Linux Tips - Install Full Kali on a USB Drive (2022)

[@mahendrakathe]

This was a pretty crisp yet informative demonstration of taking fully functional kali Linux in your pocket. Appreciate your effort in making this video and helping the community .

[@daviddugetto680]

i love how you drop one of the most important information mid video

[@tengahurts6229]

somethings to mention: to make this work like in this video, it is IMPORTANT to remove ANY KIND of harddrive from ur computer, so you are only left with TWO USB (one with installer iso, one as install drive) IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, IT WON'T INSTALL GRUB (Bootloader) ON THE USB! It would requirea whole new guide to fix that with some deeper knowledge

[@ramonreynelt.reyesiii8761]

Do you have a link to this tutorial?

[@paragon1378]

for fucks sake, you saved me tons of time. i was running installer and amost proceeded with partitioning, but decided to double-check and ... found your comment

[@tengahurts6229]

@@paragon1378 glad it helped! gg!

[@mohammedbaiddah5451]

​@paragon1378 bro I did this and got fucked 😢😢

[@artinkurenai]

watch till the end of the video

[@uemit_siyah_b]

Thanks for showing how to install KALI LINUX from USB, helpful !

[@kubix6592]

My brain disapeared when i thinked about dualbooting On usb drive

[@familiaulloavitali3170]

this works great. Had two troubles with the install process, but both where mentioned in the video.

[@KyngDade1]

I dont see how this is not working for some ppl, It worked the first try for me and ive been able to boot kali from my usb everytime no problem. Best tutorial video on youtube.

[@jr.rxdical]

As far wifi, I believe you will need to install the appropriate drivers. I was able to get the wifi connected through virtual box as a bridge connection and it worked. As far as getting the wifi thought live boot, bare metal etc you will need to find the wifi drivers from your laptop to Kali Linux

[@MattNetic]

Super awesome tutorial, shame it's not super popular, it helped a ton 💯🔥

[@utsavparmar79]

Hello, I just downloaded the Kali Linux image file and made it bootable in a usb drive.After that, when I came to load the image after the partition disk in the graphical installation, there was an error issue and it showed the image file not loaded. After that I went to the execute shell and executed the command and when I saw it, it showed the image file in the error.So what can I do..?

[@coreywiniata3686]

Great video. Could you please make a guide on how to install Zorin on a flash drive/external SSD?.

[@agiledevart]

here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqepnKRni8aiaJo

[@coreywiniata3686]

@@agiledevart Awesome, thank you.

[@tjukurrta]

Great video, very helpful.. . Cheers 👍

[@Nuchem]

sorry but this doesn't actually work usb doesn't boot up again I followed the instructions on fixing efi entries --removeable command not recognized i did it without the --removeable command it said the same as in the video that it went successfully with no errors but after shutting down it wont boot again from the usb. their is probably a reason their is a whole complicated tutorial on the kali Linux website how to make a standalone usb. any help for my case is greatly appreciated.

[@Nuchem]

I guess its spelled removable without an e will try again

[@michailidi6909]

Same problem here

[@theeaglevlogger5530]

Boot in on DD don't choose iso while u click on start

[@jithendrareddytamma6565]

@@theeaglevlogger5530 even i tried the same thing but it's not working. I used hdd external hard drive for installation 😅

[@wojtekdudek2374]

Perhaps practice your english

[@chefidin]

Thankyou very much. Btw you looks like Nick Burkhardt

[@joel26882]

I installed Kali 2022.4 as shown in the video but I would suggest using the OS version recommended to be used for a bootable pendrive (usb 3.2 64GB)as it was very slow on my computer. It makes sense as the installer used in this video is for a full computer not for a USB drive.

[@ashaymaurya1957]

where is the OS version?

[@yakai_7]

Great bro... Nice work thank's a lot.

[@anubisystems]

why do you need two USB?

