 8 GB as the minimum. This way, Kali will run smoothly and won’t have any problems because it doesn’t have enough memory.
- To make a pretend hard drive, go to the Hard Disk settings and choose the option that says “Create a Virtual HDD Now.” After that process, click the Create button to start making the virtual hard drive.
- When you’re making a new VM, pick VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) as the pretend complex drive file. This way, your virtual PC will work well, and you can get to all your stuff without any trouble.
- When you make a virtual disk, you can pick between two types: Dynamically Allocated or Fixed. If you choose Dynamically Allocated, the pretend hard drive will start small and grow more prominent as you add stuff to it. It’ll use space from your actual computer’s hard drive.
- To make sure your VM has enough disk space, make the hard drive more significant than the default size. But keep where you save it because that could mess up how you back up and restore things.
- After you’ve made the Kali Linux VM in VirtualBox, go to the next step by clicking on ‘Settings.’ This is where you can adjust things like how much memory it uses, its internet connection, and other stuff. Make sure everything’s set up right so your pretend computer works smoothly.
- To make it easy to move files between your actual device and the pretend one, you need to change some settings. Go to General/Advanced and set Shared Clipboard and Drag’n’Drop to Bidirectional. This will let you smoothly share files and info between both systems.
- If you want your computer to start up from a DVD or CD first instead of a floppy disk, you need to tweak some settings. Go to System settings, find Boot Order, and take out Floppy from the list. Then, choose Optical as the primary device. Save the changes, and your computer will start from the DVD or CD first.
- To make this OS work better, you can change how many pretend cores it uses in the Processor settings. Look at how many cores your real computer has. Then, set the vCPU value to either 2 or 4, depending on that. This will help your pretend computer use your actual computer’s power better, so it works smoother.
- To make your screen look better, turn on 3D acceleration in your Display/Screen settings. After that, set your video memory to 128 MB for the best results.
- Turn on Host I/O Cache in the SATA Controller properties under Storage settings. Then, pick the optical drive, click the picture icon, add the ISO file to the pretend computer, and choose a disk file.
- In the window that says “Please choose a virtual optical disk file,” pick the Kali ISO file you saved on your PC.
- Last but not least, switch the compatibility setting to 3.0 (xHCI) in the USB device settings so you can use your USB 3.0 devices in the VM.
Configuring Kali Linux in VirtualBox
- To start configuring Kali on your VirtualBox, open up the VM and follow the setup wizard. When you get to the wizard, pick Graphical Install and hit Enter to begin installing.
- While you’re setting things up, the wizard will ask you to pick a language for your system. Choose the one you like best. Also, select your location based on where you are. This makes sure your system works right and matches your local settings.
- To keep setting up your Kali VM, pick the right keyboard style from the options. Then, a new window will open requesting your user account name. Just type it in to keep going with the setup.
- Please don’t change your username or password once you’ve picked them. These are super important for keeping your account safe. If you mess with them, someone might get into your stuff without permission. So, it’s best to keep your Kali username and password to yourself and not tell anyone.
- While setting up the system, you’ll have to pick the correct time zone for the clock. Make sure you choose the one that matches where you are so the time is right. Also, when setting up the disk, pick “Guided – Use Entire Disk” to use all the space for installing the system.
- To split up the space on your virtual drive, pick the pretend disk you want to use. If you’re new to Linux, it’s best to go with the “All Files In One Partition” option. This way, all your stuff will be in one place, which is more straightforward for beginners to handle.
- To finish dividing up the space, choose “Finish Partitioning” and then save the changes to the disk. You’ll see this option in the window that shows a summary of what you did with the partitions. This step is crucial because it makes sure all your changes are saved and put into action.
- Before you start formatting, double-check which parts will be changed. Once you’re sure about the partitions you want to format, pick the option that says yes to save the changes to the disk and start the formatting.
- When you see the software options, think about which desktop style you want for your Kali system. This choice decides how your screen looks and works every day. So, take your time and pick the one that fits what you like and need.
- When you get to the “Install the GRUB Boot Loader” window, you’ll see a list of disks on the boot menu. Just pick the one where you want to put the bootloader.
- After you’ve installed Kali, you’ll need to restart your VM to finish everything up. Just follow the instructions to restart your OS and make sure it is installed correctly.
Conclusion
Installing Kali Linux on Oracle VM VirtualBox is easy. Just follow the steps here. Virtual machines let you try different operating systems without any risk to your real computer.
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, using a virtual machine is a safe way to learn and test new stuff. So, if you want to try it on a VM, give this guide a shot!
Also, if you want to learn how to put another cool thing, Debian, on your PC, look at our article called How to Install Debian using VirtualBox. It’s a simple way to test it without putting it on your actual computer. And using VirtualBox lets you try things out and learn without causing any problems to your PC.