This document provides a step-by-step guide for installing Kali Linux 2017 on VMware Workstation 12.5. It covers downloading the ISO image, creating a new virtual machine, and completing the installation process, including configuration and installation of VMware tools for optimal performance. The document also includes options for downloading custom Kali Linux images and obtaining community support.

1. In this document I will show you how to install Kali Linux 2017 in VMware Workstation 12.5.
The latest version of Kali Linux 2017.1 has been released.
Step 1 – DownloadKali Linux ISO image
To install the Kali Linux, we will have to first get the installer ISO image file. You can get it by
visiting the official download page. Please download the 64 bit or 32 bit image depending on the
system you have. Dont get confused by the many options available such as Kali Linux 64-bit
Mate or Kali Linux 64-bit Xfce. They are all the same except for the desktop environment.
LXDE, Mate, Xfce are various open source desktop environments. I use the first image Kali
Linux 64 bit, but the choice is yours. It does not really matter.
Just remember that Kali Linux 64 bit Light is the minimal distribution which will not contain all
the features. You will have to install the tools you want lateron. There is also an option to
download the VMware image directly. But I prefer to create my own Virtual Machine which has
all the tools installed, which this blog is all about. Since the file size is large, around 3 GB, I
prefer to download via torrent because it is fast and flexible.

2. Step 2 – Locate the downloaded file
You can find the downloaded image file in the downloads folder, if you have not changed the
default settings. The filename would be something like kali-linux-2017.1-amd64.iso. If you have
downloaded through torrent, the ISO file will be downloaded in a folder, folder name would be
something like kali-linux-2017.1-amd64.
Step 3 – Open VMware Workstation12
Let’s start the installation process. Open VMware Workstation. If you don’t have it installed
already, please install VMware Workstation 12.
Step 4 – Launch VMware WorkstationNew Virtual Machine installation
wizard
You can launch this by clicking Create New Virtual Machine button on the home screen or go to
menu File -> New Virtual Machine. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl + N on Windows. VMware
workstation supports tab view, which is, all the virtual machines running or stopped will show up
in its own tab until you close them by clicking X on the tab itself. It’s the same as you see in the
browsers where webpages open in separate tabs rather then separate windows. In software
development terms, this is commonly referred to as the tabbed interface.

3. Step 5- Welcome to the new Virtual Machine Wizard dialog box appears
This is where you get a chance to select the way virtual machine will be created. Typical is
predefined or mostly the defaults. Custom is where you get to set advanced options such as
compatibility with older Virtual Machines, SCSI controller type, etc. We will go with the default
options. Select Typical and click Next.
Step 6- Selectinstallationmedia or source
In this dialog box you will have to browse to the downloaded ISO file and click next. Generally,
VMware Workstation detects the OS automatically and initiates what they call as the Easy
Install. But in the case of Kali Linux this is not the case and you will see a warning(yellow
triangle). Please ignore that and click next to continue.

4. Step 7- SelectGuestOperating System
In this dialog box, you will be asked to select the Guest Operating System. Select Guest
operating system as Linux and Version as Debian 8.x 64-bit or 32 bit depending on your system.

5. Step 8- SelectGuestOperating System
In this dialog box, you will be asked to provide the name of the virtual machine. You can provide
any name you like. You can also change the location of the virtual machine. Bu default is place
in the Documents/Virtual Machine folder. Leaving it as the default is also fine.

6. Step 9- Specify disk capacity
This dialog box asks you to specify the disk capacity. This is the maximum amount of disk space
it will utilize once the Virtual Machine is created. You can leave it to the default but if you are
running low on disk space, you can reduce it to 20 GB. This is generally sufficient if you are not
planning to install heavy disk using software’s such as Photoshop. Such software’s reduce the
performance of your Virtual Machine if your Computer is not powerful enough.
Check Split Virtual Disk into multiple files. This is the default option. Say if you specify 60 GB,
all of 60 GB will not be utilized or say 60 GB will not be blocked at once. These Virtual Disks
expand according to the usage with a Maximum size you specifed as the disk capacity. On a
fresh install normally it takes 10 GB of space which will grow according to the software’s you
install in the VM.

7. Step 10- Readyto create Virtual Machine Dialog Box
This is the final dialog box and what you see is all the options you have selected in previous
dialog boxes. You will also see Memory, Network Adapter and Other Devices. They are the
defaults. If you wish to change them, click on Customize Hardware. You can leave them as
defaults for now, they can be changed later on also once the Virtual Machine is created.

8. Step 11 – Poweron Virtual Machine
Now you will have to power on the virtual machine to start the process. You can see the option
to power on the VM on top left hand side.

9. Step 12 – Select Graphical Install from Boot Menu
Here you will see many options. Select Graphical Install using the down arrow key and click
continue.

10. Step 13 – Selecta Language
In this dialog box you will be asked to select a language. Please select a language and continue.
This option sets your language in the Kali Linux Operating system. Default is English.

11. Step 14 – SelectLocation
In this dialog box you will be asked to select a Location. Please select a location and continue.
This option sets your Location in the Kali Linux Operating system. later on, you will be able to
set the time zone based on the location you choose here.

12. Step 15 – Configure the Keyboard
In this dialog box you will be asked to select the keyboard layout. Please select a Keyboard
layout using the arrow keys and click continue. This option sets your Keyboard in the Kali Linux
Operating system. By default it is set to American English.

13. After you click continue, you will see the installation progresses for some them you see the
Network Configuration dialog box, which is the next step.

