Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE) is a powerful open-source platform for running virtual machines (VMs) and containers from a single, web-based interface. Whether you’re setting up a homelab, experimenting with self-hosted services, or looking to repurpose an old computer, Proxmox provides a flexible and user-friendly way to manage virtualization with enterprise-grade features—without the cost.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to install Proxmox VE on a spare computer. No fancy hardware required—just a machine with basic specs and a bit of patience. By the end, you’ll have a fully functioning Proxmox server ready to host your own virtual machines and containers.

Step 1: Download the Proxmox VE ISO

Head over to the official Proxmox Downloads page and download the latest version of Proxmox VE ISO Installer.

Save the ISO somewhere easy to find—you’ll need it in the next step when flashing your USB stick.

Step 2: Flash the ISO to a USB Stick

With the Proxmox VE ISO downloaded, it’s time to write it to your USB stick so you can boot and install it on your machine. There are a few tools that can handle this, depending on your operating system. Here are the easiest options:

I personally use balenaEtcher for flashing Proxmox. It’s cross-platform, straightforward, and I’ve never had a failed write using it. The process takes just a few minutes.

Here’s what it looks like when I use Etcher:

Etcher ready to flash — ISO selected and USB drive detected.

Etcher flashing the ISO to the USB stick. This usually takes 2–5 minutes.

Flash complete! You’re ready to plug the USB into your Proxmox machine.

With your USB stick ready to go, you’re all set for the next step — preparing your computer to boot into the Proxmox installer.

Step 3: Prepare the Computer

Now that your USB stick is ready, it’s time to set up the computer that will run Proxmox VE. This step involves plugging things in and making a few changes in the BIOS or UEFI settings.

Connect the Basics

• Insert your USB stick into the computer.
• Plug in a monitor and keyboard—this is only needed for setup; Proxmox can run headless afterwards.
• Connect the computer to your network using an Ethernet cable. (Wi-Fi support is limited and not recommended.)

Enter the BIOS/UEFI

Power on the computer and enter the BIOS or UEFI setup menu. The exact key varies by manufacturer—usually DEL, F2, F10, or F12. You may see a prompt like “Press F2 to enter setup” when the computer starts.

Recommended BIOS Settings

• Enable Virtualization: This is usually listed as Virtualization, Intel Virtualization Technology, or AMD-V. This option must be enabled to run virtual machines.
  
  
  
• Enable VT for Direct I/O (Optional): Often shown as VT-d or AMD-Vi. This is only needed if you plan to use PCI passthrough (e.g. assigning a GPU or USB controller directly to a VM). Safe to enable even if you don’t plan on using it right away.
  
  
  
• Disable Secure Boot: Proxmox uses a custom Linux kernel and doesn’t include a Microsoft-signed bootloader by default. If Secure Boot is enabled, your system may block the installer from running or cause boot issues after installation. Disabling Secure Boot ensures the system can boot Proxmox without restrictions.
  
  

Once these changes are made, save and exit the BIOS/UEFI. Your machine should reboot and begin loading the Proxmox installer from the USB stick.

Step 4: Install Proxmox VE

Once the Proxmox installer loads, you’ll be guided through a simple setup process. It only takes a few minutes to get everything installed and running.

1. Start the Installer

• Choose “Install Proxmox VE (Graphical)” from the boot menu.
  
  
• Accept the license agreement to proceed.
  
  

2. Select the Target Hard Disk

Choose the drive you want to install Proxmox on.

3. Set Your Location and Keyboard Layout

Select your country, time zone, and keyboard layout. This helps set accurate system time and language support.

4. Create a Root Password

• Enter a strong password for the root user. You’ll use this to log in to the Proxmox web interface later.
• Enter an email address to receive system alerts and notifications.
  
  

5. Configure the Network

• Choose a hostname, such as proxmox.local.
• If your network uses DHCP, it will automatically assign an IP address. You can also set a static IP if preferred.
  
  

6. Confirm and Install

Review your settings and click Install to begin. The installer will copy files and configure your system. This usually takes less than 10 minutes.

Once the installation completes, Proxmox will display a message showing the IP address of your new server — make a note of this. After a short countdown, the system will automatically reboot into Proxmox VE and you’ll be ready to log in via the web interface.

What You’ll See After Reboot

If you still have a monitor connected, you’ll see a brief blue GNU GRUB screen — this is normal. It automatically selects the Proxmox VE entry after a few seconds.

