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tbd, if possible, detailed answers should linked to internal wiki pages
<!--PVE_IMPORT_START_MARKER-->
 
<!-- Do not edit - this is autogenerated content -->
=General=
{{#pvedocs:pve-faq-plain.html}}
 
[[Category:Reference Documentation]]
=Installation and upgrade=
<pvehide>
 
New FAQs are appended to the bottom of this section.
==Where can I find installation instructions?==
What distribution is Proxmox VE based on?
:See [[Installation]]
Proxmox VE is based on Debian GNU/Linux
 
What license does the Proxmox VE project use?
=Networking=
Proxmox VE code is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License,
 
version 3.
=Troubleshooting=
Will Proxmox VE run on a 32bit processor?
 
Proxmox VE works only on 64-bit CPUs (AMD or Intel). There is no plan
==I can't switch virtual consoles in Linux KVM guests with alt-F1, alt-F2...==
for 32-bit for the platform.
 
VMs and Containers can be both 32-bit and 64-bit.
VNC viewer does not pass some key combinations or they may be intercepted by your operating system.
Does my CPU support virtualization?
 
To check if your CPU is virtualization compatible, check for the vmx
To send custom key combinations to the guest, go to "Monitor" in Virtual Machine Configuration for a given guest and use "sendkey" command.
or svm tag in this command output:
 
egrep '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo
For example, to switch to the third console (tty3) you would use:
Supported Intel CPUs
 
64-bit processors with
sendkey alt-f3
Intel
 
Virtualization Technology (Intel VT-x) support.
 
(List of processors with Intel VT and 64-bit)
==How can I send sysrq to Linux KVM guests?==
Supported AMD CPUs
 
64-bit processors with
Similarly to the above, go to "Monitor" in Virtual Machine Configuration for a given guest and use "sendkey" command.
AMD
 
Virtualization Technology (AMD-V) support.
For example, to issue "Emergency Sync", you would use:
What is a container/virtual environment (VE)/virtual private server (VPS)?
 
In the context of containers, these terms all refer to the concept of
  sendkey alt-sysrq-s
operating-system-level virtualization. Operating-system-level virtualization is
 
a method of virtualization, in which the kernel of an operating system
In the VNC viewer for the given guest you should see:
allows for multiple isolated instances, that all share the kernel. When
 
referring to LXC, we call such instances containers. Because containers use the
SysRq : Emergency Sync
host&#8217;s kernel rather than emulating a full operating system, they require less
 
overhead, but are limited to Linux guests.
You should also see this entry if you run "dmesg" on this guest.
What is a QEMU/KVM guest (or VM)?
 
A QEMU/KVM guest (or VM) is a guest system running virtualized under
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_SysRq_key for a full reference of possible combinations.
Proxmox VE using QEMU and the Linux KVM kernel module.
 
What is QEMU?
 
QEMU is a generic and open source machine emulator and
==How can I access Linux guests through a serial console?==
virtualizer. QEMU uses the Linux KVM kernel module to achieve near
 
native performance by executing the guest code directly on the host
Sometimes, it is necessary to access the guest through a serial console:
CPU.
* you lost network access to the guest and VNC is either too slow for you or don't have the features you need (i.e. easy copy/paste between other terminals)
It is not limited to Linux guests but allows arbitrary operating systems
* your guest freezes or kernel panics, you want to debug it, but it's impossible to capture all messages on VNC screen
to run.
* you are familiar with <code>xm console <guest></code> from Xen and you want to use a similar feature here
How long will my Proxmox VE version be supported?
 
Proxmox VE versions are supported at least as long as the corresponding
 
Debian Version is
The necessary steps are:
oldstable. Proxmox VE uses a
* on Proxmox VE host, in guest's configuration file in <code>/etc/qemu-server/<VMID>.conf</code> add:
rolling release model and using the latest stable version is always
 
recommended.
args: -serial unix:/var/run/qemu-server/<VMID>.serial,server,nowait
Proxmox VE Version
 
Debian Version
This will open console in <code>/var/run/qemu-server/<VMID>.serial</code> socket file, which can be accessed by minicom or other serial communication program.
First Release
 
Debian EOL
An alternative is to add:
  Proxmox EOL
 
Proxmox VE 8
args: -serial tcp:localhost:6000,server,nowait
Debian 12 (Bookworm)
 
2023-06
With this, you can connect to guest's serial console with telnet. Note that with telnet, any passwords will be visible on the screen.
tba
 
tba
 
Proxmox VE 7
* on guest, in /etc/inittab, look for lines similar to the ones below and make sure you have "ttyS0" there - this would be your serial console:
Debian 11 (Bullseye)
 
