Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) is a powerful open-source platform for enterprise virtualization. It allows you to manage virtual machines, containers, highly available clusters, storage, and network with an integrated, easy-to-use web interface. One common task is downloading ISO images for use with virtual machines. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to download an ISO image using the wget command in Proxmox VE.

Step 1: Access Proxmox and Prepare the Directory

Firstly, you need to access the Proxmox VE host. This can be done either directly through the console or via SSH. Once logged in, navigate to the directory where Proxmox VE stores ISO images:

cd /var/lib/vz/template/iso

This directory is the default location for ISO images in Proxmox VE, and it’s accessible from the Proxmox web interface under the “Server View” panel. Ensure you have sufficient permissions to write to this directory; if not, you may need to use sudo or switch to the root user.

Step 2: Locate the ISO Download URL

For the purpose of this guide, we will download the Ubuntu 20.04.6 Live Server ISO. The download URL for this ISO is:

https://releases.ubuntu.com/focal/ubuntu-20.04.6-live-server-amd64.iso

Always verify that you have the correct and most up-to-date URL for the ISO you wish to download. Using an outdated or incorrect URL will result in an error.

Step 3: Download the ISO Using wget

With the URL in hand, use the wget command to start the download:

wget https://releases.ubuntu.com/focal/ubuntu-20.04.6-live-server-amd64.iso

The wget command will show a progress bar with the download status, including the file size, download speed, and estimated time to complete the download.

Here are some additional wget options that might be useful:

• -c: Continue a partially completed download.
• -b: Run wget in the background after starting it.
• --limit-rate: Limit the bandwidth used by wget.
• -q: Operate in quiet mode, suppressing wget output.

Wrapping Up

Once the ISO is downloaded, you can proceed to create a new VM in Proxmox VE using the downloaded ISO image. Navigate to the “Create VM” wizard in the Proxmox web interface, and you’ll find the ISO in the local storage dropdown.

Remember to always verify your ISO images to ensure they have not been tampered with. You can do this by checking the SHA256 checksum provided on the download page against the checksum of your downloaded file.

By using wget within Proxmox VE, you can efficiently manage ISO downloads directly from the command line, streamlining the setup process for your virtual machines.