exegol

EXEGOL(1) Exegol EXEGOL(1)

NAME

   exegol - Exegol

   Exegol is a community-driven hacking environment, powerful and yet simple enough to be used by anyone in day to day engagements. Exegol is the best solution to deploy powerful hacking
   environments  securely,  easily, professionally. No more unstable, not-so-security-focused systems lacking major offensive tools. Kali Linux (and similar alternatives) are great tool‐
   boxes for learners, students and junior pentesters. But professionals have different needs, and their context require a whole new design.  [image: No  more  kali,  parrot,  blackarch]
   [image]

   Exegol  fits  pentesters, CTF players, bug bounty hunters, researchers, beginners and advanced users, defenders, from stylish macOS users and corporate Windows pros to UNIX-like power
   users.

   WARNING:
      This documentation is a work in progress. We are actively writing it, but if there are things you'd like to be documented in priority, feel free to request in on the GitHub Repo or
      in the Discord server.

THE EXEGOL PROJECT

   [image: Structure overview] [image]

   Exegol is many things in one. Try it, and you'll stop using your old, unstable and risky environment, no more monolithic system that gets messier, buggier and more at risk with time.

   • Python wrapper: makes everyone's life easier. This entrypoint to the whole Exegol project handles all docker and git operations so you don't have to. Now's the time to have a  clean
     environment  with  one  Docker container per engagement without the effort. Exegol handles multiple images and multiple containers. GUI apps, Wi-Fi, USB accessories, volume mounting
     and many more features are supported and easier to use than ever.

   • Docker images: a set of pre-built docker images and dockerfiles that include a neat choice of tools, zsh plugins for power users, pre-filled history ready to  use  with  environment
     variables, awesome resources, custom configs and many more. Images can either be built locally or pulled from the official Dockerhub registry.

   • Offline  resources:  Tired  of always having to search github for your favorite privesc enumeration script? Exegol includes a set of resources, shared with all exegol containers and
     your host, including LinPEAS, WinPEAS, LinEnum, PrivescCheck, SysinternalsSuite, mimikatz, Rubeus, PowerSploit and many more.
   [image: Structure overview] [image]

GETTING STARTED

   Wanna try Exegol and join our great community? You need to install requirements first, then proceed to the OS-specific instructions: Linux | macOS | Windows

COMMUNITY

   Have a bug report or feature request? Either open an issue on the Exegol repo or open a ticket on the Exegol discord (preferred, easier, more flexible).

   Wanna chat? Need help? Join us on the Exegol discord!

Install Exegol

   Installing Exegol starts with installing the entrypoint to the whole project: the Python wrapper. Once the wrapper is installed, everything else can be managed from it.

   HINT:
      It is strongly advised to install Exegol on a Linux host, especially when planning on using Exegol for internal penetration tests. This is because Docker Desktop on Windows and ma‐
      cOS lacks a few features, mainly due to how these operating systems run Docker containers within an internal VM that doesn't share the host's  network  interfaces  and  USB  acces‐
      sories.

   Once  the wrapper is installed, the second step in setting up Exegol on a device is to install at least one Exegol image, either with exegol start (documentation here), or with exegol
   install (documentation here). Both actions will guide the user in installing an image if needed.

   • Requirements

   • Installation

     • 1. Installation of exegol

     • 2. Adding Exegol to the PATH

     • 3. Run Exegol with appropriate privileges

     • 4. Installation of the first Exegol image

     • 5. (Optional) Using Exegol auto-completion

Requirements

   The following elements are required before Exegol can be installed, whatever the host's operating system is:

   • git (Linux | macOS | Windows)

   • python3 (Linux | macOS | Windows)

   • docker (Linux) or Docker Desktop (macOS | Windows)

   • at least 100GB of free storage recommended (a minimum of 20GB could be enough, but only for the light image).

   Additional dependencies may be required depending on the host OS.  Linux No additional dependencies for Linux environments.

