Customize the Kali Desktop KDE, Gnome, Mate, XFCE, LXDE, e17, etc [Archive]

View Full Version : Customize the Kali Desktop KDE, Gnome, Mate, XFCE, LXDE, e17, etc

muts

2013-02-01, 14:40

forwax

2013-03-14, 00:26

I've follow the step how to build an custom ISO but with E17 and at the end there is an error saying the package e17 doesn't exist. and when I try to install it (via a mini-iso ncurse base install) with apt-get install e17 (or enlightenment) and still no luck.

nix

2013-03-14, 04:13

i started following the instructions and on the second step of the custome kali iso i get the following error

root@kali:/etc/apt# git clone git://git.kali.org/cdimage.kali.org
Cloning into 'cdimage.kali.org'...
fatal: remote error: repository not exported: /cdimage.kali.org

not sure why i'm getting this error, anyone received this error?

thanks in advance for your help

Cheers

Nix

nix

2013-03-14, 04:53

nevermind about my priviuse question
i tried git://git.kali.org/live-build-config.git and it worked

thanks

chap0

2013-03-14, 13:48

have someone could change gnome to KDE? thanks

chap0

2013-03-14, 16:01

have someone could change gnome to KDE? thanks

Ive already did all the steps, i think i did it well but i didnt have any changes :/ who have been succesful with this?

nix

2013-03-15, 04:12

are there any plans on having a downloadeble KDE iso?

muts

2013-03-16, 00:54

No foreseeable plans. You can build your own KDE iso : http://docs.kali.org/live-build/customize-the-kali-desktop-environment

2easy

2013-03-18, 22:42

Are those lines sufficient to run xmonad as window manager?

xmonad
xmobar
dmenu

CodeCompiler

2013-03-22, 18:01

Please make Official KDE release from Kali Linux :)

phlegm

2013-03-23, 19:54

are there any plans on having a downloadeble KDE iso?

I know... how friggin terrible is gnome! gotta close windows via the task panel :@@:

no need to use someone botched iso just because it has kde on it, just...

apt-get install synaptic

then locate the desktop manager of your choice, eg type KDE into the search box after you've started synaptic.

Install the common files for KDE Desktop... during unpacking and installing you will have a configuration window pop up...

after KDE is installed reboot and from the drop-down box on the logon screen select kde plasma.

once you're one the plasma desktop you can install wicd and then purge network manager and gnome.

apt-get install wicd
apt-get purge network-manager
apt-get autoremove gdm3
apt-get autoremove –purge gnome*

then magically the year you're living in is 2013 again and not 1985 :D

ToySldr

2013-04-01, 01:03

I've put together a KDE build manually. Is it possible to use the same format you described with XFCE?

I know... how friggin terrible is gnome! gotta close windows via the task panel :@@:

no need to use someone botched iso just because it has kde on it, just...

apt-get install synaptic

then locate the desktop manager of your choice, eg type KDE into the search box after you've started synaptic.

Install the common files for KDE Desktop... during unpacking and installing you will have a configuration window pop up...

after KDE is installed reboot and from the drop-down box on the logon screen select kde plasma.

once you're one the plasma desktop you can install wicd and then purge network manager and gnome.

apt-get install wicd
apt-get purge network-manager
apt-get autoremove gdm3
apt-get autoremove –purge gnome*

then magically the year you're living in is 2013 again and not 1985 :D

daedalus1776

2013-04-02, 00:06

They put together a guide to do it yourself and people still complain about no KDE version!?
Ubuntu only comes with Gnome, someone else made it with KDE and packaged it as Kubuntu. You're all well within your rights to go ahead and do the same thing, rather than expect the dev team to do everything for you.
On a separate note; I'm thinking of making a DWM build :)

jeffmcormick

2013-05-06, 19:50

Or at least a Non PAE release of KDE or Gnome I'm sure theres alot of people running older machines like me :cool:

N3XU5

2013-06-21, 22:17

I have a KDE build. I followed the instructions

/dev/zero

2013-08-22, 01:45

To build your own Kali ISO image with a custom Desktop Environment, start by following the build your own Kali ISO guide (http://docs.kali.org/live-build/live-build-a-custom-kali-iso). Before building your ISO, edit config/package-lists/kali.list.chroot to contain the following entries to install the desktop environment of your choice:

To read the full document, check our Customize the Kali Desktop (http://docs.kali.org/live-build/customize-the-kali-desktop-environment) article.

If you have any issues with this procedure, please post them in this thread.

