The Proxmox installer has finished – now what? That is exactly where this guide starts. In seven clear steps you set up Proxmox VE 9 after installation so your server is up to date, uses all of its storage for VMs and receives updates without a subscription. Every step contains the exact click path, commands to copy and a “Done when …” check so you know it worked.
The guide is written for your server at MagicHosting – used privately, in a homelab or as a playground for your own VMs and LXC containers. It works just the same on any other freshly installed Proxmox VE 9.
What you need
- Proxmox VE 9, installed from ISO via the MagicHosting customer panel
- Access to the MagicHosting customer panel
- Your server’s IP address
- The root password you chose during installation
- An up-to-date browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari)
Why the no-subscription repository?
Proxmox VE is open source and free of charge. You get updates without a subscription through the no-subscription repository. It is the same software, just without vendor support and with packages that are tested for a slightly shorter time. That is a great fit for private servers and homelabs. For production use in companies, Proxmox recommends a subscription with access to the enterprise repository.
| Enterprise repository | No-subscription repository | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | paid subscription | free |
| Packages | tested especially long | same software, tested for less time |
| Vendor support | yes (depending on plan) | no, community forum |
| Usable without subscription | no (“401 Unauthorized” error) | yes |
| Suited for | companies, production clusters | private servers, homelabs, testing |
Overview: 7 steps to a ready-to-use server
| Step | What happens | Click path |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eject the ISO and start Proxmox | Customer panel › Tools › Unmount ISO |
| 2 | Enterprise off, no-subscription on | Node › Updates › Repositories |
| 3 | Refresh and upgrade | Node › Updates |
| 4 | Delete LVM-thin “data” | Node › Disks › LVM-Thin |
| 5 | Grow the root volume | Node › Shell (two commands) |
| 6 | Allow VM disks on “local” | Datacenter › Storage › local › Edit |
| 7 | Set DNS servers | Node › System › DNS |
Step 1: Eject the ISO and start Proxmox
After the installation, the Proxmox ISO is still inserted in the server as a virtual DVD. As long as it is there, the server keeps booting into the installer instead of your freshly installed system.
- Let the installer run until “Installation successful!” appears. The server then restarts automatically.
- Open your server in the MagicHosting customer panel and unmount (eject) the ISO under Tools.
- Restart the server: Stop, then Start. The console shows the address of the web interface.
- Open
https://YOUR-IP:8006in your browser. The certificate warning is normal (Proxmox starts with a self-signed certificate): continue to the page via Advanced. - Log in as root with the password from the installation. Keep the realm Linux PAM standard authentication.
Welcome to the Proxmox Virtual Environment. Please use your web browser to
configure this server - connect to:
https://YOUR-IP:8006/Step 2: Disable the enterprise repository, enable no-subscription
The enterprise repositories only work with a subscription. Without one, updates fail with “401 Unauthorized”. So you switch them off and use the free no-subscription repository instead.
- Click your node on the left, for example node01, then Updates › Repositories.
- Select the line with ceph-squid and enterprise and click Disable at the top.
- Select the line pve-enterprise and click Disable as well.
- Click Add.
- Choose No-Subscription under Repository and confirm with Add.
You get updates for Proxmox VE
The no-subscription repository is not recommended for production use!The yellow notice is simply part of private use – it only reminds you that the enterprise repository is meant for companies.
Step 3: Install updates (refresh and upgrade)
Proxmox now fetches every update released since the installation ISO. Refresh loads the package list, Upgrade installs the packages.
- Click your node on the left and open Updates.
- Click Refresh and confirm the “No valid subscription” notice with OK. Close the window once it says TASK OK.
- Click Upgrade. A console opens and lists all packages that will be updated.
- At “Do you want to continue? [Y/n]” type
yand press Enter. - Close the console when it is done. If a proxmox-kernel package was included, click Reboot at the top right so the new kernel starts.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] yStep 4: Delete the LVM-thin pool “data” (remove local-lvm)
The installer splits the disk into three parts: the system (root), swap and a thin pool called data, which appears as the local-lvm storage in the interface. You delete the thin pool so its space benefits the system – and therefore your VMs – in the next step.
- Click your node on the left, then Disks › LVM-Thin.
- Select the line data and click More at the top right.
- Choose Destroy.
- Type
pve/datato confirm. - Untick Cleanup Disks. Keep Cleanup Storage Configuration ticked.
- Click Remove and wait until the task has finished.
| Point in time | Contents of the volume group “pve” |
|---|---|
| After installation | swap · root · data (thin pool) |
| After step 4 | swap · root · free, unused space |
| After step 5 | swap · root (+100 % FREE for root) |
Step 5: Grow the root volume (lvextend and resize2fs)
The thin pool’s space is free now but does not belong to anything yet. Two commands hand it to the system (root) – while the server is running, without a reboot.
- Click your node on the left and open Shell.
- Type
lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/pve/rootand press Enter. The root volume receives all of the free space. - Type
resize2fs /dev/pve/rootand press Enter. The file system grows to the new size. - Check with
df -h /. Size now shows almost the entire disk size.
lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/pve/root
resize2fs /dev/pve/root
df -h /Size of logical volume pve/root changed from … to ….
Logical volume pve/root successfully resized.