   TIP:
      From Linux systems, Docker can be installed quickly and easily with the following command-line:

          curl -fsSL "https://get.docker.com/" | sh

   WARNING:
      By default, sudo will be required when running docker, hence needed as well for Exegol. For security reasons, it should stay that way, but it's possible to change that. In order to
      run exegol from the user environment without sudo, the user must have the appropriate rights. You can use the following command to grant them to the current user:

          # add the sudo group to the user
          sudo usermod -aG docker $(id -u -n)

          # "reload" the user groups with the newly added docker group
          newgrp docker

      For more information, official Docker documentation shows how to manage docker as a non root user.

   WARNING:
      Docker "Rootless mode" is not supported by Exegol as of yet. Please follow the install procedure mentionned above.
   macOS To support graphical applications (display sharing functionality, e.g. Bloodhound, Wireshark, Burp, etc.), additional dependencies and configuration are required:

   HINT:
      The XQuartz requirement below is now optional if using the (beta) Graphical Remote Desktop feature instead of X11 sharing (join our Discord to know more about this beta feature).

   • XQuartz must be installed

   • The XQuartz config Allow connections from network clients must be set to true

   • Docker Desktop must be configured with default File Sharing (see screenshot below)
     [image: macOS XQuartz configuration requirement] [image] macOS XQuartz configuration requirement.UNINDENT
     [image: macOS Docker Desktop resources requirement] [image] macOS Docker Desktop resources requirement.UNINDENT

     WARNING:
      You'll also need to add the exegol source folder (or, more precisely, the folder [...]/exegol/utils/imgsync).

      If you install Exegol from the python pip package, this folder is located where the python packages are installed.  The path to this folder depends on  how  you  installed  python.
      When creating your first container, you may get an error disclosing the exegol installation folder, which will have to be added as an authorized resource.

      By default, you can try to add the path: /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework to the Docker Desktop File sharing allowlist.

   TIP:
      OrbStack for Mac is supported by Exegol wrapper from v4.2.0.

      Your exegol installation cannot be stored under /opt directory when using OrbStack (due to OrbStack limitations).

      This support is still in beta, feel free to open issues on GitHub if you encounter any bugs.
   Windows To support graphical applications (display sharing functionality, e.g. Bloodhound, Wireshark, Burp, etc.), additional dependencies and configuration are required:

   • Windows 10 (up to date), or Windows 11, is required

   • Docker Desktop installed on the Windows host

   • Docker Desktop must be configured to run on WSL2 engine (how to)

   • WSLg must be installed to support graphical application

   • at least one WSL distribution must be installed as well (e.g. Debian), with Docker integration enabled (see screenshot below)
     [image: Windows Docker Desktop WSL integration configuration] [image] Windows Docker Desktop WSL integration configuration.UNINDENT

     In a Windows environment, the Exegol wrapper can be installed either in a WSL shell or directly in your Windows environment with Powershell.

     WARNING:
      Please  note  that it is not advisable to use Exegol from both environments at the same time, as this could lead to conflicts and Exegol does not officially support this configura‐
      tion.

   WARNING:
      You may want to disable Windows Defender during the installation, as Exegol will download pre-built remote shells (or temporarily exclude C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp  or
      the source file directory).

      You should also add the folder C:\Users\<user>\.exegol\exegol-resources to the exclusion list.

Installation

   The  installation  of  Exegol  on Linux, macOS and Windows are very similar. It can either be installed from pip (easiest, most user-friendly, but with a few missing features) or from
   sources (easy as well, fully featured).

1. Installation of exegol Installing with pipx (preferred) The pre-compiled Exegol’s wrapper can be installed from the PyPI repository. While this is the easiest and most user-friendly technique, it is ad‐ vised to install from sources, as it allows to switch from release to dev branches easily and it supports the auto-update feature.

   Using pipx allows you to install Exegol in an isolated virtual environment dedicated to it.

