🚀 NAS – P2 Boot XPEnology DSM 7.3 on Proxmox Without USB – Setup IP Interface

🔎 Introduction

In this guide, we demonstrate how to boot XPEnology DSM 7.3 on Proxmox without using a physical USB drive, and how to configure the network interface IP properly. This method allows you to deploy DSM inside a Proxmox virtual machine using the ARC loader image, providing a clean and flexible lab setup for testing Synology DSM features.

Running XPEnology without USB simplifies lab environments and improves management efficiency. Whether you are building a NAS test lab, preparing a Synology migration, or learning DSM networking, this setup provides a practical and scalable solution.

⚠ This configuration is intended for lab and educational purposes only, not for production deployment.

🖥 1️⃣ On Proxmox (Virtual Machine Setup)

📌 Lab Environment

• VM ID: 121

• Upload arc.img to local (zfs) storage

• Minimum disk capacity: 2GB (recommended 10GB)

• Network model: E1000

🔹 Step 1: Create VM

Create a new virtual machine in Proxmox with the required specifications (CPU, RAM, disk, and E1000 network adapter).

🔹 Step 2: Write ARC Image to Virtual Disk

Depending on your Proxmox storage backend, use the appropriate dd command:

🔸 Location: local-zfs

🔸 Location: local (ext4)

🔸 Location: local-lvm (ext4)

📌 Command Explanation

• if= → The ARC loader ISO/IMG file uploaded to the ISO folder

• of= → The virtual disk path where the ARC loader is written

• bs=4M → Improves writing performance

This step “flashes” the ARC bootloader directly into the VM disk.

🔹 Step 3: Setup NAS

Proceed with DSM boot and initial NAS configuration inside the VM.

🔹 Step 4: Setup Interface IP

Configure the DSM network interface IP according to your lab network design.

Ensure:

• Correct subnet

• Proper gateway

• DNS configuration

Once completed, DSM should be accessible via browser using the configured IP address.

💽 2️⃣ On a Physical Drive Running Linux

If you want to write the ARC loader to a real SSD instead of a VM disk, follow these steps.

🔹 Step 1: Copy ARC Image

Copy the arc.img file to a temporary Linux system.

You can use:

• Ubuntu Live USB

• Proxmox shell

• Any Linux machine

🔹 Step 2: Write Image to Disk

Run the following command:

⚠ Important Notes

• /dev/sda must be the correct SSD intended for boot

• Verify carefully using:

or

Writing to the wrong disk will permanently destroy data.

🪟 3️⃣ On a Physical Drive Running Windows

If you prefer Windows for flashing the ARC image:

🔹 Step 1: Install Win32DiskImager

Download and install Win32DiskImager.

🔹 Step 2: Write ARC Image

1. Open the application

2. In Image File, select arc.img

3. In Device, choose the correct SSD (e.g. \\.\PhysicalDrive2)

Verify disk identity in:

Click Write → Wait until completed → Done.

⚠ Double-check the correct physical drive to prevent overwriting your Windows disk.

🌐 Network Interface & IP Configuration Best Practices

When setting up DSM networking:

✔ Use static IP for lab stability
✔ Ensure E1000 adapter compatibility
✔ Confirm MAC address consistency
✔ Avoid IP conflicts inside your LAN

Correct IP configuration ensures DSM services such as File Station, SMB, and Web UI are accessible without interruption.

🎯 Why Boot XPEnology Without USB?

Booting XPEnology without a USB device offers several advantages:

• Cleaner virtualization architecture

• No dependency on external boot media

• Easier backup and VM snapshot management

• Faster deployment in lab environments

• Simplified testing workflows

For homelab users and IT engineers, this approach streamlines NAS testing on Proxmox significantly.

🏁 Conclusion

Booting XPEnology DSM 7.3 on Proxmox without USB is an efficient method to build a flexible NAS test environment. By writing the ARC loader directly to a virtual disk or physical SSD, administrators can deploy DSM quickly and configure networking without external dependencies.

This setup is ideal for:

• NAS lab environments

• DSM feature testing

• Synology training

• Virtualization practice

• IT demonstration scenarios

While not suitable for production, this configuration provides valuable hands-on experience with DSM networking and boot mechanisms inside Proxmox.