Linux VM Creator Script

ProxMenux provides automated scripts that create and configure Linux virtual machines on Proxmox VE. These scripts simplify the process by handling the necessary configurations and optimizations for various Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and many others.

Linux VM Creation Menu in ProxMenux

Script Overview

The Linux VM creation script automates the process of setting up virtual machines optimized for running Linux operating systems. The script handles all aspects of VM configuration, including hardware allocation, disk setup, and boot options.

The script simplifies the VM creation process by offering the following options:

Selection of default or advanced configuration
Configuration of CPU, RAM, BIOS, and machine type
Choice between virtual disk or physical disk passthrough
Selection of disk interface type (SCSI, SATA, VirtIO, or IDE)
Automatic configuration of EFI for UEFI boot
Multiple installation methods: official ISOs, Cloud-Init, or local ISO

Default and Advanced Configuration

The script offers two configuration modes:

Default Configuration

If you select default configuration, the script will automatically apply the following values:

Parameter	Default Value
Machine Type	q35
BIOS Type	OVMF (UEFI)
CPU Type	Host
Core Count	2
RAM Size	4096 MB
Bridge	vmbr0
MAC Address	Automatically generated
Start VM on Completion	No

If you want to customize the configuration, select the Advanced Settings option in the menu.

Advanced Configuration

If you select advanced configuration, the script will allow you to customize each parameter:

Parameter	Options
Machine Type	q35 or i440fx
BIOS Type	OVMF (UEFI) or SeaBIOS (Legacy)
CPU Type	Host or KVM64
Core Count	Number of CPU cores
RAM Size	Amount of memory allocated to the VM
Bridge	Network bridge for connection
MAC Address	Custom MAC address
VLAN	VLAN tag (if used)
MTU	Maximum Transmission Unit size

Disk Interface Selection

The script allows you to choose the disk interface type for both virtual and physical disks:

Interface Type	Description	Best For
SCSI	Modern interface with good performance and features	Recommended for most Linux distributions (includes discard/trim support)
SATA	Standard interface with high compatibility	Good general-purpose choice (includes discard/trim support)
VirtIO	Paravirtualized interface with highest performance	Best performance for Linux (includes discard/trim support)
IDE	Legacy interface with maximum compatibility	Legacy systems only (no discard/trim support)

Disk Selection

Once the machine is configured, the script allows you to choose between two types of disks:

Virtual Disk

The script lists the storage options available in Proxmox
The user selects the disk and size in GB
The virtual disk is automatically assigned to the VM using the selected interface type (SCSI, SATA, VirtIO, or IDE)
Multiple disks can be added and will be assigned sequential device numbers (e.g., scsi0, scsi1, etc.)

Physical Disk Passthrough

The script detects all available physical disks
The user selects the physical disk or disks they want to use
The physical disk is directly assigned to the VM via passthrough using the selected interface type (SCSI, SATA, VirtIO, or IDE)
Multiple disks can be added and will be assigned sequential device numbers (e.g., scsi0, scsi1, etc.)

Additional Features

EFI Disk Configuration

When UEFI BIOS (OVMF) is selected, the script automatically configures an EFI system disk:

You'll be prompted to select the storage location for the EFI disk
A 4MB EFI disk is created and attached to the VM
The disk is formatted appropriately based on the selected storage backend (e.g., raw format for directory-based storage)

ISO Mounting

The script also handles ISO mounting automatically:

The installation ISO is mounted to the first available IDE slot (typically ide2)
For VirtIO disk interfaces, the VirtIO drivers ISO can be mounted if needed

QEMU Guest Agent

The script automatically configures QEMU Guest Agent support:

Enables the QEMU Guest Agent in the VM configuration
Sets up the necessary communication channel
Provides instructions for installing the guest agent inside the VM after installation

Linux Installation Options

ProxMenux offers three methods for installing Linux on your virtual machine:

Official ISO Installation

This option allows you to install Linux using official distribution ISOs. ProxMenux provides a curated list of popular Linux distributions that can be automatically downloaded and used for installation.

Available Distributions:

Ubuntu (Desktop & Server)
Debian (Full & Netinst)
Fedora Workstation
Rocky Linux
Linux Mint
openSUSE Leap
Alpine Linux
Kali Linux
Manjaro

Linux Distribution Selection in ProxMenux

Cloud-Init Installation

This option uses Cloud-Init to automate the installation process. It's faster than traditional installation and provides a pre-configured system ready to use.

Available Cloud-Init Images:

Arch Linux
Debian 12
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
Ubuntu 24.10

External Scripts

Cloud-Init installations use external helper scripts from the community. For more information, visit:

community-scripts.github.io/ProxmoxVE

Local ISO Installation

This option allows you to use your own Linux ISO file that's already uploaded to your Proxmox server's local storage. Ideal if you have custom or specific Linux installation media.

Local ISO Selection Menu in ProxMenux

Installation Process

After configuring the VM settings and selecting your installation method, the script will:

Create the VM with the specified configuration
Configure EFI disk if UEFI BIOS is selected
Create and attach virtual disks or pass through physical disks
Download and mount the Linux ISO (if using official distribution) or mount your local ISO
Set the boot order (disk first, then ISO)
Configure the QEMU Guest Agent
Start the VM if requested

Linux-Specific Tips

Installing QEMU Guest Agent

For better integration with Proxmox, it's recommended to install the QEMU Guest Agent inside your Linux VM. This enables features like proper shutdown, file system freeze for snapshots, and more accurate memory reporting.

Installation commands by distribution:

Debian / Ubuntu:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install qemu-guest-agent -y
                  sudo systemctl enable qemu-guest-agent
                  sudo systemctl start qemu-guest-agent

Fedora / CentOS / Rocky Linux:

sudo dnf install qemu-guest-agent -y
                  sudo systemctl enable qemu-guest-agent
                  sudo systemctl start qemu-guest-agent

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S qemu-guest-agent
                  sudo systemctl enable qemu-guest-agent
                  sudo systemctl start qemu-guest-agent

openSUSE:

sudo zypper install qemu-guest-agent
                  sudo systemctl enable qemu-guest-agent
                  sudo systemctl start qemu-guest-agent

VirtIO Drivers in Linux

Most modern Linux distributions include VirtIO drivers by default, which means you can use VirtIO disk and network interfaces without additional configuration. This provides the best performance for your Linux VM.

Note:

If you're using an older Linux distribution (pre-2.6.25 kernel) and VirtIO disk interfaces, you might need to load the VirtIO modules during installation. In such cases, you may need to provide a driver disk or use SATA/SCSI interfaces instead.

Optimizing Linux VMs

Enable disk trim/discard: To enable TRIM support for better SSD performance, add the discard mount option in /etc/fstab for your partitions.
CPU type selection: For best performance, use the "host" CPU type which passes through all CPU features from your host to the VM.
Memory ballooning: Enable memory ballooning to allow dynamic memory allocation. The balloon driver is included in most Linux distributions.
Use VirtIO network interfaces: VirtIO network interfaces provide better performance than emulated network cards.

Other Linux Systems

ProxMenux provides access to external community scripts that allow the creation of specialized Linux virtual machines for specific use cases:

Home Assistant OS VM (HAOS)

Create a virtual machine that runs Home Assistant OS using a helper script from the community. Ideal for smart home automation.

Docker VM (Debian + SSH + Docker)

Deploy a lightweight Debian-based virtual machine with Docker and SSH pre-installed using an external script.

External Scripts

These installations are handled by community-maintained scripts. For more information or to contribute, visit:

community-scripts.github.io/ProxmoxVE

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Disk Passthrough to a VM