[@mrchavdarov1]

partition scheme is important also? MBR vs GPT . maybe this drives the issue for USB version of Kali..

[@goopslug337]

the man making this video is federal informant for nsa

[@tobygeorge5903]

Amazing! I have been looking for a video like this one. I have a question, what makes this different than the "live USB with persistent storage" videos I see where they don't partition?

[@Otaviano058]

with the live kali you dont save changes, and the usb storage gonna fit exactily same as the data of the kali linux... Btw sorry for the bad inglish!

[@screwcity6776]

Live also doesn’t support snapd

[@luudanmatcuoi9040]

It's not working

[@BrotherGabe777]

Rufus disk is the USB you're not going to run Kali linux on correct? Which USB is used for which task needs to be clearer.. IMO. Great video though. Im a noob. Sorry

[@GrifanoRide]

Hey, thanks for the video. Can you recomend a flash drive that will be the best for install?

[@Proxychains4]

I was told I needed 1 USB now I’m being told I need 2 and I just got back from Target. Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[@xxfirehexx]

In your Rufus software you can make it OS TO GO that way you need only one usb drive

[@Mr-W1CK]

I have installed on external SSD but only able to on same system from which i have installed it, when i try boot it from another system or any other system, it won't work and doesn't even show in boot menu...

[@ahmedilami]

Thanks for this bro

[@joeoliver9211]

This worked up until the grub install where it failed to execute and has a fatal error. Is there a fix for this?

[@_joluseis_8404]

The wifi error its bc windows steals the wifi function when u have fast start, quit that option and it should work

[@sioh3]

Thank you once again.

[@djmjr77]

What are the benefits of full usb install vs live with persistence install?

[@timbrown9961]

you cant install extra drivers to live version

[@c.rutherford]

I can't get Kali to install and run on a USB for anything. All of them error out and don't load, and I've tried multiple versions exactly following these steps. Four tries and I'm giving up. The "Live" instance will load and run, but only a few times. Kali is really going downhill.

[@fernandosoares1541]

Same here. It's like there's a market to sell pre-installed bootable Kali on SSD USB drives.

[@hackme1820]

It works! Thank you

[@joshrayner7167]

I tried this, and as other people have said here, it works on that computer, but doesn't come up on the boot many of other computers. I ran the command you said which works, and creates the files you showed. Any ideas?

[@KkkkiJfjfjfkf-ge1br]

Grub no se instala en el USB si tienes algún disco duro conectado en el momento de la instalación

[@Ochenter]

I just subscribed at the moment you mention that in the video

[@rajsheth8961]

Danke schön! 🥰

[@IDrinkAndIKnowThings]

TIP: I MUST emphasize for this to save new users trouble....you MUST use 2 usb drives. Install iso and use on one, install kali on the other when you get the install screen.

[@oxblixxx]

Hmmm, maybe this is why it prompts that it can't find the installation medium.

[@R2N2_42]

A long time ago I tried ubuntu with one USB and after hours of problem-fixing I tried again with 2 drives and it worked without any problems. I've wasted so much time.

[@cabrex5864]

I have'nt done the grub install thing, which makes my newly flashed USB not appear in the boot menu. I'm theorizing i can fix this by inserting another live disk and performing the same step at 7:38, but change the directory to the boot section of this disk ,and it must work? Edit: grub-install doesnt have --removable option... Any suggestions?

[@MichaelAmezquita]

I'm curious if anyone can help me. When I boot into the USB, this message is listed. I followed all the instructions of the video. Any thoughts? "could not locate 'efi boot bootaa64.efi' 14 not found." Used Rufus. The only difference is that i used NTFS. My computer only senses NTFS in BIOS. FAT32 or ExFat isn't presented in BIOS. ISO file is up to date.

[@ThatGoth]

Unfortunately "Bare Metal" no longer exists.

