Complete Guide to Proxmox ARM64 Guest Setup

Learn how to set up an ARM64 guest on Proxmox VE with complete commands and configuration for a fully functional ARM VM. Our Proxmox Support Team is always here to support you.

Complete Guide to Proxmox ARM64 Guest Setup

Virtualization on Proxmox ARM64 guest setup offers the flexibility to run different architectures. While performance won’t match a bare-metal ARM system, you can successfully run an ARM64 guest VM on x64 hardware. This guide will walk you through a Proxmox ARM64 guest setup, from downloading the ISO to booting Debian in EFI mode.

Virtualizing ARM architecture on Proxmox VE might seem tricky. However, with the right approach, it becomes surprisingly straightforward. In this guide, you will get a complete Proxmox ARM64 guest setup, including Debian installation, configuration, and boot commands. As a result, you can run ARM64 VMs even on x64 hardware, though performance will not match a native ARM device.

Preparing the Proxmox Environment

First, log into your Proxmox web UI. Then, select a storage from the left navigation pane to upload the ISO. Under ISO Images, you can either upload your Debian ARM64 ISO or, if using Proxmox 7, download it directly via URL:

• Click Download from UR
• Paste the Debian ARM64 ISO URL
• Click Query URL
• Click Download

Meanwhile, ensure the ISO is fully uploaded before moving to the next step.

Creating the ARM64 VM

Next, right-click your Proxmox node and select Create VM. Configure the VM as follows:

• Name: DebianARM64
• VM ID: 164 (adjust if already in use)
• Type: Linux
• Version: 5.x – 2.6 Kernel
• Media: Do not use any media

Then, move through the tabs:

• System Tab: Set BIOS to OVMF (UEFI) and uncheck Add EFI Disk
• Hard Disk: Set storage and disk size (16GB suggested)
• CPU: Set cores to 2
• Memory: Set memory to 2048MB
• Network: Leave defaults

After verifying the summary, click Finish.

Configuring VM Hardware

Once the VM is created, select the DebianARM64 VM and make these adjustments in the Hardware menu:

• Remove the CD/DVD drive.
• Add a Serial Port (Port Number 0).
• Add a CD/DVD Drive, set Bus/Device to SCSI, and select the Debian ARM64 ISO.
• Change Display to Serial terminal 0.

Then, edit the Boot Order in the Options menu and drag the SCSI device with the ISO to the top.

Editing VM Configuration

After that, open the terminal and run:

# Edit the VM conf file, change 164 to your VM ID

nano /etc/pve/qemu-server/164.conf

Next, add the following line to the bottom:

arch: aarch64

Also, comment out the vmgenid line by adding # at the beginning. Save and exit using CTRL+O, Enter, CTRL+X.

Installing Debian ARM64

Then, back in the Proxmox UI, select Console for the DebianARM64 VM and click Start. Wait for the serial console to initialize and follow the Debian installation prompts. Installation may feel slower than usual, so allow time for it to complete.

Once finished, shut down the VM via the Shutdown dropdown > Stop. In the Hardware tab, remove the ISO by selecting Do not use any media. Afterwards, start the VM again.

Booting from EFI

Next, in the VM console, launch Debian with the following command:

fs0:\EFI\debian\grubaa64.efi

At this stage, you should see the GRUB menu load, and Debian will start running. This confirms that your Proxmox ARM64 guest setup is complete.

Optional Advanced Config

For those looking to refine their setup, here’s an example of a VM configuration file:

arch: aarch64

balloon: 512

bios: ovmf

boot: dcn

bootdisk: scsi0

cores: 2

efidisk0: local-lvm:vm-107-disk-2,size=64M

memory: 2048

name: ubuntuARM

net0: virtio=42:A1:3F:26:49:A0,bridge=vmbr0,firewall=1

numa: 0

ostype: l26

scsi0: local-lvm:vm-107-disk-0,size=32G

scsihw: virtio-scsi-pci

serial0: socket

smbios1: uuid=44d79ea7-810e-4b91-936a-21735b3dbfaf

sockets: 1

vga: serial

In addition, do not add cputype, as it can prevent Proxmox from loading the VM.

[If needed, Our team is available 24/7 for additional assistance.]

Conclusion

By following these instructions, you can ensure a reliable Proxmox ARM64 guest setup. By combining the UI setup, configuration edits, and boot commands, you can efficiently manage ARM64 VMs and gain hands-on experience with multiple architectures from a single interface.