LiquidFiles Documentation
LiquidFiles Documentation

Proxmox Installation

This guide covers installing LiquidFiles on a Proxmox Virtual Environment host using the LiquidFiles ISO image. All steps are performed via the Proxmox shell using the qm command-line tool.

Please make sure that your hardware and environment meets the System Requirements before continuing.

Step 1 — Copy the ISO to your Proxmox host

Download the LiquidFiles ISO image and transfer it to the Proxmox ISO storage directory using scp:

scp /source/path/iso/LiquidFiles-v4.x.x-x86_64.iso prox.domain.com:/var/lib/vz/template/iso/

Replace prox.domain.com with the hostname or IP address of your Proxmox host, and adjust the local path to match where you saved the ISO.

Step 2 — Create the VM

Log in to your Proxmox host's shell and run the following commands to create and configure the virtual machine:

# Step 1: Create the VM (ID 123, Linux settings, with 40GB disk)
qm create 109 --name liquidfiles --memory 2048 --sockets 1 --cores 2 \
  --net0 virtio,bridge=vmbr0 --ostype l26 --scsi0 local-lvm:40

# Step 2: Attach the ISO as a bootable CD-ROM
qm set 109 --ide1 local:iso/LiquidFiles-v4.x.x-x86_64.iso,media=cdrom

# Step 3: Set boot order (disk first — falls through to CD-ROM on first boot)
qm set 109 --boot order='scsi0;ide1'

Adjust the VM ID (109), ISO filename, and storage/bridge names to match your environment before running these commands.

Once created, the VM hardware summary in the Proxmox UI should look similar to this, with the LiquidFiles ISO attached as a CD/DVD drive and a 40 GB SCSI hard disk:

Proxmox hardware tab showing the LiquidFiles VM configuration

Parameter Reference

The table below explains each parameter used in the commands above:

Parameter Value Purpose
109 VM ID Unique identifier for the VM — change to any unused ID in your environment
--name liquidfiles VM name Descriptive name shown in the Proxmox UI
--memory 2048 RAM in MB 2 GB of RAM — increase to 4096 or more for better performance
--sockets 1 --cores 2 CPU 1 socket with 2 vCPU cores
--ostype l26 OS type Linux 2.6+ kernel (correct setting for LiquidFiles)
--scsi0 local-lvm:40 Storage 40 GB SCSI disk on the local-lvm storage — increase the size if needed
--ide1 local:iso/... Boot media ISO image attached as CD-ROM for installation
--boot order='scsi0;ide1' Boot order Disk first — falls through to the CD-ROM on the first boot since the disk is empty. After installation the disk boots directly with no changes needed.

Step 3 — Install LiquidFiles

Start the VM from the Proxmox UI or with qm start 109, then open the console. You will be presented with the LiquidFiles boot screen. Select Install New Server and press Enter.

LiquidFiles ISO boot menu with Install New Server option highlighted

A warning screen will confirm that the installation will overwrite all existing data on the disk. Type yes and press Enter to proceed.

Installation warning prompt asking to confirm by typing yes

The installer will run and display a progress bar along with live log output. The process takes a few minutes depending on disk speed.

LiquidFiles installation in progress showing progress bar and log output

When the installation is complete the system will reboot and display the LiquidFiles console screen, showing the assigned IP address. Point your browser to that address to begin the initial configuration.

LiquidFiles console after installation showing system info and IP address

After the installation the system will reboot and boot directly from the disk. For a cleaner setup you can remove the CD-ROM drive entirely once the installation is done:

qm set 109 --delete ide1

LiquidFiles is now installed. Proceed with the Getting Started configuration.