[@aditya3782]

It didn't create an EFI partition for me, it was just swap and ext4

[@shahom8442]

It isn't working as the time of graphical installation it says detect and mount installation media and then it couldn't find installation media

[@westtv4746]

Download and use ventory instead of Rufus

[@Neo-zo8fm]

I followed the instructions but afterwards when i try to boot from flash drive it just gives me a black screen after the linux icon shows what should i do

[@Elgar7i]

good instructions

[@gbncondor88]

how to install Kali with another linux distro,i'm using Archman...intall in dualboot..

[@FaceTat_]

Any way to install the tools later on if you run into issues?

[@jonahhockett7483]

So could i just download Kali linux for my computer hard drive then select my USB for my so called 2 USB to download the kail linux to my USB?

[@artinkurenai]

does it work with standard (installer) iso instead of live boot or bare metal?

[@LinuxTree]

Just a tip for people without a USB second drive.... Use a Virtual Machine, add the USB as hardware to the virtual machine then flash the single USB you have.

[@ElSheepodoggo]

Wait, what?

[@LinuxTree]

​@@ElSheepodoggooh thank you, I need to correct that... Meant to say second usb drive.

[@mauricewamala4937]

can a 32GB flash drive work

[@KyngDade1]

Yeah

[@el-brukevweshalom2178]

Can i have two operating system installed on my USB drive, like partitioning it as its a 500gb storage capacity.

[@user-on3fc8wp6m]

yes

[@freerealm1966]

I followed exactly, but i cant boot into USB after install? EUFI tries to boot into it after selecting it as priority, but it fails, and just goes to windows instead. If i only have the USB as a bootable drive, it fails and goes back to bios upon boot :( any help please?

[@John-mb3bx]

I select 80 gbs from my 256 for persistence but it take more than 4 hours and only gets half way formatting any idea why?

[@ansardeen4133]

Bro i wrongly click on install button but now i need windows10 what can i do bro

[@FaceTat_]

Soooo installing the tools in software selection just keeps failing for me any tips?

[@freddyrivera3511]

Hello brother you think you can help me ? Im getting error : attempt to read or write outside disk hd0

[@gajarlaarun]

Bro, for me I’m using new desktop just purchased 2days ago, I haven’t installed any windows on it and I’m trying to install Kali linux installer x64, it is getting error in detect network issue, could you please help me how can I install it. I trued to install by disconnecting lan as well, still the same problem occurs…

[@poohnay16]

Failed to install bootloader....any idea why?

[@mikefiatx19]

great video until last 30 seconds when you let us know wifi doesnt work

[@feelin2blue994]

Is it possible to just use 1 usb like you would do with tails?

[@IceDelaFuente]

Had an issues saying simething like mounted failed

[@thereisonlyallah5177]

How you do the equal = command in usb flahs kali ? What you have type ?

[@irakli.akhalaia007]

I did same but still doesn't work on other PCs... By the way on my laptop it works perfectly. I used for boot USB with Ventoy and not with Rufus (I think it's not a problem). My laptop is on UEFI mode. In /boot/efi/EFI/ there is two folders: 1. "BOOT" (which we added in this video to make external USB bootable on other devices). This "BOOT" folder includes "BOOTX64.efi" file. 2. "kali" folder which already existed with "grubx64.efi" file So my question is: We need both of these folders? or we can delete old one ("kali") which already existed, because we added new one.

[@joshrayner7167]

I have a similar problem

[@DeadLysp]

Nice! but i cant load others USB flash drives :(

[@jonessinger5966]

Maybe someone can help me out. I’ve tried this same method so many times, Kali is installed on a separate drive, I’ll boot to the drive after install but when I boot to the drive with Kali the drive boots back to windows. I’ve tried two different drives and I’m just lost at this point.

[@freerealm1966]

Did you fix this issue? im currently suffering froim this same issue. It sees it as a bootable drive, but cant boot into it and boots into windows instead!

