Master trick: How to install Kali 2.0 to an USB stick without any kind of problem

Having had all kind of problems installing Kali 2.0 to an USB stick - mostly Grub refusing to boot - I came up with this solution.
Besides that it works everytime, it allows you to start with the mini ISO and add meta packages later on if you like.

Ok, here's the deal:

1. Install Virtualbox (if not installed)
2. Create a new virtual machine, either Ubuntu 32-bit or Ubuntu 64-bit depending on which Kali version you intend to install. Make the VM hard disk 1GB less than the capacity of the target USB stick as they practically never have the claimed capacity.
3. Mount the Kali ISO to the VM (I prefer to start with the mini ISO and choose the Xfce WM later in the install procedure)
4. Install Kali
5. When done, shutdown the VM
6. Now, make a raw image from the VDI file (let's assume it's called kali.vdi):
   VBoxManage internalcommands converttoraw kali.vdi kali.img
7. Write kali.img to an USB stick using your favourite method (e.g. dd in Linux/BSD or Win32DiskImager in Windows)
8. Done! Boot from the USB stick and be happy! :D
   (Note: This is not a Live Kali but an installed version with the USB stick acting as any hard disk would do)

nice solution and good interesting approach to this solution.
congrats
:)

EpsteinBzalder,

Thanks for the post. I've been following your guidance, but got lost where you

Quote:

---

Now, make a raw image from the VDI file (let's assume it's called kali.vdi):
VBoxManage internalcommands converttoraw kali.vdi kali.img

---

That would be Step #6. I tried Quemu, with complete lack of success. LOL! Plus creating an image with VBox. Can you be a little more specific? Thanks in advance for your response.

Adler

@Adler
try this commad from Windows

VBoxManage clonehd <nameOfOriginalVDI>.vdi <nameOfNewImage>.img --format RAW

source:
http://fmw.mcloud.co.za/blog/convert...i-to-img-file/

let us know if it is work

duxim,

I'll give your suggestion a try, when I get a chance. And, get back with the result. Thanks for jumping in here. I hope to be able to have persistence. Just running the bootable USB without persistence is almost pointless. IMHO.

There is also the issue of doing an update / dist-upgrade ( I run Linux - Ddebian 8.0+ -all the way). I've been getting the error, that there is not enough disk space, on the USB. I once had Kali 1.0 on a 16Gb stick with persistence, but this time around it has been very difficult.

Thanks again for your reply.

Adler

Hi All,

I have made some progress here. Following duxim's, and EpsteinBzalder's, suggestions I did the following.

1) created a virtual machine in Virtualbox for Kali_2.0. I set the size at 14Gb. I had read that the image created would be the size of the space allocated for the machine. And, my target USB is 16Gb.
2) did not add the VBox guest-additions-iso. I did do that a couple of times, and I lost my mouse pointer. Presently running VBox 5.04, v. 5.06 should not need this iso. So they say. LOL!
3) updated / dist-upgraded the machine, and created a user that would log-in automatically.
4) moved the created .vdi file from the VBox folder to my Home directory to make it easier to work with.
5 ran the this in Terminal as Root.

root@xxxxx:/home/xxxxx# VBoxManage clonehd KaliLinux_2.0.vdi KaliLinux_2.0.img --format RAW
0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80% ...90%...100%
Clone medium created in format 'RAW'. UUID: 1bca010f-fcc6-4ceb-8fe6-7c1119d747ca
root@xxxxx:/home/xxxxx#

I will use dd to put this on my target USB, but that will take a while, and I might run into space issues. GParted tells me, that I only have 14.91Gb on the flash drive. I might need to wipe my present virtual machine, and give it 12Gb.

I will get back to everyone here.

Adler

Hi All,

Just a short follow-up here. I decided to create another virtual machine for Kali_2.0, but this time using 12Gb of space versus the last machine with 14Gb. Then, create another image, per what I did last time.

I have been looking for an appropriate dd comand that I should run in terminal, but am concerned about what I should use to ensure that I get a mbr installed. Does anybody have any recommendations?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Adler

Hi All,

Success!

It all was very easy to get Kali_2.0 persistent across boots after all. I created a new virtual machine with VBox, this time with 12Gb of space, then made the image. The procedure is above. After that, all I had to do was right click on the image, and a menu opened up (I am running Dedian 8 [Jessie]), then click Open With Disk Image Writer.

I pointed the image at my 16Gb USB flash drive, waited about 50 minutes, and it was done.

I've booted multiple times, and all my edits / changes are still there.

EpsteinBzalder + duxim - Thanks!

Adler