   First, pipx must be installed on your host system:

   # install pipx if not already installed, from system package:
   sudo apt update && sudo apt install pipx
   # OR from pip
   python3 -m pip install pipx

   Exegol's wrapper can be installed with pipx from PyPI:

   # You can now install Exegol package from PyPI
   pipx install exegol

   Installing from sources Exegol's wrapper can be installed from sources (with Git). The wrapper then knows how to self-update, and switching from release and development branches is possible and very easy.

   git clone "https://github.com/ThePorgs/Exegol"

   TIP:

   If you want a light clone of Exegol (and never use the dev branch), you can use the following command:
   
       git clone --shallow-since="2023/05/08" "https://github.com/ThePorgs/Exegol"

   If you have access to docker directly as a user, you can install the requirements only for your current user otherwise the requirements must be installed as root to run Exegol with sudo. With sudo

   sudo python3 -m pip install --requirement "Exegol/requirements.txt"

   Directly as user

   python3 -m pip install --user --requirement "Exegol/requirements.txt"

   Installing with pip The pre-compiled Exegol’s wrapper can be installed from the PyPI repository. While this is the easiest and most user-friendly technique, it is advised to install from sources, as it allows to switch from release to dev branches easily and it supports the auto-update feature.

   python3 -m pip install exegol

   WARNING:

   In some cases, it is no longer possible to add a pip package system-wide (PEP 668). In such cases, it is preferable to use pipx.

2. Adding Exegol to the PATH Installing with pipx (preferred) In order to use pipx applications, the pipx environment must be set in your PATH:

   pipx ensurepath

   Dont forget to open a new terminal to reload your PATH before continuing. Installing from sources Linux & MacOS Once this is taken care of, the exegol wrapper can then be added to the PATH with a symlink for direct access. This allows to call exegol from wherever, instead of to use the absolute path. Exegol can then be used with exegol <action> instead of python3 /path/to/Exegol/exegol.py <action>.

   sudo ln -s "$(pwd)/Exegol/exegol.py" "/usr/local/bin/exegol"

   Windows Once this is taken care of, the exegol wrapper can then can be added as a PowerShell command alias. Exegol can then be used with exegol <action> instead of python3 /path/to/Exegol/exegol.py <action>.

   To create the alias file correctly, open a PowerShell and place yourself in the folder where exegol is located (applicable only for from source installations) and run the following commands:

   Create $PROFILE file if it doesn't exist:

   if (!(Test-Path -Path $PROFILE)) {
       New-Item -ItemType File -Path $PROFILE -Force
   }

   Create alias for Exegol in $PROFILE:

   echo "Set-Alias -Name exegol -Value '$(pwd)\exegol.py'" >> $PROFILE

   WARNING:

   To automatically load aliases from the .ps1 file, PowerShell's Get-ExecutionPolicy must be set to RemoteSigned.
   
   If the configuration is not correct it can be configured as administrator with the following command:
   
       Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

   TIP:

   If you have installed Python3 manually and Windows opens the Microsoft store on the python page as soon as you type python3.exe, try this:
   
   It is possible to disable this behavior in the Windows settings: Apps > Apps & features > App execution aliases and disable aliases for python.exe and python3.exe.

   Installing with pip If your pip installation is correct and functional, you have nothing more to do and you can already use the command exegol.

   If not, remember that pip installs binaries in a dedicated local folder, which then must be in the PATH environment variable. Try to fix your pip installation: Linux | MacOS | ‐ Windows

3. Run Exegol with appropriate privileges Linux Exegol does not support rootless docker. To interact with docker, you must either have your user be a member of the docker group to use exegol as a user, or run Exegol with root privileges using sudo. Run as root (preferred) To run Exegol as root with sudo, you must use a specific sudo command. For a better user experience, we recommend using an alias: Bash

   echo "alias exegol='sudo -E $(which exegol)'" >> ~/.bash_aliases
   source ~/.bashrc

   Zsh

   echo "alias exegol='sudo -E $(which exegol)'" >> ~/.zshrc
   source ~/.zshrc

   Run as user

   WARNING:
       By giving the user direct access to docker, this allows the user to compromise the host and become root on the machine with full access to the file system.
   
       For more information, official Docker documentation shows how to manage docker as a non root user.
   