[@jonessinger5966]

@@freerealm1966 not exactly a fix, but found out the reason. Despite my motherboard being made in 2019, it doesn’t support NVME booting, which is what I was using. I only found this out after testing it on my new laptop and it booted perfectly. If you’re using an NVME SSD and it’s doing this, you may need to get a SATA SSD instead.

[@freerealm1966]

@@jonessinger5966 you mean windows is on an NVMe ssd or the kali that i just installed? If you mean kali, no i installed kali on USB. If you mean main OS then yes i am running it on NVMe drige. Please clarify for me thanks.

[@jonessinger5966]

@@freerealm1966 my Kali was on an NVME. My mobo does not support booting from an NVME. I used the USB installer to install Kali on my NVME, but it would not boot, it would only boot to windows which is on a SATA SSD.

[@wubdub-h2z]

Will this kali linux bootable thumb drive work on a macOS system?

[@Electrodoodles9]

can virtual machine kali work on USB?

[@biancana9]

The part where you say you assume we know what we are doing… well I don’t. Im on BIOS utility setup stuck. Any video on that? Thanks.

[@FaceTat_]

When you see the logo of whatever your brand of computer is spam F2 or the delete key to open the BIOS menu. Then turn of Secure boot under the boot menu and then boot thru a usb drive in the save and exit tab :)

[@jhosuayu1679]

CAn you use wifi using the boot from the usb ?

[@alfiaqil4786]

can you make video for peppermint os?

[@redbeardjunior]

what size need the usb stick needs to be ?

[@arksaha432]

Can i use only one usb ?

[@skymaz]

Hi, can you guide me how to install kali linux full version on an external hard disk step by step please? My external hard disk is 320GB. Thanks.

[@moon.walker]

Its the same thing. Just select the correct drive

[@anilchaudhary7969]

Bro while installing at the process of detecting file system it abort again show the partion menu

[@anilchaudhary7969]

Can I get the fix

[@hwoozy]

boot failed what i need to do?

[@kapons6od927]

with KDE, where the thunar command doesn't work, how do I do the last part of the installation?

[@paragon1378]

isnt Thunar just a file explorer? (i guess - yes, so its needed to run file explorer that is present in KDE)

[@michailidi6909]

Why it says no root file?

[@jeoi]

( Start | Stop | Check ) $ Sudo systemctl stop NetworkManager $ Sudo Airmon-ng start wlan0mon $ Sudo systemctl apache2 restart

[@jayantkumawat2017]

Does the speed of Usb drive give booster to kali Linux and why you didn't install kali live version

[@agiledevart]

The ideal scenario would be for the USB drive to perform the same as a hard drive. With a faster USB drive, we're trying to achieve just that. USB drives are usually much much slower. The installer for the live version got stuck at one point during installation, but maybe it works for you.

[@nizardhahri493]

is it possible to use the internet instead of second usb drive ?

[@agiledevart]

Unfortunately not

[@rootcat643]

Which model/brand of USB Flash drive you're using to boot Kali?

[@agiledevart]

SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB

[@dookieshoes836]

Ive had kali on a live thumb drive for years and all the sudden when I tried to update everything fails. Do I need to redownload with all the new updates? I would think that upgrade and update would do what it says

[@anthropicPanda]

In case you never figured this out, he's not on a live boot. He installed full Kali onto a USB

[@NaveenKumar-jz2yz]

What if I forget and unplug the pedrive

[@agiledevart]

System will crash. Maybe not immediately, but will eventually. It's somehow the same as pulling out the power plug.. will the USB drive survive? If you are in the middle of a package/system updating process then probably no

[@tahmidtargaryen6230]

Can you do a parrot security edition as well

[@agiledevart]

Parrot OS: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKush36GaqymZ9E

[@0RIPPER0]

wifi isn't working wtf is going on. I reinstall 15/20 times but nothing is happening.

