Install VCSA (Vcenter) on Proxmox

README.md

Main installation logs available at:

/var/log/firstboot/cloudvm.log

Extract disks from the ISO:

mount -o loop VCSA.iso /mnt/vcsa

tar tvf /mnt/vcsa/vcsa/*.ova

Extract disk1 (OS) and disk2 (RPMs) from the OVA.

Import disks into Proxmox:

qm importdisk <VM-ID> VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-6.7.0.45000-16708996_OVF10-disk1.vmdk local-lvm
qm importdisk <VM-ID> VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-6.7.0.45000-16708996_OVF10-disk2.vmdk local-lvm

Then attach the disks:

qm set <VM-ID> --scsi0 local-lvm:vm-<VM-ID>-disk-0
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi1 local-lvm:vm-<VM-ID>-disk-1

Disks used:

• disk1: OS
• disk2: install media

Validated Proxmox VM configuration:

• CPU: host
• RAM: 12 GB
• SCSI: virtio-scsi-single
• Network: virtio

Disk mapping:

• scsi0 → OS
• scsi1 → install (RPMs)

Additional required disks (example):

qm set <VM-ID> --scsi2  local-lvm:26
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi3  local-lvm:26
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi4  local-lvm:11
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi5  local-lvm:11
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi6  local-lvm:16
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi7  local-lvm:11
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi8  local-lvm:1
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi9  local-lvm:11
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi10 local-lvm:11
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi11 local-lvm:103
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi12 local-lvm:52
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi13 local-lvm:11
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi14 local-lvm:6
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi15 local-lvm:103
qm set <VM-ID> --scsi16 local-lvm:154

Based on examples from:

• https://gist.github.com/aleks-mariusz/dd76477545bed0fe031230f65772192f
• https://gist.github.com/infernix/0377af0bc9012e3d5e5e
• https://github.com/jeffmcutter/vcsa_on_kvm

Inject configuration file before first boot:

guestfish -a /dev/pve/vm-<VM-ID>-disk-0 <<'EOF'
run
mount /dev/sda3 /
rm-f /var/install/settings.json
copy-in /tmp/settings.json /var/install
EOF

Configuration example:

{
  "__version": "2.13.0",
  "new_vcsa": {
    "appliance": {
      "thin_disk_mode": true,
      "deployment_option": "small",
      "name": "vcsa"
    },
    "network": {
      "ip_family": "ipv4",
      "mode": "static",
      "ip": "192.168.X.X",
      "dns_servers": ["X.X.X.X"],
      "prefix": "24",
      "gateway": "X.X.X.X",
      "system_name": "vcsa.domain.local"
    },
    "os": {
      "password": "StrongPassword!",
      "ntp_servers": "X.X.X.X",
      "ssh_enable": true
    },
    "sso": {
      "password": "StrongPassword!",
      "domain_name": "vsphere.local"
    }
  },
  "ceip": {
    "settings": {
      "ceip_enabled": false
    }
  }
}

Read logs to verify installation completion:

guestfish -a /dev/pve/vm-<VM-ID>-disk-0 <<'EOF'
run
mount /dev/sda3 /
cat /var/log/firstboot/cloudvm.log
EOF

In our case, it ends with the following error:

Setting up subsequent boot script
Cannot set device ring parameters: Operation not supported
2026-03-30T09:39:26.199Z  Running command: ['/usr/lib/vmware-vpx/config_sendmail.sh']
2026-03-30T09:39:26.881Z  Done running command
2026-03-30T09:39:28.416Z: Pruning sensitive information.
2026-03-30T09:39:28.890Z: ERROR: Unable to prune sensitive information.

Strangely, vCenter appears to be working correctly for now.

Works if:

• all disks are present at boot time
• settings.json is injected before startup

Fails if:

• missing disks
• incorrect mapping
• bus changed during setup
• incorrect network configuration

Nice work ! I haven't played very much with Proxmox so wasn't able to chime in/help much.. but i know this will be super helpful to more people than my post (since more people are using Proxmox rather than AlmaLinux). Great you were able to get this working!

Thanks you aleks.
After some automation try with ansible I notice that settings.json right need to be at least 644 inside the vm.

guestfish -a "{{ vcsa_os_disk_path }}" <<'EOF'
    run
    mount {{ vcsa_guestfish_root_partition }} /

    mkdir-p /var/install
    chmod 0755 /var/install
    chown 0 0 /var/install

    rm-f /var/install/settings.json
    copy-in "{{ vcsa_workdir_effective }}/settings.json" /var/install

    chmod 0644 /var/install/settings.json
    chown 0 0 /var/install/settings.json