Virtual Machines Pt. 2 (Proxmox install w/ Kali Linux)

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About this video

This is a step-by-step install of Proxmox VE as a Type 1 hypervisor on a spare laptop, pitched as the step up from VirtualBox (a Type 2 hypervisor that shares a host operating system). Because a Type 1 hypervisor sits directly on the hardware with a lightweight OS, more CPU, RAM and storage go to virtual machines — the setup corporate IT actually uses, making it a resume-relevant skill. He explains he tried VMware ESXi first but found it did not play well with consumer hardware, while Proxmox is free and broadly compatible. Requirements are modest: any old laptop or desktop, an 8-gigabyte-minimum USB drive, and a wired Ethernet connection because Proxmox will not use Wi-Fi. He downloads the Proxmox 6.3 ISO, writes it with Rufus in DD mode (ISO mode does not work), boots from USB, installs, and logs into the web UI over HTTPS on port 8006, dismissing the no-subscription warning as an upsell for paid support. He then reclaims storage by removing the default local-lvm volume and resizing so a 500-gig drive yields about 460 gigs of usable local storage, uploads ISOs, and creates VMs for Kali Linux, Ubuntu and Windows Server 2019 — noting the Windows Server evaluation runs 180 days. He also downloads an LXC container template and spins up an Ubuntu container in seconds, and finishes with laptop-specific tweaks: ignoring the lid switch so closing the lid does not suspend the server, and blanking the screen after 300 seconds.

Key takeaways

A Type 1 hypervisor replaces the host OS and dedicates nearly all hardware resources to VMs, unlike a Type 2 hypervisor such as VirtualBox that runs as an app
Proxmox VE is free and works on consumer hardware where ESXi often does not, while teaching skills that transfer to corporate virtualization
Installation needs a USB drive of at least 8 gigs written in DD mode and a wired Ethernet connection; management is through a web UI on port 8006
Deleting the default local-lvm volume and resizing the root volume recovers a large share of a single drive for VM and container storage
Proxmox also runs LXC containers natively, which deploy in seconds compared with full VMs, and small config edits let a laptop act as an always-on server with its lid closed

Episode details: published April 27, 2021 · 30:39 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are NetworkChuck’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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