Guide to Installing Virtual Machines with VMware Workstation/Fusion

Guide to Installing Virtual Machines with VMware Workstation/Fusion

1. Introduction

Kali Linux is a Debian-based operating system designed for security testing and information security research. To run Kali Linux without affecting your main system, you can use virtualization software such as VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion, or VirtualBox.

This article guides you through installing Windows 11 and Kali Linux on VMware Workstation/Fusion.

2. Install the Virtualization Software

Before installing Kali Linux, you need a suitable virtualization tool. Below are the steps to download and install VMware Workstation/Fusion.

2.1. For Windows and Linux (x86_64)

Download VMware Workstation Pro

Visit the download page: Link: VMware Workstation Pro
To download, you need a Broadcom account:
1. Click the triangle icon in the top-right corner of the website.
2. Select Register and follow the instructions to create an account.
After registering, sign in to your Broadcom account.
Return to the download page, pick the latest version, and click Download.

Check "I agree to the Terms and Conditions" before downloading.
Run the installer and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

2.2. For macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon) - Similar Steps

Download VMware Fusion

Visit the download page: Link: VMware Fusion
Register a Broadcom account as above.
After signing in, choose the latest VMware Fusion version and click Download.
Check "I agree to the Terms and Conditions" before downloading.
Open the .dmg file and drag VMware Fusion into Applications to install.
Open the app and grant permissions if macOS asks.

2.3. For Windows ARM64

Currently, VMware does not officially support Windows ARM64. You can use Hyper-V instead.

Check Whether Your System Supports Hyper-V

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

systeminfo | Select-String "Hyper-V Requirements"

If lines like "Virtualization Enabled In Firmware" and "Data Execution Prevention Available" show "No", your PC is not supported or needs to be enabled in UEFI.

Install Hyper-V

If your system supports Hyper-V, run:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All
add-windowsfeature rsat-hyper-v-tools

Restart your computer after finishing.

3. Create a Windows 11 Virtual Machine

Do not reuse an old VM to avoid errors. Install Windows 11 from scratch.

Download Windows 11 Evaluation

For x86_64: Windows 11 Enterprise Evaluation
For ARM64 (Apple Silicon, Windows ARM): Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC
Windows 11 ISO: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

Fill out the required information to download.

4. Install Kali Linux on VMware Workstation

After installing VMware Workstation/Fusion:

Download the Kali Linux ISO
- Visit the official site: Link: Download Kali Linux

Extract the virtual machine
- The VM is in 7z format, so you need 7z to extract it (on Linux, extract is usually available).

Open the VM
- Open VMware Workstation/Fusion and choose "Create a New Virtual Machine".

Run the virtual machine

Click Start up this... to boot the VM. The default credentials are kali / kali.

5. Conclusion

You have completed installing Windows 11 or Kali Linux on VMware Workstation/Fusion. From here, you can start using Kali Linux for security testing or research.

Note: If you run into issues during installation, check the official documentation for Kali Linux and VMware for more help.

Guide to Installing Virtual Machines with VMware Workstation/Fusion

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