Thank you Muts for the quality info. I do however have one thing to add that would have saved me literally a handful of hours.

Make sure you have A LOT of disk space available.

I ran through the procedures and everything was cool aside from the two hour download of all the updated programs. I installed Kali in virtualbox and figured the finished ISO would be about the same size or smaller than the original ISO. SO guessed 18 GB would be sufficient. It wasn't and I had now spent 2 hours waiting for all the updates. Oh well, chalk that up to trial and error. I deleted the virtual disk and create 24 GB Virtual disk. I then started the hybrid.iso creation process and waited another 2 hours for downloads to finish. Only to find out that I still ran out of disk space. !!! *smashes head against wall*

Third time was a charm, I deleted the 24GB virtual disk and created a 34GB virtual drive. I woke up the next day and found my LXDE-Kali hybrid.ISO.

I tested the ISO and it works great "SO FAR".

Again, thank you for the quality links on how to change from gnome to a lighter weight OS.

But it would have been nice to know ahead of time how much disk space I would need to have available. This reply is simply here to hopefully let others know so they don't spend 6-7 hours downloading updated for no good reason.

shapeless

2013-08-23, 13:31

I apologize in advance if this has been discussed elsewhere, but I did research this as best I could.

Other distributions that use Gnome (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.) have a...shiny version that uses a Mac-esque Spotlight or Windows 7 indexing search. For example, on Fedora, I can press the "Windows" button on my keyboard and it will tile all my open windows and put me at a search bar that I can use to just type "Terminal" (for example) and it will open Terminal instead of having to dig through menus.

I read in the Customize the Kali Desktop (http://docs.kali.org/live-build/customize-the-kali-desktop-environment) documentation, but it alludes to building a custom ISO. I already have Kali installed so can I just run apt-get for

gnome-core
kali-defaults
kali-root-login
desktop-base

Quest

2013-08-26, 13:26

I have a question regarding KDE desktop.

How well does it work in a live USB? Does it adapt to all machines anywhere anytime?

...ok that was 2 questions.

charonsecurity

2013-08-29, 04:51

How well does it work in a live USB? Does it adapt to all machines anywhere anytime?

Personally I love the KDE Build I made. I have had no problems with it, and so far was worked well on every machine I've used it on. It's quite fast and responsive too. I amde an i386 version. Can use it as a live USB, as well as having the options to install it.

aliyahu

2013-09-19, 20:21

I just used "apt-get install xfce4" and afterd it istalled "xfce4-goodies" later on you can delete gnome with the remove and purge i choose not to.

twinki3face

2013-12-17, 02:56

I have seen a many people use live desktop for Linux Mint to bring their desktop to life. They can display CPU Stats, IP Addresses, etc. all from their desktop. Is there any possible way to do that in Kali? Also, would it be possible to create a short movie and have that continuously repeat as my background? Thank-you, in advance.

Ro0oTs

2014-04-02, 22:12

thanks .. its very nice to see that .. i will try inshallah

D4RkNiK0l4s

2014-09-05, 10:41

Released!!!!(fixed version) 15568 lines of bash scripting code!!

Added support for amd64 ,i386,686 images
Added compability to create Kali linux: jessie,wheezy,sid,squeeze
Desktops Building Capabilities : XFCE,KDE,ICEWM,GNOME,MATE,LXDE,E17

Kali Linux Generator its a script that automates the building process of kali linux images (iso)!!!

removed Desktop Building Capabilitie E17 option

option 1 :You can just build a Kali Linux image

or

option 2 : the created iso will be remixed (if you choose to remix distributions) with the current installed system ,what does this mean?? it mean that you will get a kali linux image with your current settings,wallpapers,documents(something like backup to a new operating system

NOTE:
To remix distribution with kali linux generator you most choose the exact desktop that your installed system has on it installed !! otherwise you will get a kernel panic when you try to boot to the created iso , keep that in mind brothers !!
No comments.. this script is what any lazy people out there needs!!

Note : This script is tested only under debian linux!! it is not tested on Ubuntu..