Then you’ll see a black terminal-style welcome screen showing system status, IP address, and login prompt. You don’t need to interact with this unless you plan to manage Proxmox locally via terminal — everything else is done through the web UI.

Step 5: Access the Proxmox Web Interface

Once installation is complete and your system reboots, you’ll be able to manage Proxmox entirely through your web browser. You won’t need to keep the monitor or keyboard connected after this point.

1. Open the Web Interface

On another computer connected to the same network, open a browser and go to:

https://[your-proxmox-ip]:8006

For example: https://10.0.0.149:8006

2. Log In

• Username: root
• Password: The one you created during installation
• Realm: Leave set to Linux PAM (local authentication)
  
  

Once logged in, you’ll be taken to the Proxmox dashboard where you can manage your host, create virtual machines and containers, upload ISOs, and more.

Step 6: First-Time Setup and System Updates

After logging into the web interface for the first time, you’ll be greeted by the Proxmox dashboard. It can look a little intimidating at first, but don’t worry I’ll walk you through exactly what to do.

On the left-hand side, you’ll see a panel with a tree-like structure. At the top is “Datacenter”, and below that is your Proxmox server, often named after the hostname you chose during installation.

Click on your Proxmox server name (this is called your node) to access settings and features specific to that machine. Once selected, you’ll see a new set of options appear in the right panel.

1. Run System Updates

From the right tab select Updates.

From here:

• Click Refresh to fetch the latest list of available updates.
• Once that completes, click Upgrade to begin installing them.
• A popup will appear showing the progress — just confirm any prompts and let it run.

After clicking Refresh, you may see some red error messages that look alarming at first. These are expected if you’re using Proxmox without a subscription.

Here’s a simplified version of what you might see:

E: Failed to fetch https://enterprise.proxmox.com/… 401 Unauthorized 
TASK ERROR: command 'apt-get update' failed: exit code 100

This happens because Proxmox is trying to fetch updates from the Enterprise repository, which requires a paid subscription. Since this guide is aimed at home or personal setups, you’re probably using the free version — and that’s totally fine.

You’ll still receive regular updates for:

• The Debian base system (security patches, core OS updates)
• Community-supported Proxmox packages

Right now, we’re only seeing errors related to the Proxmox-specific enterprise packages. To fix this, we’ll switch to the No-Subscription repository in the next step.

2. Switch to the Free (No-Subscription) Repository

By default, Proxmox is configured to use the Enterprise repository, which requires a paid license. Since you’re likely using the free version, you’ll get errors when trying to fetch Proxmox-specific updates — like the ones shown earlier.

To fix this, we’ll disable the enterprise repositories and enable the free community-supported one. This can be done entirely through the web interface:

How to Switch Repositories:

From the node settings list, select Repositories. By default, you’ll most likely see a list of five repositories.

The first three are Debian repositories, which provide core operating system updates. These can be left as they are.

The last two will usually include the word enterprise in the “Components” column. These are the ones we need to disable and replace.

Select each enterprise entry and click Disable. Once both are disabled, a red message will appear at the top of the screen saying:

No Proxmox VE repository is enabled, you do not get any updates!

This is completely normal at this stage. In the next step, we’ll add the free Proxmox repository so updates work correctly.

3. Add the No-Subscription Repo

Now that the enterprise repositories are disabled, we’ll add the free no-subscription version. This will allow Proxmox to fetch updates without showing errors or requiring a license.

To do this:

1. Click the Add button at the top of the Repositories tab.
2. In the popup, select No-Subscription Repository from the list.
3. Click Add to confirm.

You’ll now see a new repository appear in the list, usually ending with pve-no-subscription. This is the one Proxmox will now use to install updates.

Once added, return to the Updates tab and click Refresh, then click Upgrade to apply any remaining updates. This time, the update process should complete without any errors.

You’ve now completed the essential setup and made sure your system is ready to go. In the next step, we’ll upload an ISO and create your first virtual machine.

4. Upload ISOs and Create Your First VM

• In the Proxmox sidebar, click your node name.
• Go to Local > ISO Images, then click Upload.
• Upload an ISO (e.g., Debian, Ubuntu, Windows).
• Use Create VM in the top-right to launch your first virtual machine.

From here, you can explore containers (CTs), templates, backups, networking, and more — your Proxmox environment is now ready.