How to Install Proxmox on Bare-Metal Hardware (Step-by-Step Guide)

Introduction

Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE) is a powerful open-source platform for running virtual machines and containers. If you’re looking to set up a dedicated virtualization server, installing Proxmox on bare-metal hardware is the best way to achieve high performance and reliability. This guide will walk you through the entire installation process.

System Requirements for Proxmox Installation

Before you begin, ensure that your hardware meets the minimum requirements:

Processor: 64-bit CPU with virtualization support (Intel VT-x or AMD-V)
RAM: Minimum 4GB (8GB+ recommended for better performance)
Storage: SSD or HDD with at least 32GB space (RAID recommended for redundancy)
Network: At least one Ethernet adapter (1GbE or 10GbE preferred)
BIOS/UEFI: Support for booting from USB or CD/DVD

Step 1: Download Proxmox VE ISO

Visit the official Proxmox download page.
Download the latest Proxmox VE ISO image.

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive

To create a bootable USB drive, use tools like:
- Rufus (for Windows)
- balenaEtcher (for Windows, macOS, Linux)
- dd command (for Linux users)
Steps:
1. Insert a USB drive (8GB+ recommended).
2. Open Rufus (or preferred tool) and select the downloaded Proxmox VE ISO.
3. Choose MBR or GPT partition scheme depending on your system.
4. Click Start to create the bootable USB.

Step 3: Boot from USB and Start Installation

Insert the bootable USB drive into the target server.

1. Power on the system and enter BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing F2, F12, DEL, or ESC during boot).
2. Change the boot order to boot from the USB drive.
3. Save changes and restart the system

Step 4: Install Proxmox VE

1. 1. Once the Proxmox installer loads, select “Install Proxmox VE”.
  2. Read and accept the EULA (End User License Agreement).
  3. Select the target hard drive for installation.
  4. Choose the file system (ext4, xfs, ZFS – recommended for RAID setups).
  5. Configure country, time zone, and keyboard layout.
  6. Set up the root password and enter your email for system notifications.
  7. Configure network settings (static IP is recommended for servers).
  8. Click Next to begin the installation.
  Once installation is complete, the system will prompt you to remove the USB drive and restart.

Step 5: Accessing Proxmox Web Interface

1. 1. After reboot, you can access the Proxmox web interface using:
```
https://your-server-ip:8006
```
    1. Log in with root credentials.
    2. Update Proxmox by running the following commands:
```
apt update && apt full-upgrade -y
```
    3. Configure Proxmox repositories to enable or disable enterprise and community updates.

Step 6: Post-Installation Configuration

1. Add Additional Storage

If you have additional disks, add them via Datacenter → Storage.

2. Setup Networking (Bridged Mode)

For better VM networking, configure a bridge interface (vmbr0).

3. Create Virtual Machines (VMs) and Containers (LXC)

Now that Proxmox is installed, you can create VMs and LXC containers from the web interface.