Prepare Installation Media: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 14:11, 23 November 2023

Download the installer ISO image from: https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads/proxmox-virtual-environment/iso

The Proxmox VE installation media is a hybrid ISO image. It works in two ways:

An ISO image file ready to burn to a CD or DVD.
A raw sector (IMG) image file ready to copy to a USB flash drive (USB stick).

Using a USB flash drive to install Proxmox VE is the recommended way because it is the faster option.

Prepare a USB Flash Drive as Installation Medium

The flash drive needs to have at least 1 GB of storage available.

Do not use UNetbootin. It does not work with the Proxmox VE installation image.

Make sure that the USB flash drive is not mounted and does not contain any important data.

Instructions for GNU/Linux

On Unix-like operating system use the dd command to copy the ISO image to the USB flash drive. First find the correct device name of the USB flash drive (see below). Then run the dd command.

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

Be sure to replace /dev/XYZ with the correct device name and adapt the input filename (if) path.

Be very careful, and do not overwrite the wrong disk!

Find the Correct USB Device Name

There are two ways to find out the name of the USB flash drive. The first one is to compare the last lines of the dmesg command output before and after plugging in the flash drive. The second way is to compare the output of the lsblk command. Open a terminal and run:

# lsblk

Then plug in your USB flash drive and run the command again:

# lsblk

A new device will appear. This is the one you want to use. To be on the extra safe side check if the reported size matches your USB flash drive.

Instructions for macOS

Open the terminal (query Terminal in Spotlight).

Convert the .iso file to .dmg format using the convert option of hdiutil, for example:

# hdiutil convert proxmox-ve_*.iso -format UDRW -o proxmox-ve_*.dmg

macOS tends to automatically add .dmg to the output file name.

To get the current list of devices run the command:

# diskutil list

Now insert the USB flash drive and run this command again to determine which device node has been assigned to it. (e.g., /dev/diskX).

# diskutil list
# diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX

replace X with the disk number from the last command.

# sudo dd if=proxmox-ve_*.dmg bs=1M of=/dev/rdiskX

rdiskX, instead of diskX, in the last command is intended. It will increase the write speed.

Instructions for Windows

Using Etcher

Etcher works out of the box. Download Etcher from https://etcher.io. It will guide you through the process of selecting the ISO and your USB flash drive.

Using Rufus

Rufus is a more lightweight alternative, but you need to use the DD mode to make it work. Download Rufus from https://rufus.ie/. Either install it or use the portable version. Select the destination drive and the Proxmox VE ISO file.

Once you Start you have to click No on the dialog asking to download a different version of GRUB. In the next dialog select the DD mode.

Boot your Server from the USB Flash Drive

Connect the USB flash drive to your server and make sure that booting from USB is enabled (check your servers firmware settings). Then follow the steps in the installation wizard.

