Proxmox Installation Guide – Step-by-Step Setup

3 weeks ago

admin

3 minutes

Introduction

Proxmox Virtual Environment (VE) is a powerful open-source virtualization platform that combines KVM and LXC containers with a web-based management interface. It is an excellent alternative to traditional hypervisors like VMware ESXi. This guide will walk you through the complete installation process of Proxmox on a dedicated server.

1. System Requirements for Proxmox

Before installing Proxmox, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

Processor: 64-bit CPU with virtualization support (Intel VT-x/AMD-V)
RAM: Minimum 2GB (8GB+ recommended for better performance)
Storage: At least 32GB (SSD recommended)
Network: At least one Ethernet network interface
USB/DVD: Bootable media for installation

2. Downloading Proxmox VE ISO

Visit the official Proxmox Download Page.
Download the latest Proxmox VE ISO Installer.
Create a bootable USB drive using Rufus (Windows) or dd command (Linux/Mac):sudo dd if=proxmox-ve.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress(Replace /dev/sdX with your actual USB drive identifier.)

3. Installing Proxmox VE

Insert the bootable USB/DVD into your server and boot from it.
Select Install Proxmox VE from the boot menu.
Accept the EULA and proceed.
Select the target disk for installation (recommended: use an entire disk).
Configure Country, Timezone, and Keyboard Layout.
Set up the Admin Password and email address.
Configure the Network Settings (ensure you have a static IP or DHCP configured).
Click Install and wait for the installation to complete.
Once done, remove the installation media and reboot the server.

4. Accessing the Proxmox Web Interface

After rebooting, open a web browser and navigate to:

https://<your-server-ip>:8006

Log in with root and the password you set during installation.
You will see the Proxmox web-based management interface.

5. Basic Post-Installation Configuration

Update Proxmox VE

Run the following commands to update your Proxmox installation:

apt update && apt full-upgrade -y

Remove the Subscription Notice (Optional)

Proxmox displays a subscription notice for enterprise users. To remove it:

sed -i.bak 's|http://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian|#&|' /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-enterprise.list
apt update

Enable Community Repository (Optional)

To access non-enterprise repositories:

echo 'deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm pve-no-subscription' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-community.list
apt update && apt upgrade -y

6. Creating and Managing Virtual Machines (VMs)

Create a New VM

Navigate to Datacenter > Node > Create VM.
Assign a name and select an ISO image for installation.
Configure CPU, Memory, and Disk allocation.
Set up Network and Finalize.
Click Start to boot the VM.