Parrot OS is a Debian-based operating system designed for security and digital forensics. It is a great choice for those who want to learn about or work in the field of cybersecurity. However, Parrot OS can be quite large, and installing it on a traditional hard drive can be time-consuming. If you want to try Parrot OS without committing to a full installation, you can install it on an external hard drive. This way, you can easily boot into Parrot OS from any computer without modifying its internal storage.
To install Parrot OS on an external hard drive, you will need a USB flash drive with at least 4GB of storage space, an external hard drive with at least 16GB of storage space, and a computer with a USB port. Once you have gathered your materials, you can follow these steps:
1. Download the Parrot OS ISO file from the official website.
2. Use a USB burning tool to create a bootable USB flash drive from the ISO file.
3. Insert the external hard drive into the computer.
4. Boot the computer from the USB flash drive.
5. Select the “Install Parrot OS” option from the boot menu.
6. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
Overview of Parrot OS
Parrot OS is a Debian-based Linux distribution designed specifically for penetration testing, ethical hacking, and computer security. It features a wide range of pre-installed tools and applications for vulnerability assessment, network analysis, password cracking, and malware analysis, making it an ideal operating system for security professionals and enthusiasts.
Key features of Parrot OS include:
- Comprehensive toolset: Parrot OS comes with over 350 pre-installed security tools, including Nmap, Wireshark, Burp Suite, and Metasploit.
- Customizable interface: The MATE desktop environment provides a user-friendly and customizable interface that allows users to tailor their workspace to their specific needs.
- AnonyMint: Parrot OS includes AnonyMint, a tool that provides anonymous browsing and network protection through the Tor network.
- Rolling releases: Parrot OS follows a rolling release model, ensuring that users always have access to the latest security updates and software enhancements.
External Hard Drive Installation
Installing Parrot OS on an external hard drive offers several advantages, including portability, increased storage capacity, and the ability to boot from multiple devices. Here’s a step-by-step guide to install Parrot OS on an external hard drive:
Requirements
- A USB 3.0 or faster external hard drive with at least 16GB of free space
- A computer with a working internet connection
- A USB flash drive with at least 4GB of free space
Steps
-
Create a bootable USB drive: Download the Parrot OS ISO image from the official website and use a tool like Rufus or Etcher to create a bootable USB drive.
-
Partition and format the external hard drive: Connect the external hard drive to your computer and open the Disk Utility. Partition the drive using the GPT partition scheme and create a new partition formatted with the ext4 file system.
-
Boot from the USB drive: Insert the bootable USB drive into your computer and restart the system. Select the USB drive as the boot device in the BIOS settings.
-
Install Parrot OS: Follow the on-screen instructions to install Parrot OS on the external hard drive. Select the "Custom installation" option and choose the partition you created in step 2 as the installation target.
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Finalize the installation: Once the installation is complete, reboot the system and remove the USB drive. You should now be able to boot into Parrot OS from the external hard drive.
Preparing Your External Hard Drive
To install Parrot OS onto an external hard drive, it is important to ensure that the drive is properly formatted and has sufficient space to accommodate the operating system and your files.
Formatting Your External Hard Drive
First, connect your external hard drive to your computer and open the Disk Management utility. In Windows, you can do this by pressing Windows Key + R and typing “diskmgmt.msc”. In macOS, you can use the Disk Utility application.
Once the Disk Management utility is open, locate your external hard drive in the list of available devices. Right-click on the drive and select “Format”.
In the Format dialog box, select the following options:
- File system: FAT32 (recommended for compatibility with most devices)
- Allocation unit size: Default
- Volume label: Enter a descriptive name for the drive
Click “OK” to start the formatting process. This may take several minutes.
Partitioning Your External Hard Drive
If your external hard drive is large enough, you may want to create multiple partitions to organize your files. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Open the Disk Management utility and locate your external hard drive.
2. Right-click on the unallocated space on the drive and select “New Simple Volume”.
3. In the New Simple Volume Wizard, specify the size of the new partition and assign it a drive letter.
4. Click “Next” and “Finish” to create the new partition.
You can repeat these steps to create additional partitions as needed.
| Partition | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Partition 1 | Operating system |
| Partition 2 | Files and data |
Creating a Bootable USB Drive with Parrot OS
To create a bootable USB drive with Parrot OS, you’ll need:
- A USB drive with at least 4GB of storage space
- A copy of the Parrot OS ISO file
- A USB burning utility (e.g., Rufus, Etcher)
Steps:
- Download the Parrot OS ISO file from the official website.
