Installing Windows 11 on a Proxmox VM: Complete Tutorial
I’ll walk you through the process of setting up a Windows 11 virtual machine in Proxmox that satisfies all the required hardware checks.
Prerequisites
Proxmox VE 7.0 or newer
Windows 11 ISO file
Virtio drivers ISO (optional but recommended)
Step 1: Create a New VM
Log in to your Proxmox web interface
Click on “Create VM” in the top right
In the General tab:
Enter a VM ID (or leave as default)
Give your VM a name (e.g., “Windows11”)
Click Next
Step 2: OS Settings
In the OS tab:
Select “Microsoft Windows” as the Guest OS type
Version: “11/2022”
Click Next
Step 3: System Settings (Critical for Windows 11)
In the System tab:
Set “Machine” to “q35” (this is newer than i440fx)
Set “BIOS” to “OVMF (UEFI)”
Check “Add EFI Disk” (for Secure Boot support)
Set “SCSI Controller” to “VirtIO SCSI”
Check “Qemu Agent” (helpful for integration)
Click Next
Step 4: Disk Settings
In the Disk tab:
Set Bus/Device to “SCSI”
Set disk size to at least 64GB
Set format to “qcow2”
Click Next
Step 5: CPU Settings
In the CPU tab:
Set Sockets to 1
Set Cores to at least 2
Set Type to “host” (required for Windows 11 CPU checks)
Click Next
Step 6: Memory Settings
In the Memory tab:
Set RAM to at least 4096MB (4GB)
Keep Ballooning device enabled
Click Next
Step 7: Network Settings
In the Network tab:
Set Bridge to “vmbr0” (or your network bridge)
Set Model to “VirtIO (paravirtualized)”
Click Next
Step 8: Confirm Settings
Review all settings and click “Finish” to create the VM. Do NOT start the VM yet.
Step 9: Add TPM 2.0 (Required for Windows 11)
Select the VM in the left panel
Click on “Hardware” tab
Click “Add” button
Select “TPM State”
Set Version to “v2.0”
Select your storage for the TPM state
Click “Add”
Step 10: Add the Windows 11 ISO
Select the VirtIO drivers ISO
Step 11: Enable Secure Boot (Required for Windows 11)
Go to the “Options” tab
Find “Boot Order” and edit it to ensure:
The CD/DVD drive is first
The hard disk is second
The EFI disk is included
Find “SMBIOS Settings” and set “Manufacturer” to “Microsoft”
Step 12: Install Windows 11
Start the VM
The Windows installation should begin
Follow the standard Windows 11 installation steps
If prompted for drivers during installation (for disk detection), load them from the VirtIO ISO if you added it
Step 13: Bypass TPM/Secure Boot Check (Alternative Method)
If you’re still having issues with TPM/Secure Boot checks, you can use the registry bypass method:
When you reach the first Windows 11 setup screen, press Shift+F10 to open Command Prompt
Type regedit and press Enter
Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup
Create a new key named LabConfig
In the LabConfig key, create the following DWORD (32-bit) values:
BypassTPMCheck = 1
BypassSecureBootCheck = 1
BypassRAMCheck = 1
Close Registry Editor
Return to the setup and continue installation
Step 14: Post-Installation
After Windows 11 is installed, make sure to install Proxmox guest tools
Install any necessary VirtIO drivers if using VirtIO devices
Troubleshooting Common Issues
“This PC can’t run Windows 11”: Double-check TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot settings
Disk not detected: You may need to load VirtIO SCSI drivers during installation
Poor performance: Install QEMU guest agent and VirtIO drivers
Installation hangs: Try increasing RAM allocation or changing CPU type
This configuration should satisfy all Windows 11 requirements and allow for a smooth installation process in Proxmox.