DOWNLOADS : http://www.blackhatsec.org/ ( download link)

Please brothers test it and report any error back... and thank you very match for helping me make it perfect brothers !! its a nice tool(script)
Added compability to create Kali linux: jessie,wheezy,sid,squeeze

Special thanks to:
Offensive Security for the awesome OS

sorry for the youtube video ,i did not see the rules but now i know,thanks anyway!

ender210

2014-10-01, 01:28

ender210

2014-10-01, 01:35

After copy and pasting "apt-get install git live-build cdebootstrap kali-archive-keyring"

i ran into issue with

root@kaliBox:~# git clone git://git.kali.org/live-build-config.git
Cloning into 'live-build-config'...
fatal: read error: Connection reset by peer

Mastermichi

2014-11-04, 13:34

great my problem is solved just because of reading this chat :D

sinttx

2014-11-28, 04:28

Hi everyone, I really like Cinnamon and it is available in the repositories I currently have Kali installed with gnome as the default WM and then i ran 'apt-get --install-recommends --install-suggests install cinnamon' and now I have cinnamon installed as well. I would really like to custom build an ISO with cinnamon as the default WM, is there anyway this can be done?? I have visted http://docs.kali.org/live-build/customize-the-kali-desktop-environment#4gs60kxhsfj1_2 but there is no option for cinnamon.

If i can't custom build a Cinnamon ISO I really like KDE. I was running Kubuntu for a year but I've had a countless issues with lightdm. Is lightdm the default greeter for kail-KDE??

Any help will be greatly appreciated :)

D4RkNiK0l4s

2015-02-04, 06:11

How to Build your own Kali Linux Distribution (based on your installed debian)

1. Backup your sources list !

cd /etc/apt/

sudo mkdir /etc/apt/backup

sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.backup

##. Replace the existing sources list with those sources that you will need to build your distribution!

rm -rf /etc/apt/sources.list

mv /etc/apt/sources.list.backup /etc/apt/backup

touch /etc/apt/sources.list

echo "##kali stable
deb [arch=i386,amd64,armel,armhf] http://http.kali.org/kali kali-dev main contrib non-free
deb [arch=i386,amd64,armel,armhf] http://http.kali.org/kali kali-dev main/debian-installer
deb-src http://http.kali.org/kali kali-dev main contrib non-free

deb [arch=i386,amd64,armel,armhf] http://http.kali.org/kali kali main contrib non-free
deb [arch=i386,amd64,armel,armhf] http://http.kali.org/kali kali main/debian-installer
deb-src http://http.kali.org/kali kali main contrib non-free

deb [arch=i386,amd64,armel,armhf] http://security.kali.org/kali-security kali/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.kali.org/kali-security kali/updates main contrib non-free

deb [arch=i386,amd64,armel,armhf] http://repo.kali.org/kali kali-bleeding-edge main
deb-src http://repo.kali.org/kali kali-bleeding-edge main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list

2. Install the live build package and some packages that maybe needed to build your distribution!

cd ..

## just to make sure your are to the correct directory!
cd /root

wget -q -O - https://www.kali.org/archive-key.asc | gpg --import

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install squashfs-tools apt-cacher-ng genisoimage git debian-archive-keyring kali-archive-keyring

sudo apt-get install live-build dosfstools genisoimage memtest86+ mtools parted squashfs-tools genext2fs mtd-tools sudo fakeroot uuid-runtime win32-loader syslinux syslinux-themes-debian syslinux-themes-debian-squeeze

apt-get -f install -y

git clone git://git.kali.org/live-build-config.git

3. Configure the live build config to build you distro!!

cd /root/live-build-config/

ln -sf kali /usr/share/live/build/data/debian-cd/kali

apt-get update

lb config --distribution kali

4. Select the Desktop you like to build (etc XFCE,KDE...)
## for XFCE execute those commands :

cd /root/live-build-config/config/package-lists

rm -rf kali.list.chroot

rm -rf standard.list.chroot

touch standard.list.chroot

touch kali.list.chroot

echo "! Packages Priority standard
docky
gedit
radiotray
preload
gtk-recordmydesktop
zsh
csh
galculator
synaptic
axel
cpuid
network-manager-pptp
network-manager-pptp-gnome
network-manager-openvpn
network-manager-openvpn-gnome
network-manager-vpnc
network-manager-vpnc-gnome
isomaster
xchat-common
xchat
libreoffice
shutter
bluez-gstreamer
bluez-compat
bluez-alsa
bluez-cups" >> standard.list.chroot

echo "# kali meta-package depends on everything we want
kali-linux-full
kali-root-login
kali-defaults
kali-menu
kali-debtags
kali-archive-keyring
debian-installer-launcher
alsa-tools
cryptsetup

# provide l10n for everybody
locales-all
console-setup
kbd
console-data
console-common

#if ARCHITECTURES armel armhf
cgpt
vboot-utils
vboot-kernel-utils
#endif

#if ARCHITECTURES i386 amd64
firmware-b43legacy-installer
firmware-b43-installer
guymager
#endif

# Graphical desktops depending on the architecture
#
# You can replace all the remaining lines with a list of the
# packages required to install your preferred graphical desktop
# or you can just comment everything except the package of your
# preferred desktop.