- Plug the USB drive into your computer.
- Open the USB burning utility.
- Select the Parrot OS ISO file and the USB drive as the target.
- Choose the appropriate burning options (e.g., FAT32 file system).
- Click the "Burn" or "Create" button to start the process.
Once the bootable USB drive is created, you can use it to install Parrot OS on your external hard drive.
Booting from the USB Drive
Once the UEFI/BIOS settings are configured, you can boot from the USB drive. Here’s how:
- Restart your computer and press the key indicated in the BIOS settings to open the boot menu (e.g., F2, F12).
Selecting the USB Drive
- Navigate through the boot options using the arrow keys and select the USB drive as the first boot device.
- Press Enter to load the Parrot OS bootloader.
Loading the Bootloader
- The Parrot OS bootloader will appear on the screen. Use the arrow keys to select the following options:
- Install Parrot OS: This option will start the Parrot OS installation process.
- Live Boot: This option will boot Parrot OS directly into a live session, without installing it.
- Troubleshoot: This option provides access to various troubleshooting tools.
Partitioning the External Hard Drive
Step 1: Identify the External Hard Drive
Connect the external hard drive to your computer and open Disk Management. Right-click on the drive and select "Initialize Disk."
Step 2: Create a New Partition
Right-click on the unallocated space on the external hard drive and select "New Simple Volume." Follow the wizard to create a new partition using the entire available space.
Step 3: Format the Partition
Select the new partition and click on "Format." Choose the following options:
- File System: EXT4
- Volume Label: ParrotOS (or any desired name)
- Allocation Unit Size: Default
- Format Options: Quick Format
Step 4: Mount the Partition
Once the formatting is complete, right-click on the partition and select "Assign Drive Letter or Path." Choose a drive letter that is not already in use.
Step 5: Modify Partition Table and Create Bootloader
This step requires advanced knowledge of partitioning and is essential for ensuring that ParrotOS can boot from the external hard drive. Use a partition management tool like GParted or fdisk to modify the partition table as follows:
- Create a New Partition Table: GPT
- Set Boot Flag: On the EXT4 partition
- Create a BIOS Boot Partition (EFI System Partition): 512 MB, FAT32
- Create a Linux Swap Partition: 2 GB (optional)
- Mount EFI Partition: /boot/efi
- Install Bootloader: Install GRUB2 or another suitable bootloader on the EFI partition
Formatting the External Hard Drive
Once you have connected the external hard drive to your computer, you need to format it. This will erase all existing data on the hard drive, so make sure you have backed up any important files before proceeding.
To format the hard drive, follow these steps:
1. Open Disk Management
Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type “diskmgmt.msc” and press Enter to open Disk Management.
2. Select the External Hard Drive
Locate the external hard drive in the list of available drives. Right-click on the hard drive and select “Format”.
3. Choose the File System
Select the file system you want to use for the hard drive. For Parrot OS, you should choose either ext4 or NTFS.
4. Set the Volume Label
Give the hard drive a label so you can easily identify it later. This label will appear in the list of available drives.
5. Perform the Format
Click the “Format” button to start the formatting process. This may take several minutes to complete, depending on the size of the hard drive.
6. Advanced Formatting Options
If you want to customize the formatting options, click the “Advanced” button before starting the format. In the “Advanced Format Settings” window, you can set the following options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Allocation unit size | The size of the blocks that will be used to store data on the hard drive. A smaller allocation unit size can improve performance for small files, while a larger allocation unit size can improve performance for large files. |
| Quick format | Performs a quick format, which is faster but less thorough than a full format. |
| Enable file and folder compression | Compresses files and folders on the hard drive to save space. |
Once you have selected the desired options, click the “OK” button to start the formatting process.
Installing Parrot OS on the External Hard Drive
Follow these steps to install Parrot OS on an external hard drive:
1. Create a Bootable USB Drive
Download the Parrot OS ISO from the official website and use a tool like Etcher to create a bootable USB drive.
2. Connect External Hard Drive
Connect your external hard drive to the computer where you want to install Parrot OS.
3. Boot from USB Drive
Restart the computer and press the key to access the boot menu (e.g., F2, F10, or F12). Select the USB drive to boot from.
4. Select “Live Mode”
When the Parrot OS boot menu appears, select “Live Mode” to boot into a live session without installing.
5. Install Parrot OS
Once in Live Mode, open the “Installer” application. Select “Guided – use entire disk” as the installation type and choose your external hard drive as the destination.
6. Set Up Users and Passwords
Create a new user and password for your Parrot OS installation. You can also encrypt the drive for additional security.
