Question in regards to installation process on a USB

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2013-07-20
1337xir

Question in regards to installation process on a USB

Hi everyone I wanted to ask if it's possible to install Kali on a USB while adding persistence to it and encrypting it all together.

USB
PERSISTENCE
ENCRYPTION

can you please shed some light on this question? Also what would be the right order to do this?
I own a 32GB USB3 ADATA. It should be more than enough for this.

Thanks to whoever tries to help.
2013-07-21
Tirn

Hi,
Yes, everything you are referring is possible.
Use a second Kali Live USB or CD and follow the installation steps as for a HDD install.
Instead of selecting the hard drive, select the USB (the 32GB one you refer)...building your "/" partition and "Swap" partition.
These steps already assure the persistence. Additionally you may select the "crypt" (encryption) mode you wish.

For more details you may take a look at the Kali Docs website (about installation). Just remember to select your 32GB USB instead of the HDD.
Grub should be mounted to the USB "/" directory, instead of the MBR.

Just let me know if you have some doubts or further questions.

Best regards.
2013-07-22
1337xir

to confirm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirn

Hi,
Yes, everything you are referring is possible.
Use a second Kali Live USB or CD and follow the installation steps as for a HDD install.
Instead of selecting the hard drive, select the USB (the 32GB one you refer)...building your "/" partition and "Swap" partition.
These steps already assure the persistence. Additionally you may select the "crypt" (encryption) mode you wish.

For more details you may take a look at the Kali Docs website (about installation). Just remember to select your 32GB USB instead of the HDD.
Grub should be mounted to the USB "/" directory, instead of the MBR.

Just let me know if you have some doubts or further questions.

Best regards.

Cheers! I appreciate the insightful response, although I do want to confirm the steps:

So first I should install Kali on my USB drive (with persistence) as instructed here: http://docs.kali.org/installation/ka...ve-usb-install
And secondI should proceed with following this guide : http://docs.kali.org/installation/ka...d-disk-install

The only part I should do different is when I get to the second stage, direct installation to USB not computer HDD.

Did I miss anything?
2013-07-23
Karl886

Hello, this is the same topic I am interested in, so thought I would ask here. When installing Kali on an encrypted USB, I followed the online instructions, but cannot get the USB to boot. I get a message from grub saying my system is not found. Could it be that the USB volume changes when other devices are added or removed? How can I make the boot loader recognize the USB as the bootable volume no matter what computer I am trying to boot from? Is there another way to specify the USB drive other than /sdb, something that will always be consistent on all systems I use the USB in?
2013-07-24
Tirn

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1337xir

Cheers! I appreciate the insightful response, although I do want to confirm the steps:

So first I should install Kali on my USB drive (with persistence) as instructed here: http://docs.kali.org/installation/ka...ve-usb-install
And secondI should proceed with following this guide : http://docs.kali.org/installation/ka...d-disk-install

The only part I should do different is when I get to the second stage, direct installation to USB not computer HDD.

Did I miss anything?

Right. For the first step - you can - but do not need to create one with persistance. It's just a "tool" to install Kali to your second (32GB) drive.
BTW I use "Universal USB Installer" for that...never failed me; and I use it since Backtrack times. - It's fast and very simple to use (with regular updates).
You just have to download the .iso (on Friday 1.0.4 will be released), load it with Univ. USB Inst. and select the OS (Kali Linux) in the menu.

During Installation you have to select the USB Drive and not the HDD. You also have to check the designation of your drive (sdb, sdc, sdb2, etc.)...
You will need this info when it comes to install GRUB. NOT to the MBR, but manually...you then have to enter the location of your drive: /dev/sdb (or sdc, etc.).
Otherwise you will not be able to boot it later.

Also remember that no boot menu will show up automatically (like during an HDD installation). You will have to call for the BOOT menu during startup.

This USB will work like a normal HDD installation. You can boot it on any computer and make updates/upgrades, install and save stuff.

Any question or prob. ... let me know.
Good luck and have fun!

Best,
2013-07-24
Tirn

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl886

Hello, this is the same topic I am interested in, so thought I would ask here. When installing Kali on an encrypted USB, I followed the online instructions, but cannot get the USB to boot. I get a message from grub saying my system is not found. Could it be that the USB volume changes when other devices are added or removed? How can I make the boot loader recognize the USB as the bootable volume no matter what computer I am trying to boot from? Is there another way to specify the USB drive other than /sdb, something that will always be consistent on all systems I use the USB in?

Hey Karl,
Please check the latest notes I posted some seconds ago.
May it be that you installed GRUB to the MBR (default option)? If so, that's the problem.
GRUB has to be installed on the USB drive.../dev/sdb (or sdc, etc.).

Best,
2013-07-29
1337xir

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirn

Right. For the first step - you can - but do not need to create one with persistance. It's just a "tool" to install Kali to your second (32GB) drive.
BTW I use "Universal USB Installer" for that...never failed me; and I use it since Backtrack times. - It's fast and very simple to use (with regular updates).
You just have to download the .iso (on Friday 1.0.4 will be released), load it with Univ. USB Inst. and select the OS (Kali Linux) in the menu.

During Installation you have to select the USB Drive and not the HDD. You also have to check the designation of your drive (sdb, sdc, sdb2, etc.)...
You will need this info when it comes to install GRUB. NOT to the MBR, but manually...you then have to enter the location of your drive: /dev/sdb (or sdc, etc.).
Otherwise you will not be able to boot it later.

Also remember that no boot menu will show up automatically (like during an HDD installation). You will have to call for the BOOT menu during startup.

This USB will work like a normal HDD installation. You can boot it on any computer and make updates/upgrades, install and save stuff.

Any question or prob. ... let me know.
Good luck and have fun!

Best,

Thanks again for a great response. I tried installing it before seeing this reply from you and had a few problems.
I am going to retry it and hopefully with your instruction it will be a smooth install.
Will it be ok if I PM you in regards to this?
2013-07-29
Tirn

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1337xir

Will it be ok if I PM you in regards to this?

Sure, you are welcome to do so.
In the meantime, good luck with the installation.

See you,
2013-08-30
shesk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirn

Hi,
Yes, everything you are referring is possible.
Use a second Kali Live USB or CD and follow the installation steps as for a HDD install.
Instead of selecting the hard drive, select the USB (the 32GB one you refer)...building your "/" partition and "Swap" partition.
These steps already assure the persistence. Additionally you may select the "crypt" (encryption) mode you wish.

For more details you may take a look at the Kali Docs website (about installation). Just remember to select your 32GB USB instead of the HDD.
Grub should be mounted to the USB "/" directory, instead of the MBR.

Just let me know if you have some doubts or further questions.

Best regards.

I'm having an issues booting off the usb once I've completed the steps above. I'm booting off a 'live-cd' (actually a 4gb usb) to run the install and selecting another usb (32gb stick) as the destination. Was I supposed to create a separate partition on the 32gb for the boot?

I did not choose the MBR for the grub, I put it on /dev/sdc/ which is the 32gb.

What is the 'Swap' partition?

Thanks,
Shesk
2014-05-30
1337xir

Sorry if I am not supposed to bump this but I just wanted to see if since all the updates Is there a better method for doing all of this?