Proxmox Guides

How to Install Proxmox VE 9 on a Mini PC

From a blank mini PC or old desktop to the Proxmox web interface in about 30 minutes. Every other Proxmox guide on this site starts where this one ends.

By Brandon Sheley · Updated Oct 30, 2026

Short answer: download the Proxmox VE ISO, write it to a USB drive (Etcher, or Rufus in DD mode), turn on virtualization in the BIOS and boot from the USB. In the installer, pick the disk and file system (ext4 for one disk, ZFS for a mirror), set a password, email and static IP, and install. Then open https://your-ip:8006, log in as root, and switch to the free no-subscription update repository.

Current release: Proxmox VE 9.2, built on Debian 13 "Trixie". See Proxmox release notes for what changed.

What You Need

A 64-bit machine with virtualization support (Intel VT-x or AMD-V). Proxmox's bare minimum is 1GB of RAM plus what your VMs need. It recommends at least 2GB for Proxmox itself, plus about 1GB per TB of storage if you use ZFS. In practice, 8-16GB is a comfortable start.
An SSD for Proxmox and your VMs. Proxmox recommends SSDs, ideally with power-loss protection, for VM storage (see used enterprise SSDs). A plain consumer SSD is fine to start.
A wired network connection. Proxmox needs a cable; don't plan on Wi-Fi.
A USB drive bigger than the ISO (about 2GB). Everything on it will be erased.
A second computer on the same network to use the web interface after install.

Don't have the hardware yet? An Intel N100 mini PC or a used OptiPlex Micro is the usual starting point. N100 mini PCs on my tracker start at $190 today, and the full mini PC price tracker has 65 listings. See best mini PC for Proxmox and used OptiPlex vs mini PC for how to pick.

Step 1: BIOS Settings

Enable Intel VT-x / AMD-V (often called "Virtualization Technology" or "SVM Mode"). Without it, VMs won't start.
Enable VT-d / AMD-Vi (IOMMU) if you'll pass a GPU, NIC or drive controller through to a VM later.
Set the USB drive first in the boot order, or use the one-time boot menu (often F12 on Dell and Lenovo, F9 on HP).
Secure Boot: Proxmox VE 8.1 and newer can boot with it on. Older releases needed it off.

Step 2: Make the Install USB

Download the latest Proxmox VE ISO from the official Proxmox downloads page, then write it to the USB drive:

Windows: Etcher works with no extra settings. In Rufus, decline the offer to download a different GRUB version, then choose DD mode when asked. Proxmox's docs say not to use UNetbootin.
Linux: find the USB device with lsblk before and after plugging it in, then write it with dd. Double-check the device name, because dd will overwrite whatever disk you give it.

dd bs=1M conv=fdatasync if=./proxmox-ve_*.iso of=/dev/sdX

Step 3: Run the Installer

Boot from the USB and choose Install Proxmox VE (Graphical). If the screen stays black, reboot and try the terminal UI option instead.
Accept the EULA and pick the target disk. The installer wipes the whole disk.
Under Options, pick the file system (see the table below).
Set country, time zone and keyboard. The country picks a nearby update mirror.
Set the root password (12+ characters recommended) and an email address for system alerts.
Set the network. Pick the wired NIC, a hostname like pve1.home.lan, and a static IP on your LAN that your router won't hand to anything else, with your router as the gateway and DNS.
Review the summary, click Install, remove the USB when it finishes, and let it reboot.

File system	Pick it when
ext4 (default)	One disk, simplest setup, most free RAM. VMs go on LVM-thin.
ZFS (RAID1 mirror)	Two disks you want mirrored, or you want snapshots and replication between nodes. Uses RAM for its cache. Never put it on a hardware RAID controller.
xfs	Like ext4, on LVM. No real advantage for a homelab.
btrfs	A technology preview in Proxmox. Skip it for anything you care about.

More detail on the trade-offs: ZFS vs LVM-thin on Proxmox.

From another computer, open https://the-ip-you-set:8006. Note the https and port 8006. Accept the self-signed certificate warning, then log in as root with the Linux PAM realm and your password. A "No valid subscription" notice appears at login; it's informational, and everything works without one.

Check the node's IP, hostname and time zone under the node's System settings before you build anything on it.

Step 5: Switch to the Free Update Repository

A fresh install points at the enterprise repository, which needs a subscription, so updates fail until you change it. The easy way is in the web UI: select your node, then Updates → Repositories. Disable the enterprise entries and add No-Subscription. On Proxmox VE 9 the files use the newer .sources format; the no-subscription entry in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/proxmox.sources looks like this:

Types: deb
URIs: http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve
Suites: trixie
Components: pve-no-subscription
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/proxmox-archive-keyring.gpg

To disable the enterprise repository by hand, add Enabled: no to its entry in pve-enterprise.sources. Then update from the node's shell:

apt update
apt full-upgrade

Proxmox notes the no-subscription repository isn't recommended for production servers; for a homelab it's the normal choice. The community post-install script can make these changes for you, but it's worth doing once by hand so you know what changed. Ongoing updates: updating Proxmox from the command line.

Common Install Problems

Can't reach :8006 after install: the installer may have picked the wrong NIC, or the static IP is outside your LAN's range. Log in at the console and check ip a and /etc/network/interfaces.
"KVM virtualisation configured, but not available": VT-x / AMD-V is off in the BIOS.
Black screen in the graphical installer: use the terminal UI install option instead.
USB won't boot: rewrite it in DD mode (not ISO mode in Rufus) and check the boot order.
Updates fail with a 401 error: the enterprise repository is still enabled. Redo Step 5.

What to Run First

Pi-hole or AdGuard Home: network-wide ad blocking in a small LXC container. A good first service.
Docker on Proxmox: run your containers in an LXC or a VM.
Home Assistant OS as a VM.
Proxmox Backup Server, before you have anything you'd hate to lose.
Not sure whether to use a container or a VM? See LXC vs VM on Proxmox. Adding a second box? See building a mini PC cluster.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install Proxmox VE?

Download the Proxmox VE ISO, write it to a USB drive with Etcher or Rufus in DD mode, and boot the computer from it. In the installer, pick the target disk and file system, set your country, root password, email and a static IP address, and install. Then open https://your-ip:8006 in a browser and log in as root.

What are the minimum requirements for Proxmox VE?

Proxmox lists a 64-bit CPU with Intel VT or AMD-V, 1GB of RAM plus whatever your VMs need, one disk and one network card as the bare minimum for evaluation. It recommends at least 2GB for Proxmox itself, about 1GB more per TB of storage when you use ZFS or Ceph, and SSD storage. An 8GB-16GB mini PC is a comfortable start for a homelab.

Should I use ext4 or ZFS when installing Proxmox?

Use ext4, the installer default, on a single disk if you want the simplest setup and the most free RAM. Use ZFS if you have two disks to mirror or want snapshots and replication between nodes, and leave it some RAM for its cache. Don't use ZFS on top of a hardware RAID controller.

Is Proxmox VE free?

Yes. Proxmox VE is open source under the AGPLv3 and every feature is available without paying. A subscription adds the tested enterprise update repository and support; without one, you switch to the free no-subscription repository and see a subscription notice at login.

How do I access Proxmox after installing it?

Open https://the-ip-you-set:8006 in a browser from another computer on the same network, accept the self-signed certificate warning, and log in as root with the Linux PAM realm and the password you chose during install.