   If  you accept this risk because the environment is not critical and you prefer ease of use without the security control provided by sudo, you can apply the following method to use
   exegol directly as a user:
   
   # add the sudo group to the user
   sudo usermod -aG docker $(id -u -n)
   
   # To apply the new group you must open a new shell
   exit
   # OR "reload" the user groups with the newly added docker group
   newgrp docker

   macOS Exegol should NOT be used as root on macOS. Docker Desktop (or Orbstack) do not require root privileges. Windows Exegol should NOT be used as admin on Windows and NOT as root in a WSL instance. Docker Desktop doesn't require administrator privileges.

4. Installation of the first Exegol image Once the exegol wrapper is installed, you can download your first docker image with the following command:

   exegol install

5. (Optional) Using Exegol auto-completion Exegol (wrapper) supports auto-completion in many shell environments but there is a configuration to add (on the host) for this feature to work.

   IMPORTANT:

   The following configurations must be made in your host environment.

   TIP:

   If the command register-python-argcomplete is not found on your host, you have to install it:
   
       # Using the system package manager
       sudo apt install python3-argcomplete
   
       # Or using pip (check if pip packages are included in your $PATH)
       pip3 install --user argcomplete
   
       # Or using pipx (check if pipx packages are included in your $PATH)
       pipx install argcomplete

   Bash You can enable Exegol auto-completion for your current user with your .bashrc or you can enable the auto-completion system-wide with bash-completion. Via bash-completion To setup the auto-completion system-wide you first need to install bash-completion on your system (if not already installed).

   sudo apt update && sudo apt install bash-completion

   At this point you should have a /etc/bash_completion.d/ folder. It's in there that you can add any auto-completion module that you want.

   To generate and install the exegol completion configuration you can execute the following command with register-python-argcomplete:

   register-python-argcomplete --no-defaults exegol | sudo tee /etc/bash_completion.d/exegol > /dev/null

   Via .bashrc Add the following command in your ~/.bashrc config:

   eval "$(register-python-argcomplete --no-defaults exegol)"

   TIP:

   If you have multiple tools using argcomplete you can also use the global completion method (need bash >= 4.2).

   Zsh To activate completions for zsh you need to have compinit enabled in zsh:

   autoload -U compinit
   compinit

   Afterwards you can enable completion by adding the following command in your ~/.zshrc config:

   eval "$(register-python-argcomplete --no-defaults exegol)"

   Fish To activate completions for fish use:

   register-python-argcomplete --no-defaults --shell fish exegol | source

   or create new completion file, e.g:

   register-python-argcomplete --no-defaults --shell fish exegol > ~/.config/fish/completions/exegol.fish

   Tcsh To activate completions for tcsh use:

   eval `register-python-argcomplete --no-defaults --shell tcsh exegol`

   PowerShell To activate completions for PowerShell, first generate completion file :

   register-python-argcomplete --no-defaults --shell powershell exegol > $HOME\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\exegol_completion.psm1

   WARNING:

   If the command register-python-argcomplete is not found, that means that python pip script are not in your PATH.  You can ty to fix your pip installation: Linux | MacOS  |  Windows
   Or  find  the direct Python script path, it might be something like:  $HOME\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python311\Scripts\register-python-argcomplete (Python311 PATH depends on the ver‐
   sion of Python you have installed, it must be updated to match your local setup).

   Then import this completion file in $PROFILE:

   echo "Import-Module '$HOME\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\exegol_completion.psm1'" >> $PROFILE

   TIP:

   You can have Zsh style completion in PowerShell using this:
   
       echo "Set-PSReadlineKeyHandler -Key Tab -Function MenuComplete" >> $PROFILE

Troubleshooting

   Here are the most common problems encountered when installing and using Exegol.

   • Unable to connect to Docker

   • How do I get X11 to work on a non-Linux host?

   • How to fix Docker download error: unauthorized: authentication required

   • How to fix Docker download error: no space left on device

   • How to fix CRLF errors on Windows

   • How to fix the error This environment is externally managed

   • Arsenal needs TIOCSTI enable for running

Unable to connect to Docker

   There are multiple checks to do to make sure Docker works properly.  Docker service The Docker service must installed up and running.

   • For Windows users: Docker Desktop for Windows must be up and running.

