diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 137126b..4daef80 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -8,28 +8,27 @@ OpenClaw on Proxmox is a single-script deployment tool (`setup-openclaw-lxc.sh`)
 
 ## Architecture
 
-The entire project is one ~460-line Bash script with this flow:
+The entire project is one Bash script with this flow:
 
-1. **Pre-flight** — Verify Proxmox CLI tools (`pct`, `pvesh`, `pveam`) and root access
-2. **User prompts** — Collect container password, disk/memory/CPU/resolution settings
-3. **Auto-detection** — Find next VMID and storage backends via `pvesh` JSON + Python parsing
-4. **Template management** — Download Debian 13 template if missing
-5. **Container creation** — Privileged LXC, DHCP networking
-6. **Package installation** — Node.js 22, Homebrew (as non-root `brewuser`), OpenClaw (npm global), LXQt, TigerVNC, noVNC, Google Chrome, OpenClaw browser extension
-7. **Configuration** — OpenClaw gateway settings, VNC password/xstartup, noVNC auto-scaling patch, Chrome as default browser
-8. **Desktop integration** — Desktop shortcuts for onboarding wizard and dashboard
-9. **Systemd services** — Three auto-starting services: `openclaw-gateway` (port 18789), `vncserver` (:1/5901), `novnc` (port 6080)
-10. **Verification** — Check all services are active, print connection info
+1. **Pre-flight** — Verify Proxmox CLI tools (`pct`, `pvesh`, `pveam`), root access, and x86_64 architecture
+2. **Auto-detection & User prompts** — Detect next VMID and available storages, prompt user with smart defaults
+3. **Template management** — Check local storage, download Debian 13 or fallback to Debian 12 template
+4. **Container creation** — Privileged LXC with nesting enabled, DHCP networking, onboot autostart
+5. **Package installation** — Node.js 22, Homebrew (as non-root `brewuser`), OpenClaw (npm global), LXQt, TigerVNC, noVNC, Google Chrome, OpenClaw browser extension, OpenSSH server
+6. **Configuration** — OpenClaw gateway settings (`gateway.auth.mode token`), VNC password/xstartup (no blanking), noVNC auto-scaling patch, Chrome as default browser (`--no-sandbox` wrapper), SSH root login
+7. **Desktop integration** — Desktop shortcuts for onboarding wizard (`--skip-daemon`) and dashboard (pre-filled token)
+8. **Systemd services** — Three auto-starting services with dynamically detected binaries: `openclaw-gateway` (port 18789), `vncserver` (:1/5901), `novnc` (port 6080)
+9. **Verification** — Check all services are active, print connection info (direct one-click URLs)
 
 Key helper: `ct_exec()` wraps `pct exec $VMID -- bash -c` for all in-container commands.
 
 ## Development Notes
 
 - No build system, test suite, or linter — this is a standalone Bash script
-- Uses `set -euo pipefail` for strict error handling
+- Uses `set -euo pipefail` and ERR trap for strict error handling and cleanup tips
 - All in-container operations use heredoc-embedded config files (systemd units, desktop files, wrapper scripts)
 - Colorized output via `info()`, `ok()`, `warn()`, `err()`, `fatal()` helper functions
-- Homebrew is installed under a dedicated `brewuser` account (non-root requirement) with a symlink at `/usr/local/bin/brew` for root access
+- Homebrew is installed under a dedicated `brewuser` account (non-root requirement) with passwordless sudo (`0440` permission) and a transparent wrapper script at `/usr/local/bin/brew` so root and OpenClaw can run `brew` commands
 - The noVNC auto-scaling patch modifies `/usr/share/novnc/app/ui.js` in-place via `sed`
 - Auth token is generated with `openssl rand -hex 16`
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eb55273..439ec46 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -47,10 +47,10 @@ After the script finishes, you'll have a fully configured LXC container with:
 | What | How to access |
 |------|---------------|
 | **OpenClaw Dashboard** | `http://<container-ip>:18789/#token=<your-token>` |
-| **Remote Desktop** | `http://<container-ip>:6080/vnc.html` |
+| **Remote Desktop** | `http://<container-ip>:6080/vnc.html?autoconnect=true&resize=scale` |
 | **SSH** | `ssh root@<container-ip>` |
 
-The script prints all of this (including the token) at the end.
+The script prints all of this (including the direct token link) at the end.
 
