TrueNAS – P1 How to Install TrueNAS SCALE on Proxmox VE (Step-by-Step Full Guide)

If you’re building a professional homelab or enterprise storage solution, learning how to Install TrueNAS on Proxmox VE is a powerful foundation.

TrueNAS SCALE combined with Proxmox VE allows you to:

• Virtualize storage infrastructure

• Build NAS systems inside your hypervisor

• Test RAID configurations

• Deploy SMB/NFS/iSCSI services

• Create scalable storage environments

In this guide, we will walk through the complete installation process step by step.

This lab setup is suitable for:

• Homelab users

• IT administrators

• SMB environments

• Virtualization enthusiasts

By the end of this tutorial, you will successfully Install TrueNAS SCALE on Proxmox VE and prepare your system for advanced storage configuration.

🧰 1️⃣ Preparation

Before starting the installation, make sure your environment meets the minimum requirements.

📥 Download TrueNAS SCALE

Official download link:

https://www.truenas.com/download/

Always download the latest stable ISO version.

💾 Hardware Requirements

To properly Install TrueNAS, ensure the following:

• RAM at least 8GB (recommended 16GB)

• SSD Boot drive (or USB): at least 16GB

• SSD Pool: 1 drive or more (2 if running RAID1)

⚠️ Important:

TrueNAS is memory-intensive. If you plan to run ZFS with compression or deduplication, 16GB RAM is strongly recommended.

⚙️ 2️⃣ Set Serial for Disk (Proxmox Requirement)

In a physical server, disks already have serial numbers.

However, when running TrueNAS inside Proxmox VM, disk serial numbers must be manually defined for proper ZFS recognition.

Without setting a manual serial, disk identification issues may occur later when configuring storage pools.

Edit VM Configuration File

Access your Proxmox host via SSH.

Edit the VM configuration file:

Add the following line:

Explanation:

• 108 = VM ID (adjust if different in your lab)

• DISK001 = Custom disk serial number

You may define unique serials if using multiple disks.

This step ensures TrueNAS properly detects and manages virtual disks.

⚠️ If you are using physical disk passthrough with real serial numbers, you can skip this step.

💿 3️⃣ Installation Process

Now we proceed to install the operating system.

Mount the TrueNAS ISO to your Proxmox VM and boot from it.

Select Installation Disk

During installation:

Use the Space key to select the hard drive where you want to install the OS.

Important:

Make sure you select the correct boot disk.
Do NOT install the OS on your storage pool disk.

Confirm Installation

After selecting the disk:

Proceed with installation.

The installer will format the selected disk and deploy TrueNAS SCALE.

Create Root Password

You will be prompted to create a password.

Create a strong password to access TrueNAS.

This password will be used for:

• Web UI login

• Administrative configuration

• System management

Choose a secure password to protect your NAS system.

🚀 First Boot After Installation

Once installation completes:

• Remove the ISO from VM

• Reboot the system

TrueNAS will boot and display a management IP address.

Example:

http://192.168.x.x

Open this address in your browser to access the Web Interface.

Congratulations 🎉
You have successfully completed the core process to Install TrueNAS SCALE on Proxmox VE.

🔍 Why Install TrueNAS on Proxmox?

Running TrueNAS inside Proxmox provides several advantages:

✔ Flexible lab environment
✔ Snapshot capability from Proxmox
✔ Easy backup of VM
✔ Centralized virtualization
✔ Efficient hardware utilization

For homelab builders, this setup is extremely powerful.

For SMB testing environments, it allows safe experimentation before production deployment.

⚠️ Common Mistakes When You Install TrueNAS on Proxmox

❌ Not assigning enough RAM
❌ Installing OS on pool disk
❌ Forgetting to set disk serial in VM
❌ Mixing boot disk and data disk
❌ Not enabling virtualization support

Always double-check VM hardware configuration before installation.

📈 What’s Next After Installation?

After you successfully Install TrueNAS, you can proceed with:

• Creating Storage Pools

• Configuring ZFS

• Setting up SMB Shares

• Deploying NFS

• Enabling iSCSI

• Setting up Snapshot schedules

In upcoming tutorials, you can build a complete NAS infrastructure inside Proxmox.

🏁 Conclusion

In this step-by-step guide, you have learned how to:

• Prepare hardware requirements

• Download TrueNAS SCALE

• Configure disk serial inside Proxmox

• Install the OS properly

• Set administrative password

• Access TrueNAS Web Interface

You now have a fully functional TrueNAS SCALE system running on Proxmox VE.

Mastering how to Install TrueNAS correctly is the first step toward building a stable, secure, and scalable storage platform.

In the next part of this series, we will configure storage pools and explore ZFS features in detail.

Your NAS journey has officially started.