How I Installed Kali Linux on VMware: A Step-by-Step Guide

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 Installing Kali Linux on a virtual machine is a great way to get started with penetration testing and cybersecurity tasks without making changes to your primary operating system. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the steps I followed to install Kali Linux on VMware, a popular virtualization platform.


What You'll Need:

VMware Workstation (or VMware Player, which is free for non-commercial use)

Kali Linux ISO (from the official website)

A computer with at least 4GB of RAM and 30GB of free disk space for the virtual machine

Step 1: Download VMware and Kali Linux ISO

VMware Workstation Player:

First, download VMware Workstation Player from the official VMware website.

Install VMware by following the on-screen instructions.

Kali Linux ISO:

Visit the official Kali Linux website at https://www.kali.org/downloads/.

Download the appropriate ISO file for your system (32-bit or 64-bit). I chose the 64-bit version for this tutorial.

Step 2: Create a New Virtual Machine

Open VMware Workstation.


Launch VMware and click on "Create a New Virtual Machine".

Select Installation Type:


Choose "Installer disc image file (iso)".

Browse to the location where you downloaded the Kali Linux ISO and select it.

Choose the Guest Operating System:


Select Linux as the guest operating system.

Choose Debian 10.x 64-bit (since Kali Linux is based on Debian).

Name the Virtual Machine:


Provide a name for your virtual machine, such as "Kali Linux VM".

Choose the location where you want to store the VM files (default is fine).

Set the Disk Capacity:


Assign at least 20GB of disk space for the virtual machine (the more, the better for performance).

Choose "Store virtual disk as a single file" to optimize performance.

Customize the Virtual Machine (Optional but recommended):


Click "Customize Hardware" to adjust settings like memory and CPUs.

Assign at least 2GB of RAM and 2 CPUs for better performance. If you have more resources, allocate more memory and CPUs.

You can also configure network settings, depending on your needs (NAT or Bridged networking).

Step 3: Install Kali Linux

Start the Virtual Machine:


Once you’ve configured the VM, click Finish and then Play to start the VM.

Kali Linux Installation Menu:


Upon boot, you will see the Kali Linux installation menu. Choose Graphical Install for an easy, guided installation process.

Language Selection:


Select your preferred language, region, and keyboard layout.

Configure the Network:


Set the hostname for your Kali machine (e.g., kali-vm).

Optionally configure a domain name (or leave it blank for a local setup).

Set Up User Account:


Set the root password for your Kali Linux installation.

Create a non-root user account for regular use.

Partitioning the Disk:


Choose the Guided – Use Entire Disk option (unless you have a specific partitioning scheme in mind).

Select the virtual disk (it will likely be the only one listed) and proceed.

Install the Base System:


Kali will now install the base system files. This may take some time.

Install GRUB Bootloader:


When prompted, select Yes to install the GRUB bootloader to the master boot record (MBR).

Choose the disk (usually /dev/sda).

Complete the Installation:


Once the installation completes, the system will prompt you to reboot. Remove the installation media (ISO file) from the virtual CD/DVD drive to prevent rebooting into the installer.

Step 4: Final Configuration and First Boot

Reboot the Virtual Machine:


Restart the VM and log in with the credentials you created during installation.

Update Kali Linux:


After the first login, open a terminal and update Kali Linux:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install VMware Tools (Optional but recommended for better performance):


Go to VMware → Install VMware Tools.

Follow the prompts to mount the VMware Tools CD and install them for optimized performance.

Step 5: Enjoy Kali Linux on VMware

You’ve now successfully installed Kali Linux on VMware! You can start exploring the tools and features Kali Linux has to offer, including network scanning, penetration testing tools, and more.


Final Thoughts

Installing Kali Linux on VMware allows you to safely explore cybersecurity tools and techniques without affecting your host operating system. I recommend keeping your Kali Linux VM updated regularly, and if you're just starting out, you can experiment with various cybersecurity exercises and learn more about ethical hacking.


Let me know if you have any questions or if you encountered any issues during your installation process!


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