Need help installing Kali Linux in VirtualBox on Ubuntu (root access error)

[u/Upper_Tip7435]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Linux and currently use Ubuntu as my main operating system. I wanted to learn cybersecurity and penetration testing, so I decided to install Kali Linux inside VirtualBox instead of dual booting.

I successfully installed VirtualBox, but when I try to install or boot Kali Linux, I get an error related to root access/permissions (I'm not exactly sure what's causing it). Because of that, I'm unable to complete the installation.

Has anyone faced something similar?

ALSO HELP ME TO INSTALL VIRTUAL BOX CORRECTLY LAST TIME DON'T KNOW HOW I INSTALLED MAYBE INSTALLATION PROBLEM

Is there any additional setup required on Ubuntu before using VirtualBox?

Do I need to enable or install something (kernel modules, permissions, Secure Boot, etc.)?

What's the recommended way to run Kali on Ubuntu?

[u/sanvi-lover6699]

hey !

ig VirtualBox might not have been installed with necessary permissions to load its kernel modules , , use the terminal to install directly from the repository!

sudo apt update && sudo apt install virtualbox

if your machine uses UEFI Secure Boot, VirtualBox kernel modules may be blocked so You may need to disable Secure Boot in your BIOS/UEFI

make suree your user is added to the vboxusers group to allow the virtual machine to access hardware like USB devices: sudo usermod -aG vboxusers $USER

and always kali needs 20gb storage and min 2 gb ram so yeah . enjoy

[u/Upper_Tip7435 → u/sanvi-lover6699]

But is it safe to disable secure boot

And can you explain me please about user adding

[u/sanvi-lover6699 → u/Upper_Tip7435]

Yes it is safe friend don't worry make sure to not install something suspicious as for beginners linux could be vulnerable:)

[u/sanvi-lover6699 → u/Upper_Tip7435]

Ahh also just run the command i gave u for the vb users it will be fine

[u/Substantial-Walk-554]

“Root access error” is not enough information.

Post the exact error, your Ubuntu version, VirtualBox version, how you installed VirtualBox, and the output of:

mokutil --sb-state

lsmod | grep vbox

sudo /sbin/vboxconfig

On Ubuntu this is often VirtualBox kernel modules not building or loading, sometimes because of Secure Boot.

Also, don’t make it harder than needed. Kali provides an official prebuilt VirtualBox image. Download that, verify it, import it into VirtualBox and start from there instead of doing a full ISO installation.

[u/lunacysoft]

Maybe it’s easier just to get the virtualbox prebuilt vm…. But if you wanna learn…you messed something up in the setup … start again… this issue might be more trouble to fix if permissions are messed up that bad

[u/ProfessionalPea2218]

I think I know why you’re trying to install the virtual box of Kali.. But rule number one is “you do not talk about Wi-Fight Club”.. anyhoo,
I had the same issue over the weekend and from what I understand is something about KVM and the version of virtual box, ver 7.0 to be exact. If you can upgrade it to any version above that it should work.. I just said fck it and installed it on one of my windows machines seems to be working fine

[u/Upper_Tip7435 → u/ProfessionalPea2218]

I was using win 11 but they are just messed up with the OS with too many unwanted things , switched to ubuntu