14. Step 16 – Configure the Network – Enter Hostname
In this dialog box you will be asked to enter the hostname for your system. This being a home
network, we can set anything. Enter any anything and click continue.

15. Step 17 – Configure the Network – Enter domain name
In this dialog box you will be asked to enter the domain name for your system. This
being a home network, we can set anything like example.com

16. Step 18 – Set passwordfor User root
In this dialog box you will be asked to enter the password for the root user account. Please enter
a password of your choice and click continue.

17. Step 19 – Enter Username for your account
In this dialog box you will be asked to enter the username for the account. Please enter a
username of your choice and click continue.
You will have to enter User name in two different dialog box, similar to shown in the below
screenshot

18. Step 20 – Enter your Passwordfor the user account
In this dialog box you will be asked to enter the password for the user account you created in the
last step. Please enter a password of your choice and click continue.

19. Step 21 – Configure Clock
In this dialog box you will be asked to time zone based on the location you selected earlier.
Please enter a time zone of your choice and click continue.

20. Step 22 – Partition Disk
In this dialog box you are asked how you would like to partition your disk. Select Guided – Use
entire disk and click continue. This is the default option.

21. In this dialog box you are asked to select a disk to partition. Select sda, VMware Virtual disk.
There should be only one option. Click Continue.

22. Step23 – Select partitionscheme
In this dialog box you are asked to select a scheme for disk partition. Select the default, all files
in one partition and click Continue.

23. Step-24 Disk partition Overview
In this dialog box you are see the summary of your disk partition. Select the Finish Partitioning
and Write changes to disk which should be selected by default. All you have to do is to click
continue.

24. Step 25 – Disk partition Confirmation
In this dialog you are asked to confirm Write changes to disk. Select yes and click continue.

25. Step 26 – Installation starts
Now the actual installation starts. Wait for Configure the Package Manager Dialog box to
appear.
Step 27 – Configure the package manager
In this dialog box you will ask if you wish to configure network mirror for Package manager.
Choose yes and continue. You canskip this by selecting NO. But the default option Yes is better.

26. Step 28 – Configure the package manager – HTTP Proxy
In this dialog box you will ask if you wish to HTTP proxy. Leave it blank and click continue.

27. Step 29 – Install GRUB boot loader
In this dialog box you will be asked if you would like to install the GRUB boot loader. Select
Yes and click Continue.

28. Step 30 – Selectdevice for GRUB boot loader Installation
In this dialog box you will be asked to select boot loader device for GRUB installation. Select
/dev/sda and click Continue.

29. Step 31 – Installation Complete
Installation will continue and now you will see Installation complete dialog box. Click continue
to finalize the installation and wait for the VM to reboot. After reboot you will see the login
screen. Login with your username or root user and provide your password. You will then see the
Kali Linux desktop.

31. Step32 – Switching toFull screenmode
After login, if you want to switch to full screen mode, you wont be able to. What you will see is
the resolution of 800×600 which is the default resolution. This is because, VMware tools are not
installed. Please follow the below steps to install VMware tools. After the installation and reboot,
you will be able to see the desktop with resolution same as your computer.

32. Step 33 – Install VMware Tools
To install the VMware tools, follow the below steps.
If you don’t have internet connection, you can install VMware tools directly from the VM.
If you have internet connection, follow the next instruction which is easier.
1. Goto VM-> Install VMware Tools
2. You will see VMware tools Icon on the desktop. If you don’t, then Places->VMwre Tools.
Double click to open.
3. Copy the file with the file name something like this VMware-tools….tar.gz to the desktop.
4. Right click on this file on the desktop and click Extract here. You will see that the file is
extracted to the folder vmware-tools-distrib.
5. Open terminal by going to System Tools -> terminal
6. Goto the folder vmware-tools-distrib on desktop by entering the command cd
/Desktop/vmware-tools-distrib
7. Now run this command:
sudo ./vmware-install.pl -d
8. Enter your password and press Enter. You will be asked if you want to proceed with the
legacy installer. Enter Y and press Enter.
9. Now you will be asked series of questions, just accept the default by pressing Enter for all
and wait for the installation to complete.
10. Wait for the installation to complete. You will see more prompts, except the defaults by
clicking enter. Once completed, restart your VM by going to VM->Power->Restart Guest

33. 11. Once the system restarts, you will be prompted to login. Once you login, you can see the
desktop in full screen mode which stretches up to the complete screen.
If you have internet connection, try this
1. Open Terminal
2. Execute the command
sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools-desktop fuse
3. Enter your password
4. Wait for the process to complete and restart. You are done. Login and now you will see the
desktop in full screen mode
You can check the version of installed VMware Tools. In terminal, execute the command
vmware-toolbox-cmd -v
. This will show you the version number.
ProcessComplete
You are done, you can start working on Kali Linux 2017.
(Or)
DownloadKali Linux VMware images
Want to download Kali Linux custom images? Kali Linux generated several Kali Linux
VMware, VirtualBox and ARM images which were shared with the community. Furthermore,
Offensive Security does not provide technical support for the contributed Kali Linux images.
Support for Kali can be obtained via various methods listed on the Kali Linux Community page.
These images have a default password of “toor” and may have pre-generated SSH host keys.
To install the Kali Linux VMware images, we will have to first get the installer image file. You
can get it by visiting the official download page.

35. Download the VMware image and open through the VMware directly and use it. You can see the
process in the below screenshot.

37. Thank you so much for reading my blog.