Filesystem at /dev/pve/root is mounted on /; on-line resizing required
The filesystem on /dev/pve/root is now … (4k) blocks long.What the commands mean: lvextend enlarges the logical volume, -l +100%FREE means “take all free space of the volume group”. resize2fs then grows the ext4 file system to the new size – without it, the system would not know about the additional space.
Step 6: Allow VM disks and containers on the “local” storage
Without local-lvm, VMs and containers need a new home. The local storage lives on the now large root volume (directory /var/lib/vz), but by default only holds ISOs, templates, backups and imports. Two checkboxes change that.
- Click Datacenter at the very top left, then Storage.
- Select the line local and click Edit.
- Under Content, additionally tick Disk image (VM disks) and Container (LXC). Keep the other boxes.
- Save with OK.
| Checkbox in the interface | Used for | Internal name |
|---|---|---|
| Disk image | disks of your VMs | images |
| Container | file systems of your LXC containers | rootdir |
| ISO image | installation media | iso |
| Container template | templates for LXC containers | vztmpl |
| Backup | backups (vzdump) | backup |
| Import | imported disks and appliances | import |
| Snippets | cloud-init and hook files | snippets |
Step 7: Set the DNS servers (1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8)
So that your server reliably resolves addresses such as download.proxmox.com, you set fixed DNS servers: 1.1.1.1 from Cloudflare and 8.8.8.8 from Google.
- Click your node on the left, then System › DNS.
- Click Edit.
- Enter
pve.orgas Search domain. - Enter
1.1.1.1as DNS server 1. - Enter
8.8.8.8as DNS server 2. Leave DNS server 3 empty. - Save with OK. The setting applies immediately, without a reboot.
- Optional check: type
cat /etc/resolv.confin the shell. It shows exactly these three values.
search pve.org
nameserver 1.1.1.1
nameserver 8.8.8.8Done: your checklist
Your Proxmox is up to date, uses all of its storage and is ready for your first VMs and containers.
- ISO ejected, Proxmox boots
- Login at
https://YOUR-IP:8006works - Enterprise repositories (pve and Ceph) disabled
- No-subscription repository added
- Refresh and upgrade completed
- LVM-thin “data” deleted
lvextendandresize2fsexecuted- local: Disk image and Container enabled
- DNS: pve.org, 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8
Cheat sheet
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Web interface | https://YOUR-IP:8006 |
| User name | root |
| Realm | Linux PAM standard authentication |
| Search domain | pve.org |
| DNS server 1 | 1.1.1.1 |
| DNS server 2 | 8.8.8.8 |
lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/pve/root
resize2fs /dev/pve/root
df -h /Troubleshooting: errors and fixes
| What you see | What helps |
|---|---|
| The installer starts again after the restart | The ISO is still mounted. Unmount it under Tools in the customer panel, then restart. |
| The web interface does not load | Proxmox only answers via https on port 8006: https://YOUR-IP:8006 – not http:// and not without the port. |
| Refresh reports “401 Unauthorized” | An enterprise repository is still enabled. Check step 2. |
| Refresh reports “Temporary failure resolving” | DNS is missing. Complete step 7 and repeat the refresh. |
resize2fs reports “Bad magic number” | The system uses XFS. Run xfs_growfs / instead. |
| local is missing as a target when creating a VM | Disk image is not ticked for local. Check step 6. |
What’s next?
- Create your first VM: with a cloud-init template, VirtIO hardware and firewall – step by step in our guide Create a Proxmox VM with cloud-init.
- VM or container? When a KVM VM fits and when a lightweight LXC container is better is explained in KVM or LXC?.
- Plan backups: create regular backups under Datacenter › Backup – our 3-2-1 backup strategy shows what matters.
- Secure access: enable two-factor login under Datacenter › Permissions › Two Factor and read how to secure SSH with keys and a firewall.
- No server yet? Our dedicated servers are a great fit for Proxmox – you start the ISO installation directly in the customer panel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Proxmox VE 9 free?
Yes. Proxmox VE is open-source software and can be used without licence costs. A paid subscription adds access to the enterprise repository and vendor support, but it is not required for private servers.
Is the no-subscription repository safe?
It contains the same software as the enterprise repository; the packages are just tested for a slightly shorter time. It is the usual choice for private servers, homelabs and test systems. For production company environments, Proxmox recommends a subscription.
Why do I get “401 Unauthorized” when updating?
An enterprise repository (pve-enterprise or Ceph enterprise) is still enabled. Without a subscription, that server denies access. Disable both entries under Updates › Repositories and add the no-subscription repository.
What is the difference between local and local-lvm?
local is a directory storage (/var/lib/vz) on the root file system and stores files such as ISOs, backups or qcow2 disks. local-lvm is an LVM-thin pool that stores VM disks as block devices. After this guide, your VMs live as qcow2 files on local – including snapshot support.
Can I delete local-lvm later?
Yes, but only when no VM disks or containers are stored on it any more. Move them to another storage first via Hardware › Disk Action › Move Storage, otherwise the data is lost.
Do I need to reboot after lvextend and resize2fs?
No. Both commands work while the system is running. df -h / shows the new size right away.
Why 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 as DNS servers?
Both resolvers – from Cloudflare and Google – are fast and highly available. If the first one does not answer, Proxmox automatically asks the second one. That keeps updates and downloads reliable.
Questions about your server or the setup? Our support team is happy to help – just open a ticket.
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