# *** XFCE DESKTOP ***
iceweasel
alsa-base
alsa-firmware-loaders
gstreamer0.10-alsa
gnome-alsamixer
gir1.2-gstreamer-0.10
gstreamer0.10-pulseaudio
gstreamer0.10-nice
gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg
gstreamer0.10-x
gstreamer0.10-gconf
gstreamer0.10-plugins-base
gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly
libgstreamer0.10-0
libclutter-gst-1.0-0
gir1.2-clutter-gst-1.0
libgstreamer-plugins-bad0.10-0
libgstreamer-plugins-base0.10-0
gstreamer0.10-plugins-good
gir1.2-gst-plugins-base-0.10
gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad
kali-defaults
kali-root-login
desktop-base
network-manager-gnome
network-manager
xfce4
xfce4-goodies
xfce4-places-plugin" >> kali.list.chroot

touch /root/update-kali

echo "apt-get update
apt-get -y dist-upgrade
apt-get --purge -y autoclean
apt-get --purge -y autoremove" >> /root/update-kali

chmod +x /root/update-kali

cd ..

cd /root/live-build-config

## execute those commands only if you like to include kali linux official wallpappers

mkdir -p /root/live-build-config/config/includes.chroot/usr/share/wallpapers/kali/contents/images

cd /root/live-build-config/config/includes.chroot/usr/share/wallpapers/kali/contents/images/ &
wget https://www.dropbox.com/s/n2vujwlt8hvfplu/Kali-Wallpapers.tar.gz?dl=0

mv Kali-Wallpapers.tar.gz?dl=0 Kali-Wallpapers.tar.gz

tar -xzvf Kali-Wallpapers.tar.gz

rm -rf Kali-Wallpapers.tar.gz

rm -rf Kali-Wallpapers.tar.gz?dl=0

cd ..

cd

cd /root/live-build-config/

5. Select the architecture you like to build!
#for amd64 execute the following command:
lb config --architecture amd64
apt-get update

#for i386 execute the following command:
lb config --architecture i386
apt-get update

#for 686 execute the following command:
sed -i 's/686-pae/486/g' auto/config
lb config --architecture i386
apt-get update

#for armel execute the following command:
lb config --architecture armel
apt-get update

#for armhf execute the following command:
lb config --architecture armhf
apt-get update

6. Final step is to build your distribution! ( i use the build log command to watch out for error in the build proccess )
sudo lb build > build.log

Remix the iso you have just created with your running distribution.(use always debian)
To remix the created iso with your installed system download this script:
##before you run this script make sure you have a iso in your desktop directory called binary.iso
download the script move it in your desktop directory and execute the following commands:
link : http://bit.ly/1HCZP5T
##make it executable
chmod a+x remixer.sh

socrates

2015-08-24, 03:52

Hi Fellas !!!

I`m a "new" linux user, i started with Ubuntu and now i want to use a Kali Linux...
I`ll use in a Flash USB, but i want remove the Firefox Browser and install TOR Browser and make this permanent, without do/use a persistent mode.

Need i do a custom Kali iso ? have only this way to do this ?

backma95

2015-08-29, 07:08

Your case is very common to encounter. It is in my computer are also currently running this program!

Riddickulus

2015-10-17, 01:24

I've been trying to build a few custom Kali ISOs with various alternate desktops. I've used the following command to do so, having made no modifications to the stock live-build-config setup downloaded from the git.kali.org:

./build.sh --distribution sana --variant kde --verbose

The above command worked awesome. When I installed Kali from the generated ISO, a text based Login: prompt appeared for about 2 second, then it disappeared and I was greeted by the KDE GUI Login prompt. KDE seemed to work great.

When I tried to build and ISO with the --variant mate, --variant i3wm, or --variant e17 commands, it did not work so well. I installed Kali from the generated ISOs, but upon first boot of the installed OS, all I got was the text login prompt. Even if I logged in, no graphical desktop loaded. Arn't they supposed to load automatically like Gnome and KDE do? Any suggestions as to what I might try to fix this?

