In this article we will get to know how we can install Kali Linux as a dual boot operating system on a PC with existing Windows operating system. Both of these operating system will act as a host operating system and one operating system will be loaded at a time. So you can use the available physical resource completely for the loaded operating system.
Step 1:Download Kali Linux ISO File
Open a web browser and navigate to Kali Linux official website to download the Latest version ISO file.
Select the “Bare Metal” Tab.
Scroll down the screen a bit. Select the 64-bit installer and click on the download link to begin the download of 64-bit installer ISO file for Kali Linux.
Save this file to your PC. You will observe that Kali Linux installer ISO file is huge in size and will take some time downloaded. Wait for its download to complete. In the meantime, let us do the second step.
Step 2: Install Flashing Tool
Open a new tab and navigate to Balena Etcher website. We will use the Balena Etcher Flashing tool to flash this ISO image to a USB pen drive. Open the official website of Balena Etcher and wait till the website fetches your operating system details. Once, the latest release as per your operating system is detected, the link will become active.
Click on the link and save the setup file. Now, wait until both file’s download is complete. Once the download is complete, go to the download location and run Balena Etcher setup file. The setup will begin installing Balena Etcher application. The Etcher software tool will automatically start first time.
Among the options, choose the “Flash from file” option. Click on it and browse for the download location. In the download location, select the Kali Linux ISO file and click on open.
The Kali Linux ISO file will be selected as the source and we need to provide a Target. Now, insert a flash drive of at least 4 GB in size. Select the USB pen drive as target. So now, Kali Linux ISO file is the source and USB Pendrive is the target. Click on the “Flash” button and wait for the flashing to finish. After flashing is complete, close the Balena Etcher software.
Step 3: Unallocate Disk Space
Click on this PC and select “Manage”.
Then, click on “Disk management”. Click on a partition where you feel the space can be shrink to un-allocate space for installing Kali Linux. Right-click on the partition and click on shrink option. Input the appropriate size and click on change. You can choose as much disk space you feel is free on your PC.
Once the partition is resized and space is unallocated, close “Computer management” application.
Step 4: Boot from Kali USB
On system boot, press a designated key (F10, F12, F2, Del, Esc, F9) to enter BIOS or UEFI Setup. It could be different on different make and model. Try other keys as per Make and Model of your computer. Search for the booting device settings and select USB Drive as the Booting Device. Save and Exit BIOS / UEFI setup. The system will restart. While booting, press the designated key (F9, F10, F12, F2, Del, Esc) to display Boot Menu. It will display the list of booting devices. Select USB Drive as Boot Device and Hit Enter.
Step 5: Install Kali Linux
If the PC will boot from pen drive, Kali Linux installer menu will be displayed. Choose the graphical install.
Follow the installation instructions and select the language, country, keyboard layout and host name. You can leave the domain name empty if you are using this PC for personal use or if you are in an Enterprise or an organization, you can check out the domain name from your system administrator. Now, provide User Full Name and username to login or proceed with default “Kali”. Choose a strong password for logging into your PC.
Now, on the partition page select the first option “Guided – use the largest continuous free space”. Then, next select the first option that is “All files in one partition”. Then select “Finish partitioning and write changes to disk” and click on continue. Then write changes to disks by selecting “Yes” and clicking continue. Wait till the base system is installed.
Now, once the installation is complete, you need to install the GRUB boot loader, which will provide option to load either Kali Linux or Windows during system boot process. Select yes to install the boot loader to primary drive. Then select the hard disk partition and click continue. Once the installation is complete remove the pen drive and click on continue to reboot the PC.
Upon restart, GRUB boot loader will appear on the screen after system boot up and you will have two options. Actually three options, but you will need to use the first option to boot into Kali Linux and the third option to boot into Windows.
Watch the live demonstration of the above process:
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