Hi, I successfully installed Kali 2025.1 in a Virtual Box on my Mac. Booted it and shut it down for several times, no issues at all.
Then I wanted to reload a Firefox site and pressed accidentally Command-R out of habit. Kali reboot immediately but did not end up in the windows environment as usual. I searched the web and manage to start the GUI via Command+Option+F2. But I would like to start the GUI automatically. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you!
What have you tried:
sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target
It sounds like the login manager needs resetting, reinstall the desktop and rerun the x-desktop set up once your in Kali using your Command+Option+F2 step;
The default desktop is XFCE
Hi Fred, thanks very much for your reply. What would be the command to re-install XFCE desktop? I tried sudo apt-get install --reinstall xfce4, but the system still boots to a blinking cursor.
Cheers,
Wopke
you don’t use apt-get simply apt and this is true on all Debian based distros these days!
In the link it gives you the steps, install the desktop, and choose login manager, and run configuration script;
A: Run sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y kali-desktop-xfce in a terminal session to install the new Kali Linux Xfce environment. When asked to select the “Default display manager”, choose lightdm.
Next, run update-alternatives --config x-session-manager
if you don’t choose a login manager, will load to a terminal prompt, and the update config is so it knows which login manager and desktop to boot into!
Hi Fred, Thanks for your reply. I ran the reinstall command but no question appeared for setting a default display manager. So I reinstalled the Kali WM and now everything is working again. Thanks again for your advice,
Wopke