7. Advanced Disk Partitioning (Optional)
If you need to create custom disk partitions, select “Manual – Custom partitioning” in the installation type and follow the on-screen instructions carefully.
Here’s a table with additional information about Advanced Disk Partitioning:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Create New Partition Table | Creates a new partition table (e.g., GPT, MBR). |
| Create New Partition | Creates a new partition on the selected hard drive. |
| Format Partition | Formats the new partition with a specific file system (e.g., EXT4, NTFS). |
| Mount Partition | Mounts the new partition to a specific mount point (e.g., /home, /boot). |
Configuring the Grub Boot Loader
Once you have successfully installed Parrot OS onto your external hard drive, you need to configure the Grub boot loader to recognize and boot from the external drive. Here’s how to do it:
1. Access the Command Line
Boot up your computer and press the “e” key during the initial boot sequence to enter the Grub boot menu editor.
2. Edit the Kernel Line
Locate the line that starts with “linux /boot/vmlinuz”. Add the following parameters to the end of the line:
“`
rw init=/live/initrd.img quiet splash
“`
Press “Enter” to save the changes.
3. Edit the Initramfs Line
Locate the line that starts with “initrd /boot/initrd.img”. Add the following text to the end of the line:
“`
quiet splash
“`
Press “Enter” to save the changes.
4. Set the Default Boot Option
Use the arrow keys to highlight the entry for Parrot OS on the external hard drive. Then, press “e” to edit the entry.
5. Change the Root Partition
Change the root partition to the partition on the external hard drive where you installed Parrot OS. In most cases, it will be “(hdX,Y)”, where “X” is the disk number and “Y” is the partition number. For example:
“`
set root=(hd1,1)
“`
Press “Enter” to save the changes.
6. Save the Configuration
Press “Ctrl+X” to save the configuration and boot into Parrot OS.
7. Install Grub Customizer (Optional)
If you want to make additional customizations to the Grub boot menu, you can install Grub Customizer from the Parrot OS repository:
“`
sudo apt update
sudo apt install grub-customizer
“`
8. Troubleshooting Grub Boot Errors
If you encounter any errors while booting into Parrot OS from the external hard drive, try the following troubleshooting steps:
a. Check BIOS Settings
Make sure that the BIOS is configured to boot from removable devices.
b. Verify Boot Order
Check that the external hard drive is listed as the first boot option in the BIOS boot order.
c. Repair Grub
If Grub is damaged, you can repair it using a live USB or DVD of Parrot OS.
Setting Up Boot Options
To boot Parrot OS from an external hard drive, you need to configure your computer’s BIOS settings to prioritize booting from the external drive. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Access the BIOS
Restart your computer and press the key that appears on the screen to enter the BIOS settings. This key varies depending on your computer’s manufacturer, but it’s usually one of the following: F2, F10, or DEL.
2. Navigate to the Boot Menu
Once in the BIOS settings, use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Boot” or “Boot Options” menu.
3. Change the Boot Order
Use the arrow keys to move the external hard drive to the top of the boot order. This will ensure that the computer tries to boot from the external drive before any other devices.
4. Save the Changes
Press the F10 key to save the changes and exit the BIOS. Your computer will now restart and try to boot from the external hard drive.
5. Use the Boot Menu
If the computer does not automatically boot from the external drive, you can press the F12 key during the startup process to access the boot menu. From the boot menu, select the external hard drive and press Enter.
6. Boot from Parrot OS
Parrot OS should now start booting from the external hard drive. You can then proceed with the installation process.
7. Install Parrot OS
Follow the on-screen instructions to install Parrot OS on your external hard drive. The installation process is similar to installing on a local hard drive.
8. Configure Bootloader
Once the installation is complete, you need to configure the bootloader to boot from the external hard drive. Use the following command:
sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=parrotOS
9. Update Bootloader
Finally, update the bootloader to reflect the changes:
sudo update-grub
Restart your computer to ensure the changes have taken effect. Parrot OS should now boot successfully from the external hard drive.
Troubleshooting Potential Issues
1. Boot Issues
If Parrot OS is not booting properly, try the following:
• Ensure the external hard drive is properly connected and detected by the computer.
• Check the BIOS settings to ensure the boot order is set to prioritize the external hard drive.
• Reinstall the Grub bootloader using the following commands:
• `sudo mount /dev/sdXY /mnt` (replace /dev/sdXY with the actual device path of the external hard drive)
• `sudo grub-install –target=i386-pc /dev/sdXY`
• `sudo update-grub`
2. Hardware Compatibility Issues
Some external hard drives may not be compatible with Parrot OS. Ensure the drive meets the minimum hardware requirements and check the Parrot OS documentation for known compatibility issues.
