How to Install Proxmox on a Bare Metal Server

When it comes to managing virtual machines at home or in a lab, Proxmox is a solid choice. It’s a tool that helps you run many operating systems on one physical computer, also called a bare metal server. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how I installed Proxmox on my own hardware, and how you can do it too, even if this is your first time messing with servers.

If you’ve never heard of Proxmox, don’t worry—I’ll explain things as we go. I’ll keep everything simple and straightforward. No tech-jargon maze. Just you, your machine, and some helpful steps.

What is Proxmox?

Let’s break it down.

Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) is free software that turns a regular computer into a powerful virtualization host. That means you can run many different operating systems—like Linux, Windows, or even tiny versions of Linux called containers—all on the same machine.

You don’t need to buy expensive software or cloud plans. With Proxmox, your bare metal server becomes a cloud of your own.

A few words you might want to know:

Bare metal: This just means a real, physical computer/server (not a virtual one).
Virtual machine (VM): A fake computer running inside a real one.
ISO file: A file that holds everything needed to install a system, like a digital installer CD.
Web UI: A webpage where you can control your server, like a control panel.

Why I Use Proxmox

I first tried Proxmox when I got an old desktop and wanted to mess with different Linux flavors. Instead of reinstalling over and over, I used Proxmox to spin up virtual machines.

Here’s why I stuck with it:

It’s free and open-source.
It has a simple web interface (I can control everything from my browser).
It supports both VMs and containers.
It’s lightweight and fast.

It reminds me of building Lego sets—just much less painful when you step on it.

What You’ll Need

Before we start, let’s gather a few things. Here’s your grocery list:

A computer (aka bare metal server) with at least:
- 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more is better)
- Dual-core CPU (quad-core recommended)
- At least 32 GB of disk space (SSD preferred)
A USB drive (at least 2 GB)
A second computer to prepare the installer and access the server
An Ethernet cable and internet access
Some time and snacks (optional, but always a good idea)

Step-by-Step: How to Install Proxmox on Bare Metal

Let’s go step by step. Take your time, and don’t worry if something looks weird—it usually means we’re learning.

1. Download the Proxmox ISO

Go to the Proxmox downloads page and grab the latest ISO for Proxmox VE. It’ll be named something like:

proxmox-ve_7.x.iso

This ISO file is your installer.

2. Flash the ISO to a USB Drive

Now, we’ll write the ISO to your USB so your server can boot from it.

If you’re on Windows, use balenaEtcher. On Linux, you can use the dd command (be careful—it wipes your drive). I used balenaEtcher because it’s simple.

Steps:

Open Etcher.
Select the ISO file.
Pick your USB drive.
Click Flash.
Wait for it to finish.

Plug the USB into your server when it’s done.

3. Boot the Server from USB

Time to turn on the server. But we want it to start from the USB, not the hard drive.

Turn on the server.
Press the key to open the boot menu (usually F12, F2, Del, or Esc, depending on your computer).
Choose the USB drive.

You’ll see the Proxmox installer screen if all goes well.

4. Install Proxmox

Here’s the easy part.

Select Install Proxmox VE.
Accept the license agreement.
Choose the disk where you want Proxmox installed (it will erase everything on that disk).
Set your location, password, and email address (used for alerts).
Set your network settings. I usually use DHCP so it grabs an IP automatically.

Click Install, and it’ll do the rest.

After it finishes, it will tell you to remove the USB and press Enter to reboot.

5. Access the Web Interface

Now you’re done with the physical server. Head to your second computer.

Open a browser and go to:

https://your-server-ip:8006

You’ll see a warning about a security certificate. That’s normal. Click to continue anyway.

You should now see the Proxmox login screen. Woohoo!

Username: root
Password: the one you set earlier

Benefits of Using Proxmox on Bare Metal

Here’s what I love about it:

Full control: I can run many systems without touching the hardware.
Web access: I don’t need to sit at the server all day—I manage it from my browser.
Snapshots: I can “save” a VM’s state and roll back if I break something.
Fast restarts: I can test stuff without rebooting the whole machine.

It’s like having a digital workshop in one box.

Things to Try After Installing

Once you’re in the web interface, there’s a lot you can do. Here are a few ideas:

Set up a test VM

Create a virtual machine
Install Ubuntu or Debian
Try running a simple website or server

Explore containers

Containers use less memory than VMs
You can run apps like Nextcloud or Jellyfin

Add more storage

Mount an extra disk
Use a NAS or NFS share
Set up ZFS (if you’re feeling brave)

My First Mistakes (So You Don’t Repeat Them)

I made a few blunders on my first install:

Forgot to plug in Ethernet: Then wondered why I had no IP.
Typed the wrong password during install—twice.
Picked the wrong disk for install and wiped my main drive (ouch).

Double-check everything. Read each step. And don’t rush. Tech is like baking—skip a step, and you’ll end up with burnt cookies.

A Few Helpful Commands

If you like the command line, these are useful:

ip a — shows your IP address
reboot — restarts the server
pct list — lists containers
qm list — lists virtual machines

In Summary

Installing Proxmox on a bare metal server turns your server into a powerful machine that runs many systems at once. Whether you’re testing Linux, running game servers, or just having fun, it gives you a ton of freedom.

Once I got it set up, I couldn’t believe how handy it was. I run home services, experiment with operating systems, and even learn networking—all on one machine.

So, are you ready to turn your hardware into a playground of possibilities? Or maybe a zoo of VMs?

Either way, I hope this guide helps you get started without the headaches. And remember: Don’t forget your root password. Been there. Typed that.