Installing a virtual machine is a good alternative when you want to run another OS within the same computer. For this, you are going to need a tool to help you with virtualization.
VMWare is an ideal platform to carry out the installation of a virtual machine, so you can install Kali Linux without any limitation. If you want to know the steps you must take to carry out this task, you will have to continue reading.
You will also find in the following paragraphs the requirements you need for the installation of Kali Linux and the best alternative tools to VMWare.
What is VMWare and what is this tool for?
VMWare is a tool used to carry out virtualization. In other words, a virtual machine is created within a computer that has a different operating system than the host has. Therefore, with virtual machine software you will be able to run a different OS within a computer, but not directly since it is installed within the physical resources of the host or Hypervisor.
What are the requirements to install Kali Linux on VMWare?
To use a VMWare and install the Kali Linux distro, first you will have to know the requirements the minimum requirements that are required to run without problems.
This is why you will need:
- Space on the hard drive of 20GB.
- 1 GB RAM memory only for this software.
- Another factor that you must take into account is the version you are using on your computer, the architecture has to be 32-bit or 64-bit.
Learn step by step how to install Kali Linux on VMWare from scratch
The steps you will need to take to create a VM and then install Kali Linux so that you can work like a pro are:
Create a virtual machine
The first thing you should do is open the VMware software and press the button to create a new virtual machine.
For this you will have to follow this guide:
- Download VMWare from your computer.
Download VMWare for Windows
- Use the key combination Ctrl + N in order to create a new machine.
- Then go to the menu and select the options Player, File and finally New Virtual Machine.
- Then click Create a New Virtual Machine.
Install the software
Once you have performed the previous steps, a list will be displayed in which you will have to complete different stages.
These are:
- Install the software from disk.
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Use the ISO image that you downloaded and installed Kali Linux.
https://www.kali.org/downloads/ - When you have downloaded the ISO image you must select the option Installer disc image file (iso). It may happen that VMware say it does not recognize the image, but it is actually a system bug, so you should not worry and continue with the process.
Choose the operating system
In this step you will see a window in which you will have to select the operating system you want to use. In this case we will take as an example the Linux option and we will also define the Debian 9.x 64-bit version.
Define the name of the machine and where it will be hosted
It is time to press the option Next and write the name of the machine and where you want to host it.
Choose the space of the machine
This step will lead to the capacity of your new virtual machine, so make sure that the disk size and RAM are correct to allow the machine to run normally.
Modify some component of the virtual machine
After completing the previous steps, you will have to press the button Next to access the summary of the virtual machine you are about to create. If you consider that you should modify the previous step, you will only have to choose the corresponding option and then modify it.
List of the best virtual machines to install Kali Linux alternatives to VMWare
If you want to know a platform other than VMWare, we will show you the best VMs to install Kali Linux:
Virtual box
This platform is a tool that will allow you to create a virtual machine for free. It is characterized by its easy configuration and its very intuitive interface, since it has options to copy and paste in the Host. It also has customization options such as adjusting the size of the windows, colors and users. It can be used in 32 and 64 bits, both in Linux, Windows and MacOS.
Download Virtual Box for Windows
Qemu.org
This is a highly recognized virtualization emulator in the Linux world, as it has a guest interface and real-time hardware that simulates CPU and physical memory resources. This allows the whole system to be known correctly. It also allows you to emulate compiled software for free. It is open source, so it is software where developers continually bring change.
Proxmox.com
This is a direct competitor of VMware and it has versions compatible with VT-X and AMD-V. It also allows you to improve a performance simultaneously with MacOS Windows and Linux, thus making it a highly demanded platform in the market. You will be able to access the monitoring of the resources of your computer and the virtual machine, You will also be able to share files directly between both machines or with external equipment.