   • For macOS users: Docker Desktop for Mac (or OrbStack) must be up and running.
   Docker permissions Make sure the Docker permissions are consistent with the Exegol permissions.  For instance, if you need sudo rights to use Docker, you'll most likely need  sudo  to
   run Exegol smoothly.

   See  the  Exegol  install guidance to use exegol correctly with sudo.  Docker socket The following command can be used to see the docker socket that is used by default: docker context
   ls.

   • For OrbStack users (on macOS), the "orb socket" must be used.

   • For Docker Desktop users (macOS/Windows), the "Docker desktop socket" must be used.

   • For Linux users, the default socket should work.

   Switching context can be done with docker context use <context>.  For instance, switching from a Docker Desktop to OrbStack could be done with docker context use  orbstack.   Symbolic
   link The following symbolic link must exist /var/run/docker.sock and point to the correct socket. Below is an example of what it should look like.

      (Host) ~ $ ls -la /var/run/docker.sock
      lrwxr-xr-x  1 root  daemon  38 Jul 28 09:02 /var/run/docker.sock -> /Users/someuser/.orbstack/run/docker.sock

   If  the link does not exist, it could be created with the following command ln -sf /Users/someuser/.orbstack/run/docker.sock /var/run/docker.sock. This is an example for OrbStack. The
   command must be adapted to the user's context.

How do I get X11 to work on a non-Linux host?

   X11, or X Window System, is a graphical windowing system that provides a framework for creating and managing graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in Unix-like operating systems.

   X11 sharing between an Exegol container and a host allows a graphical application running within the container to display its GUI on the host's X11 server.  This  means  you  can  run
   graphical  applications  in Exegol containers and have them appear as if they were running directly on the host machine. It enables the execution of GUI-based applications in isolated
   containers while interacting with them through the host's graphical interface.

   For macOS users, XQuartz is needed. It's listed in the install requirements.

   NOTE:
      Exegol's wrapper automatically starts XQuartz on macOS hosts when needed. But if for some reason it gets manually closed by the users while a container is running, X11 sharing will
      not work. Restarting the container with exegol restart <container> will restart XQuartz automatically if needed.

How to fix Docker download error: unauthorized: authentication required

   Docker image downloads may be time-sensitive. In the case of dual-boot systems, it is common to experience time lags of a few hours.

   To correct the problem, check that your computer's date and time are correct.

How to fix Docker download error: no space left on device

   Docker Desktop is a tool used for running Docker containers on Windows and macOS. However, it uses a virtual disk to store Docker images, containers, and  volumes.  The  virtual  disk
   used by Docker Desktop is not dynamic; it has a fixed size, which by default is set to 64GB.  [image: Docker Desktop default disk size] [image]

   Exegol  images  can be quite large, with some reaching over 50GB. This can quickly exceed the available virtual disk space, even if your physical disk still has free space. To resolve
   this issue, you need to allocate more space to the Docker Desktop virtual disk.

   To increase the virtual disk size, open Docker Desktop and go to Settings -> Resources -> Advanced. Locate the Virtual disk limit option and increase the allocated size. Make sure  to
   choose a value that provides enough space for your images and containers, such as 128GB or more depending on your needs.

   Apply the changes and then restart Docker Desktop to ensure the new configuration takes effect.

   WARNING:
      If  you  decide  to reduce the size of the virtual disk, be aware that Docker Desktop will completely delete the virtual disk image. This action will remove all Docker images, con‐
      tainers, and volumes stored on the disk. Therefore, before reducing the disk size, make sure to back up any important data or export your Docker images to avoid data loss.
          [image: Docker Desktop shrink disk image] [image]

How to fix CRLF errors on Windows

   If you have cloned the Exegol repository on Windows, you may encounter errors when launching your container, for example:

      /.exegol/entrypoint.sh: line 3: trap: SIGTERM
      : invalid signal specification
      /.exegol/entrypoint.sh: line 4: $'\r': command not found
      /.exegol/entrypoint.sh: line 5: syntax error near unexpected token $'{\r''
      /.exegol/entrypoint.sh: line 5: function exegol_init() {

   This is caused by the automatic addition of CRLF linefeed by Windows to ensure compatibility.  To correct this problem, simply disable this feature on the Exegol repository and reload
   the file of the repository:

      cd ./Exegol
      git config core.autocrlf false
      git rm -rf --cached .
      git reset --hard HEAD

How to fix the error This environment is externally managed

   When installing exegol with python3 -m pip install exegol on modern operating systems (Ubuntu 23.04 and higher, Debian 12 and higher, macOS 14+), you may encounter the  following  er‐
   ror:

      This environment is externally managed
      To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
      python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
      install.