2021-07
5:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty5
2024-07
6:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty ttyS0
2024-07
 
Proxmox VE 6
If you want kernel messages to be shown on both serial and VGA consoles, you have to add a kernel parameter in your bootloader's configuration. For grub, it would be these "console" entries:
Debian 10 (Buster)
 
2019-07
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz root=LABEL=guest-root console=ttyS0 console=tty0
2022-09
 
2022-09
 
Proxmox VE 5
To access the guest from minicom, configure it to use a path such as <code>unix#/var/run/qemu-server/<VMID>.serial</code> in "cOnfigure Minicom -> Serial port setup -> Serial Device".
Debian 9 (Stretch)
 
2017-07
 
2020-07
To use multiple minicom configurations for several guests, create a file like /etc/minicom/minirc.someguest for each of your guests, with contents:
2020-07
 
Proxmox VE 4
pu port            unix#/var/run/qemu-server/<VMID>.serial
Debian 8 (Jessie)
pu minit
2015-10
pu mreset
2018-06
 
2018-06
 
Proxmox VE 3
Then, start the console with:
Debian 7 (Wheezy)
 
2013-05
minicom someguest
2016-04
 
2017-02
 
Proxmox VE 2
See also http://www.proxmox.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5615
Debian 6 (Squeeze)
2012-04
2014-05
2014-05
Proxmox VE 1
Debian 5 (Lenny)
2008-10
2012-03
2013-01
How can I upgrade Proxmox VE to the next point release?
Minor version upgrades, for example upgrading from Proxmox VE in version 7.1
to 7.2 or 7.3, can be done just like any normal update.
But you should still check the release notes
for any relevant noteable, or breaking change.
For the update itself use either the Web UI Node &#8594; Updates panel or
through the CLI with:
apt update
apt full-upgrade
Always ensure you correctly setup the
package repositories and only
continue with the actual upgrade if apt update did not hit any error.
How can I upgrade Proxmox VE to the next major release?
Major version upgrades, for example going from Proxmox VE 4.4 to 5.0, are also
supported.
They must be carefully planned and tested and should never be started without
having a current backup ready.
Although the specific upgrade steps depend on your respective setup, we provide
general instructions and advice of how a upgrade should be performed:
Upgrade from Proxmox VE 7 to 8
Upgrade from Proxmox VE 6 to 7
Upgrade from Proxmox VE 5 to 6
Upgrade from Proxmox VE 4 to 5
Upgrade from Proxmox VE 3 to 4
LXC vs LXD vs Proxmox Containers vs Docker
LXC is a userspace interface for the Linux kernel containment
features. Through a powerful API and simple tools, it lets Linux users
easily create and manage system containers. LXC, as well as the former
OpenVZ, aims at system virtualization. Thus, it allows you to run a
complete OS inside a container, where you log in using ssh, add users,
run apache, etc&#8230;
LXD is built on top of LXC to provide a new, better user
experience. Under the hood, LXD uses LXC through liblxc and its Go
binding to create and manage the containers. It&#8217;s basically an
alternative to LXC&#8217;s tools and distribution template system with the
added features that come from being controllable over the network.
Proxmox Containers are how we refer to containers that are created and managed
using the Proxmox Container Toolkit (pct). They also target system
virtualization and use LXC as the basis of the container offering. The
Proxmox Container Toolkit (pct) is tightly coupled with Proxmox VE. This means
that it is aware of cluster setups, and it can use the same network
and storage resources as QEMU virtual machines (VMs). You can even use the
Proxmox VE firewall, create and restore backups, or manage containers using
the HA framework. Everything can be controlled over the network using
the Proxmox VE API.
Docker aims at running a single application in an isolated, self-contained
environment. These are generally referred to as &#8220;Application Containers&#8221;, rather
than &#8220;System Containers&#8221;. You manage a Docker instance from the host, using the
Docker Engine command-line interface. It is not recommended to run docker
directly on your Proxmox VE host.
If you want to run application containers, for example, Docker images, it
is best to run them inside a Proxmox QEMU VM.
</pvehide>
<!--PVE_IMPORT_END_MARKER-->

Latest revision as of 14:11, 23 November 2023

Note New FAQs are appended to the bottom of this section.
  1. What distribution is Proxmox VE based on?

    Proxmox VE is based on Debian GNU/Linux

  2. What license does the Proxmox VE project use?

    Proxmox VE code is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License, version 3.

  3. Will Proxmox VE run on a 32bit processor?

    Proxmox VE works only on 64-bit CPUs (AMD or Intel). There is no plan for 32-bit for the platform.

    Note VMs and Containers can be both 32-bit and 64-bit.
  4. Does my CPU support virtualization?