3. Insufficient Disk Space
Ensure the external hard drive has sufficient storage space to accommodate the Parrot OS installation and any necessary applications or data.
4. Partitioning Issues
If the external hard drive is not properly partitioned, it may not be recognized by the system. Use a disk partitioning tool to create a new partition table and format the drive.
5. File System Errors
If the external hard drive is corrupted or has file system errors, it can prevent Parrot OS from installing or running properly. Use a disk repair utility to scan and fix any issues.
6. Security Settings
Some computers may have security settings that block the installation of operating systems on external hard drives. Disable any such settings in the BIOS or security configuration.
7. UEFI Secure Boot
If the computer has UEFI Secure Boot enabled, it may prevent the installation of Parrot OS. Disable Secure Boot in the BIOS settings.
8. Missing or Corrupted Files
If files are missing or corrupted during the installation process, it can cause problems. Verify the downloaded ISO file and re-create the bootable media.
9. Network Connectivity Issues
If you are installing Parrot OS over a network connection, ensure the network is stable and the computer has a valid IP address.
10. Other Hardware Issues
If the above troubleshooting steps do not resolve the issue, consider the following additional possibilities:
• The external hard drive may be defective. Try using a different drive.
• There may be a problem with the computer’s hardware, such as the motherboard or RAM. Run hardware diagnostics to check for any issues.
• The Parrot OS image may be corrupted. Download a fresh copy and create a new bootable media.
How to Install Parrot OS into an External Hard Drive
Installing Parrot OS into an external hard drive is a great way to have a portable operating system that you can take with you wherever you go. This can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as ethical hacking, security research, or simply having a dedicated system for your favorite applications. In this guide, we will show you how to install Parrot OS into an external hard drive.
Before you begin, you will need the following:
- A computer with a USB port
- An external hard drive with at least 8GB of storage space
- A USB flash drive with at least 4GB of storage space
- A copy of the Parrot OS ISO file
Step 1: Prepare the External Hard Drive
The first step is to prepare your external hard drive for the installation. This involves wiping the drive and creating a new partition.
- Connect the external hard drive to your computer.
- Open Disk Utility (located in /Applications/Utilities).
- Select the external hard drive in the left-hand sidebar.
- Click on the “Erase” tab.
- Select “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” as the format.
- Click on the “Erase” button.
Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Flash Drive
Next, you need to create a bootable USB flash drive. This will be used to boot your computer from the external hard drive.
- Download the Parrot OS ISO file and save it to your computer.
- Insert the USB flash drive into your computer.
- Open Terminal (located in /Applications/Utilities).
- Run the following command:
- This will list all of the storage devices connected to your computer. Identify the USB flash drive by its size and/or name.
- Run the following command, replacing /dev/disk2 with the actual device path of the USB flash drive:
- Enter your password when prompted.
- Wait for the process to complete. Once it is finished, the USB flash drive will be bootable.
“`
diskutil list
“`
“`
sudo dd if=/path/to/parrot-os.iso of=/dev/disk2 bs=1m
“`
Step 3: Install Parrot OS
Now you can install Parrot OS onto the external hard drive.
- Restart your computer and boot from the USB flash drive.
- Select “Install Parrot OS” from the boot menu.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- Once the installation is complete, restart your computer and boot from the external hard drive.
People Also Ask
How do I boot Parrot OS from an external hard drive?
To boot Parrot OS from an external hard drive, you need to change the boot order in your computer’s BIOS settings. To do this, restart your computer and press the key that is displayed on the screen to enter the BIOS settings. Once you are in the BIOS settings, find the boot order section and change it so that the external hard drive is the first boot device.
Can I install other operating systems on the same external hard drive?
Yes, you can install other operating systems on the same external hard drive. However, you will need to create separate partitions for each operating system. You can do this using Disk Utility.
How do I access the files on my external hard drive from Parrot OS?
To access the files on your external hard drive from Parrot OS, simply mount the drive. To do this, open the Files app and click on the “Other Locations” tab. Then, click on the “Connect to Server” button and enter the following information:
- Server Address: The IP address of your external hard drive
- Share: The name of the share on your external hard drive
- User: The username for your external hard drive
- Password: The password for your external hard drive
Once you have entered the information, click on the "Connect" button. The files on your external hard drive will then be mounted and you will be able to access them from the Files app.