      If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
      create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
      Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
      sure you have python3-full installed.

      If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
      it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
      virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.

      See /usr/share/doc/python3.11/README.venv for more information.

      hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.

   As  the  error  message  suggests, this error occurs when you try to install Python packages system-wide.  To resolve this issue, you have two options : Recommended Methods Using pipx
   (Preferred)

   The recommended way to install Exegol is using pipx, which automatically handles virtual environment creation:

      pipx install exegol

   Manual Virtual Environment

   Alternatively, you can create and manage a virtual environment manually:

      python3 -m venv path/to/venv
      source path/to/venv/bin/activate
      python3 -m pip install exegol
   Other Methods

   WARNING:
      The following methods are not recommended as they can lead to conflicts with system packages.

   User Site Installation

   Install in the user site directory:

      python3 -m pip install --user exegol

   System-wide Installation

   Override system restrictions (not recommended):

      python3 -m pip install exegol --break-system-site-packages

Arsenal needs TIOCSTI enable for running

   The arsenal tool needs the TIOCSTI functionality enabled. A GitHub exit exists to request an evolution: https://github.com/Orange-Cyberdefense/arsenal/issues/77.

   This feature cannot be enabled only in exegol containers (docker limitation), it must be configured in the host with the following command:

      # For the current session
      sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1

      # Persistent configuration (as root)
      echo "dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1" >> /etc/sysctl.conf

Updates

   The whole Exegol can be updated through its own wrapper with exegol update (documentation here).

   HINT:
      Wrappers installed with pip don't support auto-update. The wrapper itself can then can be updated as follows.

          python3 -m pip install --upgrade exegol

Frequently asked questions

   Below are the frequently asked questions regarding either features or the overall project.

   • What tools are installed in Exegol?

   • Can I contribute to the project?

   • Can I run Exegol on a macOS?

   • Can I use a VPN with Exegol?

   • Can I customize Exegol?

   • Can I make my own Exegol image?

   • How to install Exegol on an external drive?

   • How to add a new tool?

   • Can I install docker directly on my WSL2 distro instead of Docker Desktop ?

   • How to retrieve your desktop login details ?

   • WSL 2 consumes massive amounts of RAM, CPU power, and Disk Space. How can I deal with this issue ?

What tools are installed in Exegol?

   The list of tools is dynamically generated for all Exegol images and available here.

Can I contribute to the project?

   Yes, please refer to the contributors section.

Can I run Exegol on a macOS?

   Yes. And both CPU architectures are supported (Intel X86_64 (AMD64) and Apple Silicon M1/M2 (ARM64).

   TIP:
      We strongly advised macOS users to replace Docker Desktop with OrbStack, allowing host network mode to work for instance, this it's not supported by Docker Desktop for Mac.

Can I use a VPN with Exegol?

   Yes. And you have multiple choices.

   • The "YOLO" choice: at the container creation (i.e. when "starting" a container for the first time), give all permissions to the container so that you're able to run  openvpn  in  it
     and start the vpn. The command should look like exegol start <container_name> <image_name> --privileged.

   • The  better  choice: use the --vpn option at the container creation: exegol start <container_name> <image_name> --vpn <myconf.ovpn>. It's the easiest and more secure choice. See the
     start help here).

   WARNING:
      Creating a privileged container (c.f. the "YOLO" choice) exposes you to higher security risks. This should be avoided.

Can I customize Exegol?

   Yes, please refer to the "my-resources" documentation that explains how to automatically setup your changes to your Exegol containers.  Also, see the "wrapper's  advanced-uses"  docu‐
   mentation to see how to edit Exegol's conf among other things.  You could also want to make your own Exegol image

Can I make my own Exegol image?

