How to Run Linux on Your Computer Using a Virtual Machine

Linux is an operating system that can be run on almost any computer. The best part is that it is open-source, which means all of its code is public. It has many different distributions or distors, such as Debian, Fedora, and CentOS. Linux has a wide range of applications. This ranges from servers to cybersecurity and cloud computing. Fortunately, you don't need to get new hardware to run Linux. You can do it on your very own PC or Laptop, using a thing called a virtual machine.

A virtual machine (VM) is a software simulation of a physical computer that operates an operating system and applications separately from the host system. It works with a hypervisor that enables various VMs to utilize the same physical hardware while ensuring separation. VMs are commonly utilized in cloud computing, software development, and testing, as they allow users to operate various operating systems on one machine, establish secure environments, and enhance server resource usage. They also have an essential function in cybersecurity, facilitating sandboxing to analyze malware and detect threats. In this tutorial, we will be using a virtual machine to run Linux. They can also be used to run Mac and Windows as well.

System Requirments

Ram: 4GB

Storage: 20GB

Step #1 Enable Virtualization Technology

To run some kind of virtual machine on your computer, you need to enable certain settings in your computer's BIOS. To do this, Restart your computer. While you are restarting it keep spamming the f12 key. After this, you will see something called BIOS setting where you can then find an option to Enable Virtualization Technology. You may need to first go into advanced before seeing the 'BIOS' option. Once you have done that, you can simply just click confirm and start up your PC. If you have an AMD CPU, the process is very similar, instead you just make sure "AMD-V" is on instead of "Enable Virtualization Technology".

Step #2 Download VirtualBox

Click on this link here where you need to press the "Windows host" Button to download Virtualbox, if you have Windows. Otherwise, choose "MacOS/ Apple Silicon hosts" or "MacOS/ Intel hosts" depending on which version of Mac you have. If you don't know which version of Mac you have, watch this short video to find out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RC633i7_p4

Now that you have downloaded the virtual box install it. Click on the .exe or .dmg file that you have downloaded and click on it. Once you do that, just click either 'Yes' or 'Next' for every option. Once you get to the End click 'Finish'.

Step #3 Download Kali

Now that we have installed Virtualbox let's try to install Linux. Let's start with installing Kali. Now keep in mind, these are some big files. It requires around 4 GB. Click on this link to get to the page with Kali Linux. Then click on either arm or x86 depending on your machine. You should download a .iso file.

Step #4 Setting up the Virtual Machine

Open up the VirtualBox App. Once you are there, click on the 'new' button. Once you open it up, select the options so that it looks like this:

You can name the Virtual Machine whatever you want. For the ISO image, make sure that you choose the path for the kali .iso file that we downloaded in the previous step.

Now, open up the hardware drop-down. You will see something like this:

Now, you can choose your RAM and the number of CPU threads you want to use on your Virtual Machine. I recommend that you use enough RAM but not too little. I have 12GB of RAM on my computer and I used around 1.5 GB on the VM. You should choose at least 1 GB of RAM.

For the CPU process just divide the amount of CPUs in your computer by 4. For example, I have 8 CPUs and I chose 2. However, if you see yourself doing more intensive tasks on your Virtual Machine, feel free to increase the CPU and RAM.

Now, open up the Hard Disk panel. In this step, you have to select how much storage you want on your Virtual Machine. I just chose 10GB but you can choose however much you want. Remember, if you want more space later, you can always just add more at that time. It doesn't matter how much you have at the start.

Now, click on the 'Finish' Button on the bottom left hand corner. After doing this, the program will load for a couple of minutes.

Lastly, we need to choose the correct ISO file. Make sure that you have the VM selected on the menu. Go to Settings -> Storage -> Empty -> The disk file on the right -> Choose a Disk File. Here, choose the Kali .iso file that you downloaded previously.

Step #5 Installing Kali OS

Now, once you have finished setting up the virtual machine, let's try to run it. Open up the virtual box menu and select the Virtual Machine that you just created. You should be able to see a green start button in the shape of an arrow. It should look like this:

Click on it, then you will see a new window pop up. Select the 'Graphical Install' Button and press 'Enter'.

You will then see a series of language and country options. Simply select the settings that are appropriate for you. Then, when you see a setting with the hostname, just name it whatever you name the virtual machine. It should look like this.

After this step, you can skip the option that comes after this. After that, it will ask you for your name, username, password, and timezone. Once you have done that, it will ask you how much your disk can be used. Just choose 'Guided - use entire disk'

Then, keep clicking continue. In the end, it will ask if you want to partition your disk. Make sure, you select 'Yes'. Don't worry about erasing your entire hard drive because of this. The VM only considers the storage you gave it as the hard drive.

For the next couple of options, simply just select the default settings and press continue.

Eventually, you will come across this screen:

Make sure to select Yes. Afterward, you will have to wait quite a bit of time. Then, select your correct virtual drive. It should look like this:

Just select the second option and continue. It will take some time to finish the installation. After this, you have finally finished installing Kali. The only thing you need to do is log into the Kali interface. Just put in the username and password that you chose in the previous step.

After logging in, you will be greeted by the following interface:

Go ahead and play around with it. Use it like you would with any other operating system: install apps, delete apps, use the web browser, etc. I will be writing a separate blog post on some of the applications for Kali Linux in the near future. Make sure to follow my blog to stay tuned.

By following these steps, you’ve successfully set up a virtual machine and installed Kali Linux on your computer. With this setup, you can explore the powerful capabilities of Linux without modifying your main operating system. Virtual machines provide a safe and flexible environment for testing different distributions, experimenting with cybersecurity tools, and learning more about Linux-based systems. Whether you're using Linux for development, security, or just curiosity, this guide has given you the foundation to get started. Stay tuned for more tutorials on how to maximize your Linux experience!

4o