#proxmox#quick-start#kvm

Proxmox VE Quick Start: Create Your First VM

3 min read

This guide takes the shortest path to get you a bootable Debian virtual machine — your first working environment in PVE. Like getting a first pet: make sure it can eat and sleep first; advanced techniques come later.

Prerequisites

  • 64-bit CPU with Intel VT-x or AMD-V enabled (without this, VMs will refuse to start)
  • Minimum 2 GB RAM (8 GB+ recommended — otherwise it'll feel like a 2010 computer)
  • At least one working network card
  • A host or server that can boot from USB

Minimal Example: Create Your First Virtual Machine

Step 1: Log In to the Web Interface

After installation, open https://<PVE-IP>:8006 and log in with root and the password you set during installation. Your browser may warn about the certificate — it's self-signed, so click "Advanced" → "Proceed anyway." Homelab life.

Step 2: Download the System Image

  1. Select the local storage under your node in the left panel
  2. Go to Content, click Download from URL
  3. Enter:
    • URL: https://cloud.debian.org/images/cloud/bookworm/latest/debian-12-generic-amd64.qcow2
    • File Name: debian-12-cloud.qcow2
  4. Click Query URL then start the download (go get a coffee)

Step 3: Create the Virtual Machine

  1. Click Create VM in the top right
  2. General: set Name to test-vm (or whatever you like)
  3. OS: for a cloud image you can skip the disc setup
  4. Disks: select Use existing disk image, choose the debian-12-cloud.qcow2 you just downloaded
  5. CPU: 1 vCPU is fine to start
  6. Memory: 512–1024 MB to test the waters
  7. Network: default vmbr0 is fine
  8. Confirm → Finish

Step 4: Start and Verify

  1. Right-click the VM → Start
  2. Open Console (noVNC)
  3. If you see the Debian boot screen or login prompt, you've succeeded — congratulations, your first VM is live.

Common Troubleshooting

Symptom What to Check
Can't access web interface Check if port 8006 is reachable, confirm pveproxy is running
VM won't start Is VT-x / AMD-V enabled in BIOS? Without it, VMs simply won't start
Can't find image file Back to local -> Content — check if the download completed
VM has no network Check that vmbr0 is correctly bound to a physical NIC 
# Service status check (run this when something's wrong)
systemctl status pveproxy

Next Steps

Once your first VM is up, it's a good idea to build the mental map of the system. The next article covers the core concepts of VM / LXC / storage / network: 👉 Core Concepts