   Yes.  You  will  need to create a dockerfile (e.g. CUSTOM.dockerfile) at the root of the exegol-images module next to the other dockerfiles (i.e. /path/to/Exegol/exegol-docker-build/)
   containing the instructions you want the build process to follow.

   Then, run something like exegol install "myimagename" "CUSTOM" to build the image locally. See the install documentation: install action.

How to install Exegol on an external drive?

   Exegol's wrapper is lightweight, but it's Docker images can take up some space, and users may not have enough room in their internal HDD/SSD, hence the question.  This  usually  comes
   down to "how can I install Docker on an external drive?", and the answer depends on the host.

   TIP:
      Use a fast drive, otherwise Exegol will get real slow.

   For  macOS  and  Windows users, this can be configured in the Docker Desktop dashboard (in Settings > Resources > Advanced > Disk image location).  [image: Disk Image Location Setting
   (Docker Desktop)] [image]

How to add a new tool?

   "Adding a tool" can mean many things. Depending on that, you'll get a different answer. So let's answer most of them.

   If you want to add a tool:

   • in the official Exegol images: refer to the contribution guidance.

   • in your own custom local image: refer to the contribution guidance as well, but instead of creating a Pull Request at the end to offer your contribution, just build  the  image  lo‐
     cally with the wrapper and enjoy your custom local image.

   • in a live container: that's your container, you can do whatever you whish in it ;)

   • automatically in all containers at their creation: refer to the "my-resources" documentation.

Can I install docker directly on my WSL2 distro instead of Docker Desktop ?

   Yes, it's possible to install docker directly on WSL2 rather than using Docker Desktop, but you'll be restricted to your WSL2 environment and its constraints.

   Although  Docker  Desktop is incomplete, it does offer a few advantages (exegol can be used from powershell / cmd, windows folder sharing with the exegol workstation, etc).  We there‐
   fore recommend Docker Desktop as the official support for Exegol.

   We do not guarantee wrapper stability with a directly installed WSL docker.

How to retrieve your desktop login details ?

   The container's root password can be obtained with exegol info <container> (i.e. this is needed when using the desktop feature)

WSL 2 consumes massive amounts of RAM, CPU power, and Disk Space. How can I deal with this issue ?

   Users might experience excessive memory consumption when using Exegol. This is caused by WSL 2 not freeing up RAM even when processes are finished, causing  large  amounts  of  unused
   memory  to  remain  allocated.  This  leads  to  high  memory usage on the host system and reduced performance. More information about this issue can be found [at this GitHub issue](‐
   https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/4166). A simple workaround is to create a %UserProfile%.wslconfig file in Windows and use it to limit memory assigned to WSL 2 VM.

   ` [wsl2] memory=8GB   # Limits VM memory in WSL 2 up to 3GB processors=2 # Makes the WSL 2 VM use two virtual processors `

   When using Docker with the WSL2 backend, resource limits are managed by Windows. There might be cases, for example after updating an Exegol image, where Docker might take  double  the
   disk  space  the  image  needs. To deal with this problem, users should find the Disk image location in Docker Desktop (Settings -> Resources -> Advanced). It will be in the following
   format C:Users<USER>AppDataLocalDockerwsl. The Virtual Hard Disk can be located in the following path, C:Users<USER>AppDataLocalDockerwsldisk. Users  can  use  the  diskpart  tool  to
   shrink  the Virtual Hard Disk using the following instructions based on directions [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/70946140/docker-desktop-wsl-ext4-vhdx-too-large).  - Stop
   Docker Desktop - Start an administrative CMD or PowerShell session - Stop WSL2: wsl --shutdown - Start the diskpart tool: diskpart  -  Select  the  Virtual  Hard  Disk:  select  vdisk
   file="C:Users<USER>AppDataLocalDockerwsldiskdocker_data.vhdx".  A message DiskPart successfully selected the virtual disk file. should appear.  - Shrink the Virtual Hard Disk: compact
   vdisk - Wait for the proccess to reach 100 completion (might take some time)