[@anonghost8765]

He literally said his wifi wasn’t working as well

[@0RIPPER0]

@@anonghost8765 yup

[@ktrktta]

in 99.9% it's a driver issue. Usually the installation process tell you what drivers are missing and how to install them, like in any debian configuration install. You can install them after the installation process.

[@0RIPPER0]

@@ktrktta okk

[@realgrieve]

HI i have a 1tb usb that i want to have the Kali on and a 8gb usb lying around, do i put the first installer file on the 8gb and then install linux on the 1tb one if thats the one i want to carry around?

[@agiledevart]

Yes, exactly.

[@therealmarquez9334]

Im doing the same, however it fails to partition on the second partition. :(

[@therealmarquez9334]

How would you distribute the partitions on a 1tb usb?

[@tanzib007]

u can do it from inside after installation

[@paragon1378]

@@tanzib007he didnt ask about the method. he asked for advice on the size of partitions

[@Renato-Cabelo]

Fui tentar instalar o Kali Linux em dual boot com windows 7, o windows sumiu

[@agiledevart]

Kali in dual boot with windows 7 is not what this video is about. My workflow doesn't work in this case

[@maldovamaldonado]

The interface is crap but the system is sound.

[@Regis_E.]

super

[@mahdihasan42]

how many flash drives you have used?

[@aghahurr7101]

Dosent work

[@devinemotivation876]

😢

[@samanthagriffinv2.08]

I click on use entire disk like you said and it installed the kali crap there where it was supposed to but here’s the thang it mad a 500mb “efi partition” but it didn’t put anything there but it did put it over my windows boot partition tho even tho that drive was not selected at all this is why Linux is a trash bad awful operating system I don’t care “””how good it is”””” is automatically bad if it does drastic stuff like say overwrite my windows boot partition if an operating system does stuff on its own like that is is garage straight up period end of deduction and Linux fanboy wonder why their trash ass is isn’t used as much people look at it for what it is (trash) and not want to use it cuz it does random shit like that also that IF key word IF you can get it to even install in the first place tldr Linux is bad cuz it is too much hassle and IF you can get it to work it does random crap it shouldn’t on its own

[@havesomeslav]

This is a specialist cybersecurity pentesting linux distribution. You do know that, right? It's not exactly meant to be installed with few clicks and a yawn.

[@samanthagriffinv2.08]

@@havesomeslav yes I know it’s a specialty Linux but it would hang after a while and stop trying to install

[@ktrktta]

I don't know how did you ended up in this issue, but your comment sounds like frustration or flaming. I use debian since years and I don't really understand how people can use an OS like Windows 8+, which appears to me overcomplicated. Every OS has his up and downsides. I can't imagine a professional graphic designer or a video maker without his mac or a web developer without his linux distro. I do my job since more then 20 years, I remember the old time when I got really frustrated installing any kind of shit in Windows to make things work and still not completely work. I got seriusly compromised with a rootkit I took don't know how and it tooks me maybe a week to get rid of it (and you know what? by lounching a linux-based antivirus to get into the root/boot partitioning and accessing the HD to save everything not compromized). With Debian I got stucked one time, because I was so tired to switch off the PC while updates where pending. I made a backup with a live installation external HD with persistance, saved all the things, entered in recovery mode, digit a couple of commands on the terminal and my system was again up and running like nothing happened. Linux made windows better, since they learned a lot from, last but not least the repository app idea. So, if you have an issue by doing something you can't achive, you should keep calm and gently ask to the generous community.

[@ktrktta]

for being useful to all: maybe the op above installed the boot on the primary partition (HDD), missing the step when the installation process ask "To boot Debian (Kali is a Debian distro) you need to install grub. Here are the operative systems listed: *your system*" You have to check "No", then it will ask "On which drive I should install grub bootloader?" and you will find your disks listed. Choose the usb on that you want to install Kali.

[@mmontagee]

After trying to boot Kali from USB, been having a single flashing _ on screen, any help?