    To check if your CPU is virtualization compatible, check for the vmx or svm tag in this command output:

    egrep '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo
  5. Supported Intel CPUs

    64-bit processors with Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT-x) support. (List of processors with Intel VT and 64-bit)

  6. Supported AMD CPUs

    64-bit processors with AMD Virtualization Technology (AMD-V) support.

  7. What is a container/virtual environment (VE)/virtual private server (VPS)?

    In the context of containers, these terms all refer to the concept of operating-system-level virtualization. Operating-system-level virtualization is a method of virtualization, in which the kernel of an operating system allows for multiple isolated instances, that all share the kernel. When referring to LXC, we call such instances containers. Because containers use the host’s kernel rather than emulating a full operating system, they require less overhead, but are limited to Linux guests.

  8. What is a QEMU/KVM guest (or VM)?

    A QEMU/KVM guest (or VM) is a guest system running virtualized under Proxmox VE using QEMU and the Linux KVM kernel module.

  9. What is QEMU?

    QEMU is a generic and open source machine emulator and virtualizer. QEMU uses the Linux KVM kernel module to achieve near native performance by executing the guest code directly on the host CPU. It is not limited to Linux guests but allows arbitrary operating systems to run.

  10. How long will my Proxmox VE version be supported?

    Proxmox VE versions are supported at least as long as the corresponding Debian Version is oldstable. Proxmox VE uses a rolling release model and using the latest stable version is always recommended.

    Proxmox VE Version Debian Version First Release Debian EOL Proxmox EOL

    Proxmox VE 8

    Debian 12 (Bookworm)

    2023-06

    tba

    tba

    Proxmox VE 7

    Debian 11 (Bullseye)

    2021-07

    2024-07

    2024-07

    Proxmox VE 6

    Debian 10 (Buster)

    2019-07

    2022-09

    2022-09

    Proxmox VE 5

    Debian 9 (Stretch)

    2017-07

    2020-07

    2020-07

    Proxmox VE 4

    Debian 8 (Jessie)

    2015-10

    2018-06

    2018-06

    Proxmox VE 3

    Debian 7 (Wheezy)

    2013-05

    2016-04

    2017-02

    Proxmox VE 2

    Debian 6 (Squeeze)

    2012-04

    2014-05

    2014-05

    Proxmox VE 1

    Debian 5 (Lenny)

    2008-10

    2012-03

    2013-01

  11. How can I upgrade Proxmox VE to the next point release?

    Minor version upgrades, for example upgrading from Proxmox VE in version 7.1 to 7.2 or 7.3, can be done just like any normal update. But you should still check the release notes for any relevant noteable, or breaking change.

    For the update itself use either the Web UI Node → Updates panel or through the CLI with:

    apt update
    apt full-upgrade
    Note Always ensure you correctly setup the package repositories and only continue with the actual upgrade if apt update did not hit any error.
  12. How can I upgrade Proxmox VE to the next major release?

    Major version upgrades, for example going from Proxmox VE 4.4 to 5.0, are also supported. They must be carefully planned and tested and should never be started without having a current backup ready.

    Although the specific upgrade steps depend on your respective setup, we provide general instructions and advice of how a upgrade should be performed:

  13. LXC vs LXD vs Proxmox Containers vs Docker

    LXC is a userspace interface for the Linux kernel containment features. Through a powerful API and simple tools, it lets Linux users easily create and manage system containers. LXC, as well as the former OpenVZ, aims at system virtualization. Thus, it allows you to run a complete OS inside a container, where you log in using ssh, add users, run apache, etc…

    LXD is built on top of LXC to provide a new, better user experience. Under the hood, LXD uses LXC through liblxc and its Go binding to create and manage the containers. It’s basically an alternative to LXC’s tools and distribution template system with the added features that come from being controllable over the network.

    Proxmox Containers are how we refer to containers that are created and managed using the Proxmox Container Toolkit (pct). They also target system virtualization and use LXC as the basis of the container offering. The Proxmox Container Toolkit (pct) is tightly coupled with Proxmox VE. This means that it is aware of cluster setups, and it can use the same network and storage resources as QEMU virtual machines (VMs). You can even use the Proxmox VE firewall, create and restore backups, or manage containers using the HA framework. Everything can be controlled over the network using the Proxmox VE API.

    Docker aims at running a single application in an isolated, self-contained environment. These are generally referred to as “Application Containers”, rather than “System Containers”. You manage a Docker instance from the host, using the Docker Engine command-line interface. It is not recommended to run docker directly on your Proxmox VE host.

    Note If you want to run application containers, for example, Docker images, it is best to run them inside a Proxmox QEMU VM.