Outcome
You will reach the Proxmox VE management screen on a dedicated, compatible x86-64 lab host. This is an installation on your own verified hardware; no PebbleRack product compatibility is implied.
Before you start
The Proxmox installer removes all existing data from selected drives. Make a separate backup of anything important, test that you can read it, and disconnect drives that are not installation targets. Write down each target drive's manufacturer, capacity, and serial number. Keep a monitor and keyboard available for local recovery. Have a wired network, a planned static management IP, prefix, gateway, DNS resolver, and a hostname that resolves on your network. Check CPU, RAM, storage, and firmware against the official installation requirements. These instructions are scoped to a supported x86-64 host; do not infer support for planned PebbleRack hardware.
Steps
- Get the current installer from Proxmox. Use the official downloads page and its published verification information. Avoid third-party images. Prepare installation USB media using the method appropriate to your computer in Proxmox's installation guide. Writing the image erases the USB stick, so identify it by capacity and device path before proceeding.
- Boot the installer locally. Select the installation media in the firmware boot menu. If it does not boot, consult Proxmox's firmware and boot notes rather than changing storage settings at random. Ensure the target is the machine you intended to erase.
- Verify the installation target twice. On the disk selection screen, compare capacity and identifier with your written inventory. If there is any ambiguity, stop, power off, and disconnect other drives. Pick a filesystem only after reading guide 12's storage tradeoffs. The default layout is acceptable for a first disposable lab; ZFS choices require separate drive and memory planning.
- Enter location and management settings. Set the timezone, secure root password, and a reachable management address. Record the address and hostname in a private lab inventory. Keep the management interface on your trusted LAN, not exposed through router port forwarding.
- Finish and reboot. Remove the USB installer. From another device on the same trusted network, open
https://<management-ip>:8006. A local certificate warning can appear before you configure trusted certificates. Verify you reached your host before entering credentials. Log in as root in the PAM realm using the password you chose. - Update deliberately. Proxmox documents Enterprise and public repositories. Select the repository appropriate to your subscription and risk tolerance, then apply updates using the documented interface. Do not assume a repository is enabled correctly merely because the dashboard loads. Schedule reboots when no guest workload depends on the host.
Check it worked
The web interface names the expected node, the management address matches your plan, storage is visible, and the host can resolve names and reach its configured update repository. Record the installed version and date.
If it fails or rollback
If the web UI is unreachable, use the local console to inspect the IP, gateway, cabling, and hostname. Do not reinstall until you know whether this is a network issue. There is no in-place rollback of an erased disk; restore preexisting data from the separate backup onto the correct destination only after confirming its identity.
Safety and data notes
The selected installation disks are destructive targets. Keep backups and installer media separate. Do not publish the management address, password, or network diagram. A single Proxmox host is a single point of failure until recovery is tested.
Sources
Official Proxmox pages checked 2026-09-29: installation, media, target warning, and management login, downloads, package repositories and updates.
Next guide
Continue with guide 11 to confirm the management network and bridge before creating guests.