Kali not installing correctly

Kali Linux Forums Kali Linux Troubleshooting
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What have you tried:

  • Disabled secure boot
  • UEFI (Enabled)
  • Boot order to USB first

What is the error:

  • I’ve tried installing kali using a USB. This could all be entirely my fault as well. I used Rufus for formatting the USB. I gave it 0 persistent partition size. I’ve tried installing twice now. The first go-round, I wrote it in the ISO image mode, went through the graphic installer until I got to the point of “install software”, where it then failed. So I went back to Rufus, wrote it in DD and then I used the graphic installer and went through the entire process without any issues. Upon rebooting and removing the USB as described in the installer menu, I get sent to the Boot Menu. My two options are the Windows Boot Manager, and NVMe0: INTEL SSDPEKKF256G7L. I also cannot seem to find the menu to change boot order anymore (or at least have no ability since I’m physically staring at the boot menu. Even when going into BIOS.)

What device is this on:

  • Lenovo ThinkPad T470
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Did you follow this guide?

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I don’t actually have the ability to dual boot. Not entirely sure why the Windows Boot Manager is still there. It’s been wiped completely by the previous owner. So I do not have the ability to boot an OS at all

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From Discord I take it that Balena Etcher did not help either.
You are going for a full installation, right? Which ISO are you using?

And just for the sake of completeness; did you check the checksum after downloading the ISO? Just to make sure nothing got corrupted?

Could you please also add a picture of the boot menu?

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Balena Etcher did not help either, no.

Screenshot 2025-05-28 183737

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Screenshot 2025-05-28 184151
Screenshot 2025-05-28 184151254×199 2.79 KB

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I’m really just hoping I’m overlooking a very simple mistake and I can have a laugh about it later

1 Like
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If I were to bet on it, I’d say secure boot is not entirely disabled

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From a live USB image, boot Kali, and then, before you try and install it, open GParted and delete any and all partitions you find on the target disk, and format it to ext4 then when you try and install Kali, it can see the disk and can create the partition and file structure it needs to install properly. (it is at install stage you need to select BTRFS if you want a COW file system)