# Installing Proxmox

## Steps to Create Your First Home Lab with Proxmox

1. **Plan Your Home Lab**
   - Define your goals (e.g., learning, testing, hosting services).
   - List required hardware (CPU, RAM, storage, network).

2. **Prepare Hardware**
   - Obtain a suitable server or repurpose an old PC.
   - Ensure hardware supports virtualization (check for VT-x/AMD-V in BIOS/UEFI).
   - Connect server to your network and power.

3. **Download Proxmox VE**
   - Visit [proxmox.com](https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads) and download the latest Proxmox VE ISO.

4. **Create a Bootable USB Drive**
   - Use tools like Rufus or Balena Etcher to write the Proxmox ISO to a USB drive.

5. **Install Proxmox VE**
   - Boot your server from the USB drive.
   - Follow the installation wizard to install Proxmox VE.
   - Set up network, password, and storage during installation.

6. **Access the Proxmox Web Interface**
   - After installation, access the web UI via `https://<server-ip>:8006` from your browser.
   - Log in with the credentials set during installation.

7. **Configure Proxmox**
   - Update Proxmox to the latest version.
   - Set up storage pools and networking as needed.

8. **Create Your First Virtual Machine (VM) or Container**
   - Upload an ISO or container template.
   - Create a new VM or LXC container using the web interface.
   - Assign resources (CPU, RAM, disk, network).

9. **Install an Operating System in the VM**
   - Start the VM and follow the OS installation steps.

10. **Explore and Expand**
    - Experiment with snapshots, backups, and clustering.
    - Add more VMs/containers for different services (e.g., Docker, file server, media server).

## Youtube Video
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/11rC788KYlI?si=jlxqf1pqOEGpBb7r" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

---

*For more details, refer to the official [Proxmox documentation](https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Main_Page).*