Proxmox Update Setup Guide

This guide covers how to set up the necessary Proxmox repositories, enable automatic updates with unattended-upgrades, and handle both enterprise and non-subscription update channels.

1. Configure Proxmox Repositories

Proper repository setup ensures your Proxmox server can fetch the latest updates.

1. Check your APT sources:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

Make sure you have the Debian base repository, for example:

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ buster main contrib

1. Verify or add the Proxmox repository. For non-subscription users, create or edit:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-no-subscription.list

Add:

deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve buster pve-no-subscription

For subscription users, enable the enterprise repo by creating or editing:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-enterprise.list

Add:

deb https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/pve buster pve-enterprise

Replace buster with your Debian version codename if different (e.g., bullseye, bookworm).

---

2. Manual Update Process

To manually update your Proxmox server:

1. Refresh the package list:

sudo apt update

1. Upgrade packages:

sudo apt full-upgrade

• Use the -y flag to skip prompts (e.g., sudo apt full-upgrade -y), but note this will automatically accept all changes.

• After upgrading, check your Proxmox version with:

pveversion

---

3. Configure Unattended Upgrades (Optional)

Automate updates for security and critical packages, including Proxmox.

You can also set up a cron job like PatchMe to regularly run updates. However, it’s best to handle Proxmox updates manually for more control.

Install unattended-upgrades

sudo apt install unattended-upgrades

Configure Allowed Origins

Edit the unattended-upgrades config:

sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades

Ensure the following entries are present and uncommented under Unattended-Upgrade::Allowed-Origins:

"Debian:buster-security";
"Debian:buster-updates";
"Proxmox:buster";

Adjust the codename (buster) as needed.

Enable Unattended Upgrades

Run the setup wizard:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure --priority=low unattended-upgrades

Select Yes to enable automatic updates.

Configure Update Frequency

Edit:

sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades

Set the following to enable daily updates and cleaning:

APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
APT::Periodic::Download-Upgradeable-Packages "1";
APT::Periodic::AutocleanInterval "7";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";

Review Logs

Check update logs to verify unattended-upgrades are running correctly:

sudo tail -f /var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades.log

---

4. Troubleshooting and Tips

• Confirm that repository URLs are correct and reachable.

• If you have a subscription, verify your status with pveversion.

• Use the Proxmox forums or official docs for error messages related to repositories or upgrades.

• Consider automating updates cautiously—automatic upgrades may occasionally require manual intervention.

---

Summary Tables

Configuration Step	Command/Location	Notes
Verify Debian repo	/etc/apt/sources.list	Ensure correct Debian base repo
Add Proxmox no-subscription repo	/etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-no-subscription.list	For users without subscription
Add Proxmox enterprise repo	/etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-enterprise.list	For users with subscription
Update package list	sudo apt update	Refresh package cache
Manual upgrade	sudo apt full-upgrade	Upgrade all packages
Check Proxmox version	pveversion	Verify current version
Install unattended-upgrades	sudo apt install unattended-upgrades	For automatic updates
Configure allowed origins	/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades	Add Debian and Proxmox origins
Enable unattended-upgrades	sudo dpkg-reconfigure unattended-upgrades	Activate auto-updates
Configure update schedule	/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades	Set frequency for updates
Check unattended-upgrades logs	/var/log/unattended-upgrades/unattended-upgrades.log	Verify automatic update activity

Update Method	Manual	Automatic (Unattended)
Requires Repository Setup	Yes	Yes
User Confirmation Needed	Yes	No
Risk of Unwanted Changes	Low (you control it)	Higher (automatic)
Best for Proxmox Version Control	Yes	Recommended for security patches