An Installation Step Failed Select and Install Software in Kali Linux

Last updated on October 2nd, 2023 at 09:25 pm

If you are going to install Kali Linux, Debian, Fedora, or any other Linux-based operating system on your computer, you may have faced this error (An installation Step failed: Select and install software failed) during installation. By the end of this article, you will be able to figure out the error and fix the problem by yourself.

an istallation step failed select and install software failed

In this guide, we will use Kali Linux you can relate this problem with your Linux operating system distro. You can follow this tutorial because the core problems behind the error “select and installed software failure” are similar. Let’s troubleshoot this error first and detect what is the root cause of this issue. The main reasons are given below which can be directly responsible for this error.

Corrupted, infected, or misconfigured bootable media used for installation.
Corrupted or outdated ISO image used.
Damaged bootable media devices i.e. CD or USB.
Insufficient storage on the host computer
Anti-virus interruption during the making of the bootable media devices.

Solutions for Kali Linux An Installation Step Failed Select and Install Software

If you are using any preconfigured, pirated, or duplicated bootable media for installation, avoid it! and make your own bootable installation media device from scratch.
Download a fresh and fully up-to-date ISO image from your desired Linux distribution’s official website, in my case I am getting my ISO image from Kali Linux’s official website.
Avoid using damaged or corrupted media devices for installation purposes.
If you are making a bootable device for Linux, make sure your Windows Defender or any other Anti-virus isn’t interrupting the process.

Live feature in OS in Kali Linux with an Example?

Most of the Linux OS distributions now come with the live feature, because Linux is a lightweight operating system and can also fit on a narrow-volume USB device, and its hardware requirements are also minimal that’s why it is possible to give its users an option to run their Linux OS directly from USB. If you are not interested in installing it onto your hard drive you can still use it only by plug-in-play method which is also known as the live feature of Kali Linux. This is also an option to avoid the select and Install software failed error.

The Linux Live feature has some advantages and disadvantages also. The plus point is that you can carry your operating system with you anywhere, everywhere, and complete your Linux-based tasks from any computer even doesn’t have any OS installed on it. The minus point is that you can’t fully rely on this USB-based OS and because USBs don’t have much speed, the live OS feature can’t provide much efficiency and we can face severe lag in all operations on it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a few reasons why you might encounter the error “An installation step failed: Select and install software failed” when installing Kali Linux. These reasons include using corrupted, infected, or misconfigured bootable media, using a corrupted or outdated ISO image, using damaged bootable media devices, or having your antivirus software interrupt the installation process. You can try using a new, completely updated ISO image, avoiding utilizing broken or corrupted media devices and making sure your antivirus software isn’t interfering with the installation process to see if it resolves the issue. You can also attempt using Linux’s live functionality, which enables you to use the operating system without first installing it on your hard drive, or worrying about drive volume occupation, and to run it directly from a USB drive. Many Linux distros are providing live features like Kali Linux, Tails OS, etc.

Here are some extra pointers to assist you in avoiding this mistake:

Make sure Kali Linux is a genuine version that you are using.
Download the ISO image from the official Kali Linux website.
Use a high-quality USB drive to create your bootable media.
During installation, turn off your antivirus program.
Ask for assistance on the Kali Linux forums if you are still having issues.

What is minimal installation of Kali?

Kali Linux gives you the option to install its lighter version, in order to operate Kali on low-end devices all the heavy programs are excluded. But the SSH terminal works pretty well on a low-end device.

Why my Kali installation step failed?

The reason is quite simple and easy to solve with a little effort. Either the ISO you are using is corrupted or the bootable media device is damaged replace them to fix the issue instantly.

Does Kali Linux installation require Internet?

Technically it doesn’t require an internet connection, but it’s your choice to connect it to the internet and get quick updates instantly.

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