View source for Developer Workstations with Proxmox VE and X11

== Introduction ==
Proxmox VE is primarily used as virtualization platform with NO additional software installed. In some case it makes sense to have a full desktop running on Proxmox VE, for example for developers using Proxmox VE as their primary workstation/desktop.

Installing additional packages could lead to a hardly upgradeable system and is not supported from the Proxmox support team and therefore only for expert use.

== Install a standard Proxmox VE system ==
Just install the standard Proxmox VE, following this guide: [[Installation]]

Custom installations: [[Install Proxmox VE on Debian Buster]]

== Install X-windows ==

Update your repository and system by running:
 apt update && apt dist-upgrade

I choose xfce4 desktop as this a lightweight desktop environment. If you prefer another one, just replace xfce4 with lxde, gnome, icewm, kde, ...

 apt install xfce4 chromium lightdm

== Start X-windows ==
Before starting the x-windows, create a normal user with:

 # adduser newusername

Start the login manager:

 systemctl start lightdm

or just reboot.

== Optional: Mate Desktop ==
Install  Proxmox VE as described above.

install from Debian repository.
 apt install mate chromium lightdm

== Optional: NVidia Drivers ==
 # tested proxmox 6.2

 # nouveau was faulting system. blacklist or unload driver 
 # lspci -k |grep VGA
 # add 0000: to unbind driver.
 # echo "0000:24:00.0" > /sys/bus/pci/drivers/nouveau/unbind

 # blacklist 
 echo "blacklist nouveau" >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

 # /etc/apt/sources.list
 # Proxmox VE pve-no-subscription repository provided by proxmox.com,
 # NOT recommended for production use
 deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm pve-no-subscription




 # enable non-free
 cat <<EOF >>/etc/apt/sources.list
 deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
 deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
 
 deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
 deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
 
 deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
 deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
 EOF


 # install the headers and nvidia-drivers
 apt update
 apt install pve-headers
 apt install  nvidia-driver

Note: [https://askubuntu.com/questions/1129516/black-screen-at-boot-after-nvidia-driver-installation-on-ubuntu-18-04-2-lts black-screen-at-boot-after-nvidia-driver-installation]
 apt purge nvidia*
 apt install nvidia-driver
 init 6


[[Category: HOWTO]][[Category: Installation]]