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-{{#pvedocs:pve-usbstick-plain.html}}
+{{#pvedocs:pve-installation-media-plain.html}}
 [[Category:Reference Documentation]]
 <pvehide>
-The Proxmox VE installation media is now a hybrid ISO image, working in two
+Download the installer ISO image from: https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads/proxmox-virtual-environment/iso
-ways:
+The Proxmox VE installation media is a hybrid ISO image. It works in two ways:
-An ISO image file ready to burn on CD
+An ISO image file ready to burn to a CD or DVD.
-A raw sector (IMG) image file ready to directly copy to flash media
+A raw sector (IMG) image file ready to copy to a USB flash drive (USB stick).
-  (USB Stick)
+Using a USB flash drive to install Proxmox VE is the recommended way because it is
-Using USB sticks is faster and more environmental friendly and
+the faster option.
-therefore the recommended way to install Proxmox VE.
+Prepare a USB Flash Drive as Installation Medium
-Prepare a USB flash drive as install medium
+The flash drive needs to have at least 1 GB of storage available.
-In order to boot the installation media, copy the ISO image to a USB
+Do not use UNetbootin. It does not work with the Proxmox VE installation image.
-media.
+Make sure that the USB flash drive is not mounted and does not
-First download the ISO image from
-https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads/category/iso-images-pve
-You need at least a 1 GB USB media.
-Using UNetbootin or Rufus does not work.
-Make sure that the USB media is not mounted and does not
 contain any important data.
 Instructions for GNU/Linux
-You can simply use dd on UNUX like systems. First download the ISO
+On Unix-like operating system use the dd command to copy the ISO image to the
-image, then plug in the USB stick. You need to find out what device
+USB flash drive. First find the correct device name of the USB flash drive (see
-name gets assigned to the USB stick (see below). Then run:
+below). Then run the dd command.
-dd if=proxmox-ve_*.iso of=/dev/XYZ bs=1M
+# dd bs=1M conv=fdatasync if=./proxmox-ve_*.iso of=/dev/XYZ
-Be sure to replace /dev/XYZ with the correct device name.
+Be sure to replace /dev/XYZ with the correct device name and adapt the
-Be very careful, and do not overwrite the hard disk!
+input filename (if) path.
-Find Correct USB Device Name
+Be very careful, and do not overwrite the wrong disk!
-You can compare the last lines of dmesg command before and after the
+Find the Correct USB Device Name
-insertion, or use the lsblk command. Open a terminal and run:
+There are two ways to find out the name of the USB flash drive. The first one is
- lsblk
+to compare the last lines of the dmesg command output before and after
-Then plug in your USB media and run the command again:
+plugging in the flash drive. The second way is to compare the output of the
- lsblk
+lsblk command. Open a terminal and run:
-A new device will appear, and this is the USB device you want to use.
+# lsblk
-Instructions for OSX
+Then plug in your USB flash drive and run the command again:
+# lsblk
+A new device will appear. This is the one you want to use. To be on the extra
+safe side check if the reported size matches your USB flash drive.
+Instructions for macOS
 Open the terminal (query Terminal in Spotlight).
-Convert the .iso file to .img using the convert option of hdiutil for example.
+Convert the .iso file to .dmg format using the convert option of hdiutil,
-hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o proxmox-ve_*.dmg proxmox-ve_*.iso
+for example:
-OS X tends to put the .dmg ending on the output file automatically.
+# hdiutil convert proxmox-ve_*.iso -format UDRW -o proxmox-ve_*.dmg
-To get the current list of devices run the command again:
+macOS tends to automatically add .dmg to the output file name.
-diskutil list
+To get the current list of devices run the command:
-Now insert your USB flash media and run this command again to
+# diskutil list
-determine the device node assigned to your flash media
+Now insert the USB flash drive and run this command again to determine which
-(e.g. /dev/diskX).
+device node has been assigned to it. (e.g., /dev/diskX).
-diskutil list
+# diskutil list
-diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX
+# diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX
 replace X with the disk number from the last command.
-sudo dd if=proxmox-ve_*.dmg of=/dev/rdiskN bs=1m
+# sudo dd if=proxmox-ve_*.dmg bs=1M of=/dev/rdiskX
+rdiskX, instead of diskX, in the last command is intended. It will
+increase the write speed.
 Instructions for Windows
-In order to copy the ISO, rename it first. Just rename the downloaded
+Using Etcher
-file from proxmox-ve_*.iso to proxmox-ve_*.raw.
+Etcher works out of the box. Download Etcher from https://etcher.io. It will
-Download the SUSE Studio ImageWriter from https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Live_USB_stick
+guide you through the process of selecting the ISO and your USB flash drive.
-If this doesn’t work, alternative use the OSForsenics USB
+Using Rufus
-installer from http://www.osforensics.com/portability.html
+Rufus is a more lightweight alternative, but you need to use the DD mode to
-Boot your server from USB media
+make it work. Download Rufus from https://rufus.ie/. Either install it or use
-Connect your USB media to your server and make sure that the server
+the portable version. Select the destination drive and the Proxmox VE ISO file.
-boots from USB (see server BIOS). Then follow the installation wizard.
+Once you Start you have to click No on the dialog asking to
+download a different version of GRUB. In the next dialog select the DD mode.
+Boot your Server from the USB Flash Drive
+Connect the USB flash drive to your server and make sure that booting from USB
+is enabled (check your servers firmware settings). Then follow the steps in the
+installation wizard.
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