Thanks,
Riddick

scorpius

2015-10-22, 23:15

I used the --variant mate option, got the text login prompt, and as soon as I logged in, the mate desktop loaded. I would also like to automate it.

scorpius

2015-10-27, 18:32

This happens because a display manager is not installed -- at least for the MATE variant. An easy fix is attached. It logs you in automatically and starts X.

jaclyntagz

2016-04-20, 13:27

I'm looking to customize the background for a gnome build. I've tried placing the wallpaper into /includes.chroot/usr/share/images/kali-wallpaper_1920x1080.png with no success. It works great for the xfce build however.

hcq

2016-09-15, 11:36

how to install mate on kali 32 bit?

KaliLXDE32Bit

2017-02-12, 13:10

I tried to make an 32 bit LXDE Kali Linux (as an iso) ... but while downloading he said that some packages were missing. Is there any way to still get a 32 bit LXDE Kali?

arist0v

2017-02-13, 13:24

can you give more details on what is missing? log, error message, anything that could help us, because for now i could only say, install the missing package :-P

KaliLXDE32Bit

2017-02-13, 20:42

"Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
[2017-02-13 21:09:20] lb config
P: Executing auto/config script.
[2017-02-13 21:09:21] lb config noauto --distribution kali-rolling --debian-installer-distribution kali-rolling --archive-areas main contrib non-free --debootstrap-options --keyring=/usr/share/keyrings/kali-archive-keyring.gpg --keyring-packages kali-archive-keyring --updates false --backports false --source false --firmware-binary true --firmware-chroot true --mirror-bootstrap http://archive.kali.org/kali --mirror-debian-installer http://archive.kali.org/kali --mirror-binary http://http.kali.org/kali --iso-application Kali Linux --iso-publisher Kali --iso-volume Kali Live --linux-packages linux-image --memtest memtest86 --bootappend-live boot=live components splash username=root hostname=kali --bootappend-live-failsafe boot=live components username=root hostname=kali memtest noapic noapm nodma nomce nolapic nomodeset nosmp nosplash vga=normal --security false --debian-installer live --linux-flavours 486
P: Updating config tree for a debian/kali-rolling/i386 system
P: Symlinking hooks...
Can't build rch image on i386 system."

First, I tried it on a 64Bit Kali, thats why it doesn't work BEFORE I asked the question here. Now its on a 32 Bit Kali and it still doesn't seems to work.

minousoso

2020-05-05, 15:47

I did intstall rEFInd and Step 6. can be replaced with using GParted to create the partition instead (less room for error that way).
Step 7. says to skip installing grub - which I did not find possible under 1.0.8, so I left the field blank and continued. In the end that worked fine.
After the install -- and before a reboot -- I found that my / partition contained a boot directory. I copied the devices.map over to the 'kaliefi' partition created in Step 6. and modified the grub.cfg.

minousoso

2020-05-05, 15:48

[2017-02-13 21:09:20] lb config
P: Executing auto/config script.
[2017-02-13 21:09:21] lb config noauto --distribution kali-rolling --debian-installer-distribution kali-rolling --archive-areas main contrib non-free --debootstrap-options --keyring=/usr/share/keyrings/kali-archive-keyring.gpg --keyring-packages kali-archive-keyring --updates false --backports false --source false --firmware-binary true --firmware-chroot true --mirror-bootstra Tutuapp (https://tutuapp.uno/) 9apps (https://9apps.ooo/) Showbox (https://showbox.kim/)

minousoso

2020-05-05, 23:36

vanguard

2021-05-06, 10:59

Hi folks,

building a livefile-kali with XFCE and LXDE is working fine. However, when it is started, it starts XFCE by default.

Is there a way to give parameters at build, so that it will automatically start into LXDE?

Of course I could create an own lightdm-package which is precofigured and put it into packages.chroot, but maybe there is another way.

Thanks for any hints.

CipherSwami

2021-06-11, 11:03

Hi, I want to start wsl2 win-kex with gnome Desktop Environment.
I installed kali-desktop-gnome, changed the alternatives, But no luck, any HELP ???

iven

2022-03-11, 18:28

Please help with kali linux 2022.1 theme I need to change color from blue to any other color I prefer red because this blue color not comfortable with my eyes I need to keep the dark one but I need official style with red please. if there any bash script to do this hope someone to share it

jamesbond123

2022-11-01, 06:47

They created a DIY tutorial, yet users continue to bemoan the absence of a KDE version. Ubuntu only includes Gnome; Kubuntu was created by someone else using KDE. Instead of expecting the development team to handle everything, you're all perfectly within your rights to go ahead and do the same thing.
Separately, I'm considering creating a DWM build.
Your situation is extremely typical. This software is now running on my machine as well!