System Requirements for a VM

[Ken_Sherb]

Hello. I am gonna start taking classes at a local community college on hacking. Our professor said we should get a laptop to run Kali Linux on but since I dont have the money for multiple computers I want to get a windows laptop and run kali linux in a vm so any help on VM software, system requirements for a vm, and maybe a cheap laptop for the job?

[zlolslavez]

I'd personally pick up a laptop from here http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=laptop&_dcat=177&rt=nc&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo&_udhi=50 , and install Linux on it, as imo doing stuff on a VM is a pain beyond stuff like trying programs on it.

[sushisharkjl]

3 minutes ago, Ken_Sherb said:

Hello. I am gonna start taking classes at a local community college on hacking. Our professor said we should get a laptop to run Kali Linux on but since I dont have the money for multiple computers I want to get a windows laptop and run kali linux in a vm so any help on VM software, system requirements for a vm, and maybe a cheap laptop for the job?

As long as the CPU's got VT-d and has 8GB min RAM (preferably 16) you should be fine.

Alternatively dual boot Kali with Windows which is going to work much better and requires lower specs.

 

You might want to make sure the laptop you get has a wifi card that supports monitor mode, which you're going to need for network packet sniffing with tools like Wireshark.

[Psycosis86]

http://docs.kali.org/downloading/kali-linux-live-usb-install

 

you could try a live usb as well

[Allshevski]

Or install it next to your windows. I don't know how things work in Kali, but Ubuntu had just a GRUB where you could choose your system.

[suicidalfranco]

21 minutes ago, Ken_Sherb said:

Hello. I am gonna start taking classes at a local community college on hacking. Our professor said we should get a laptop to run Kali Linux on but since I dont have the money for multiple computers I want to get a windows laptop and run kali linux in a vm so any help on VM software, system requirements for a vm, and maybe a cheap laptop for the job?

any laptop that has a CPU that supports Vt-d will do the job, minimum 4 cores (even 2 physical 4 virtual), and has at least 8GB of RAM.is you want to go even cheaper you could always dual boot on your current notebook and delete it once the course ends. Third solution, if the HDD is easily accessible on your laptop, is to get a second drive that you keep around for Linux stuff, you could also go further and have it replace your optical disc drive, you would end up dual booting but this time without splitting your main drive in multiple partitions. Fourth option is to run it from a USB key, you could do it as a live disc, but then you would loose every changes once your reboot/shutdown since all work stays on the RAM, what you want is persistence which you can get by following this guide, i'd recommend a 32GB drive.

Hope i was helpful enough