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-get update && apt-get 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-get install xfce4 chromium lightdm

Start X-windows

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

# useradd newusername

Start the login manager:

systemctl start lightdm

or just reboot.

Optional: Linux Mint Mate Desktop

Install Proxmox VE as described above.

install from Debian repository.

apt-get install mate

or install the linuxmit packages see below.

Update Apt Sources List

 echo "deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org jessie main non-free" >>/etc/apt/sources.list.d/mint.list
 echo "deb http://packages.linuxmint.com betsy main" >>/etc/apt/sources.list.d/mint.list
 echo "deb http://extra.linuxmint.com betsy main" >>/etc/apt/sources.list.d/mint.list

Add Keyring

Run the following one at a time

 apt-get update 
 apt-get install deb-multimedia-keyring
 apt-get install linuxmint-keyring
 apt-get install debian-archive-keyring
 apt-get update
 apt-get dist-upgrade

Install Mate Desktop

 # tested proxmox 5.3

 apt-get update
 apt-get install mate-desktop-environment xorg lightdm

 # apt-get install mint-backgrounds-debian
 # apt-get install X11vnc
 # reboot

NVidia Drivers

# tested proxmox 5.3

# 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
# PVE pve-no-subscription repository provided by proxmox.com,
# NOT recommended for production use
# deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve stretch pve-no-subscription

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

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security/ stretch/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian-security/ stretch/updates main contrib non-free

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-updates main contrib non-free
EOF

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