Installation Documentation Gaps - Unclear install for pen testers

[Apok4LiTikal]

Hello,

With all of the recent changes I was hoping that you could update your documentation on your site to show how to install Kali as it was before all of the changes were being made to be more user friendly. A lot of your base is for assessors which have been using Kali for some time and in some ways it is not quite clear what steps are necessary during the install process to get all of the tools and the new default desktop as well as the tools and apps structure in the menu list.

Specifically I am talking about the steps here https://www.kali.org/docs/base-images/kali-linux-hard-disk-install/ - that show a screenshot of the software selection. For instance does the top item "Kali desktop environment" include the tools and apps and packages for pen testing as was done before these changes or is that in default - recommended tools or do you have to just check everything that is listed individually?

The idea here is to be able to install it as it was before these changes (like 2019). I guess it is really unclear how to do that with the current structure. I have attached a screenshot to show the desired outcome for what is installed and how it is accessible.

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I have seen quite a few other people having the same types of issues in general searches online, as well as with some of my colleagues.

[Rasalom]

The ISO itself walks you through the process.

Kali is a VERY easy install. This isn't LFS, Gentoo, or Arch Linux.

[Apok4LiTikal]

Sounds like you didn't even read what I wrote, of course it is an easy install with the wizard, but installing in a way that is reflective of what 2019 was in regards to being used by a pen tester is not straight-forward.

[WhoKnows]

I agree with Apok4LiTikal. I had to reinstall the 2020.1 image multiple times to ensure I was getting all the tools I needed for testing. I gave up and used the 2019.4 image and upgraded from there to get all the tools and settings I needed in one install.

[Rasalom]

Sounds like you didn't even read what I wrote, of course it is an easy install with the wizard, but installing in a way that is reflective of what 2019 was in regards to being used by a pen tester is not straight-forward.

I did read it, and I also installed the 2020.1 iso last week on a spare laptop to check it out. You get list of tools you can install at the end, I went with the lot and had no issue.

To verify, I just made a new virtual machine on this desktop and installed the iso, the step in question lists options for your needs. Light, Top 10, Default, Large, or by purpose.
Here is a screenshot of that step : https://i.ibb.co/XZ5J6Fb/Kali-Tool-Select.png

[Apok4LiTikal]

So in your screenshot does large mean all of them? You would think that would be the "default - recommended tools (available in live system)". I am being nitpicky here but I just want some direction on how to continue using Kali as it was from a pen testing perspective pre-2020.1 and the descriptions for the packages are not good enough to know what you are getting with what. Why wouldn't there just be an option for Kali as a regular desktop user (non pen test/forensics/etc. usage) and one for a pen tester/forensics/etc which would be a continuation of 2019 installs? The problem for the gap is, too little or too much (not ideal) installed and not being able to match 2019 and prior years.

[Rasalom]

As the Kali documentation explains : https://tools.kali.org/kali-metapackages


kali-linux-large: Our previous default tools for AMD64/i386 images

You can access the full list of tools included in "large" by clicking that entry on the above URL.

[Apok4LiTikal]

Thank you, that is helpful and will be used for future installs, was not able to find that documentation with some general googling, hence the confusion. Appreciate you working through the solution.