Create PXE bootable Proxmox installation

2022-11-22: successfully pxe-installed 7.3
2022-08-18: successfully pxe-installed 7.2
2021-07-09: successfully pxe-installed PBS 2.2-1
2021-07-09: successfully pxe-installed 7.0
2020-10-26: successfully pxe-installed 6.2
2019-12-30: successfully pxe-installed 6.1
2018-08-27: successfully pxe-installed 5.2
2017-07-11: successfully pxe-installed 5.0 (despite #1)
2017-06-07: successfully ipxe-installed 4.4
2016-12-13: successfully pxe-installed 4.4
2016-09-27: successfully pxe-installed 4.3

Preparation

install cpio file zstd gzip genisoimage packages
download Proxmox VE ISO Installer from Proxmox into a folder somewhere (e.g. ~/Downloads/proxmox-ve_6.4-1.iso)
run the script pve-iso-2-pxe.sh with the path to the ISO file as parameter
- bash pve-iso-2-pxe.sh ~/Downloads/proxmox-ve_6.4-1.iso
the linux26 and initrd (including ISO) will copied to the sub-directory pxeboot located relative to the iso file (e.g. ~/Downloads/pxeboot)

iPXE (recommended)

copy/move linux26 and initrd to a directory of your webserver (e.g. /var/www/proxmox/${version})

mofiy the ip adress of the server in the following ipxe bootscripct according to your setup:

#!ipxe
dhcp
set serverip http://192.168.1.1 //Modify this to match the ip adress or domain of your webserver
set pveversion 6.2 //Modify this to match the version you want to install
set opts "vga=791 video=vesafb:ywrap,mtrr ramdisk_size=16777216 rw quiet initrd=initrd"
menu Please choose an operating system to boot
    item normal Install Proxmox
    item debug Install Proxmox (Debug Mode)
choose --default normal --timeout 5000 target && goto ${target}
:debug
    set kernel "${webserver}/proxmox/${pveversion}/linux26 ${opts} splash=verbose proxdebug"
    goto init
:normal
    set kernel "${webserver}/proxmox/${pveversion}/linux26 ${opts} splash=silent"
    goto init
:init
initrd ${webserver}/proxmox/${pveversion}/initrd
chain ${kernel}

embed the bootscript into your ipxe build or start the script from ipxe using the chain command
be happy and think about supporting the great guys at Proxmox!

PXE (HTTP - faster)

on your PXE server, use lpxelinux.0 as pxelinux.0 (overwrite or set filename via DHCP option)
copy/move linux26 and initrd to a directory of your webserver (e.g. /var/www/proxmox/${version})

add the following lines to your PXE config file (mind the important parameter ramdisk_size or the initrd won't fit into default memory):

label proxmox-install-http
        menu label Install Proxmox HTTP
        linux http://${webserver}/proxmox/${version}/linux26
        initrd http://${webserver}/proxmox/${version}/initrd
        append vga=791 video=vesafb:ywrap,mtrr ramdisk_size=16777216 rw quiet splash=silent
        
label proxmox-install-http
        menu label Install Proxmox HTTP (Debug)
        linux http://${webserver}/proxmox/${version}/linux26
        initrd http://${webserver}/proxmox/${version}/initrd
        append vga=791 video=vesafb:ywrap,mtrr ramdisk_size=16777216 rw quiet splash=silent proxdebug

be happy and think about supporting the great guys at Proxmox!

PXE (TFTP)

on your PXE server, create a directory proxmox/${version} in your PXE root directory (e.g. /var/lib/tftpboot/ or /srv/pxe/)
copy/move linux26 and initrd to this directory