Proxmox Host Configuration
Repository Management
Disable Enterprise Repository
Disable Enterprise Repository:
What this does: Opens the enterprise repository configuration file for editing
Why this matters: Enterprise repos require a subscription and will cause update errors
Inside the file, comment out the enterprise repository line:
Add No-Subscription Repository:
echo "deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm pve-no-subscription" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-no-subscription.list
What this does: Adds the free Proxmox repository for updates
Why this matters: Enables system updates without requiring a subscription
Gotcha: Always check the Debian version (bookworm) matches your Proxmox version
System Updates
What this does: Updates the package database with new repository information
Why this matters: Ensures we have access to the latest packages
What this does: Upgrades all installed packages to their latest versions
Why this matters: Applies security patches and bug fixes
Gotcha: The -y flag automatically accepts all prompts
Storage Optimization
What this does: Removes the default 'data' logical volume
Why this matters: Frees up space for the root filesystem to expand
Gotcha: This is destructive - ensure you have backups if needed
What this does: Extends the root logical volume to use all available free space
Why this matters: Maximizes storage available for VMs and containers
What this does: Resizes the ext4 filesystem to use the newly extended space
Why this matters: Makes the additional space actually usable by the system
Verification:
SSH Security Hardening
Disable Root SSH Login:
What this does: Disables direct root login via SSH
Why this matters: Critical security hardening to prevent root compromise
Gotcha: Ensure you have a regular user with sudo access before doing this
Restart SSH Service:
What this does: Applies SSH configuration changes
Why this matters: Makes the security changes active