 ## Desktop Shortcuts
 
@@ -58,38 +58,41 @@ Once you open the remote desktop via noVNC, you'll find two shortcuts ready to g
 
 | Shortcut | What it does |
 |----------|-------------|
-| **OpenClaw Setup Wizard** | Opens the interactive onboarding wizard (`openclaw onboard`) to configure your channels, workspace, and skills |
+| **OpenClaw Setup Wizard** | Opens the interactive onboarding wizard (`openclaw onboard --skip-daemon`) to configure your channels, workspace, and skills |
 | **OpenClaw Dashboard** | Opens Chrome with the dashboard URL and auth token pre-filled — no manual token entry needed |
 
 ## Requirements
 
-- Proxmox VE 8.x+
+- Proxmox VE 8.x+ (x86_64 / amd64)
 - Root access on the Proxmox host
 - Internet connectivity (for downloading packages)
 
 ## Configuration
 
-The script prompts you interactively (all optional except password):
+The script prompts you interactively (all optional with smart auto-detection except password):
 
 | Option | Default | Description |
 |--------|---------|-------------|
-| Password | *(required)* | Container root password (also used for VNC) |
+| VMID | *(next free)* | Container ID (auto-detected, customizable) |
+| Password | *(required)* | Container root password (VNC uses first 8 characters) |
+| Rootfs storage | *(auto-detected)* | Storage pool for container rootfs (`local-lvm`, `local-zfs`, etc.) |
+| Template storage | *(auto-detected)* | Storage pool for template cache (`local`, etc.) |
 | Disk size | 32 GB | Container root filesystem size |
 | Memory | 4096 MB | RAM allocation |
 | CPU cores | 4 | Number of CPU cores |
 | VNC resolution | 1920x1080 | Remote desktop resolution |
 
-Everything else is auto-detected — VMID, storage, networking (DHCP).
+Everything else is auto-detected — networking (DHCP bridge `vmbr0`), nesting, and onboot autostart.
 
 ## What the script installs
 
 All inside the container (nothing is installed on the Proxmox host):
 
-- **Debian 13** LXC (privileged)
+- **Debian 13 or 12** LXC (privileged, nested, onboot)
 - **Node.js 22** + **OpenClaw**
-- **Homebrew** (for OpenClaw skills)
-- **LXQt** desktop + **TigerVNC** + **noVNC**
-- **Google Chrome** (with OpenClaw browser extension)
+- **Homebrew** (preconfigured with non-root user + transparent root wrapper for OpenClaw skills)
+- **LXQt** desktop + **TigerVNC** + **noVNC** (with auto-scaling & no screen-blanking)
+- **Google Chrome** (configured for root with `--no-sandbox` & OpenClaw browser extension)
 - **Noto Color Emoji** font (for proper terminal rendering)
 - Three **systemd services**: `openclaw-gateway`, `vncserver`, `novnc`
 
@@ -104,11 +107,10 @@ pct status <VMID>      # Check container status
 
 ## Notes on the onboarding wizard
 
-When you run the **OpenClaw Setup Wizard** from the desktop shortcut, you may see two messages that look like errors but are perfectly normal:
+When you run the **OpenClaw Setup Wizard** from the desktop shortcut:
 
-**"Gateway service install failed"** — The wizard tries to create its own systemd service for the gateway, but our script already set up `openclaw-gateway.service` and it's already running. This is safe to ignore.
-
-**"SECURITY ERROR: ws:// to a non-loopback address"** — This is a warning that the gateway uses unencrypted WebSocket over LAN. This is expected for a local setup. If you're on a trusted home or office network, it's completely fine.
+- The shortcut automatically includes `--skip-daemon` so the wizard won't attempt to reinstall or overwrite the existing systemd service.
+- **"SECURITY ERROR: ws:// to a non-loopback address"** — This is a standard warning that the gateway uses unencrypted WebSocket over LAN. This is expected for a local setup. If you're on a trusted home or office network, it's completely fine.
 
 As long as you see your **channels connected**, a **Control UI URL**, and an **agent workspace** listed at the end of the wizard, everything worked.
 
diff --git a/setup-openclaw-lxc.sh b/setup-openclaw-lxc.sh
index 23994ca..6ab4c0a 100644
--- a/setup-openclaw-lxc.sh
+++ b/setup-openclaw-lxc.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 #
 # setup-openclaw-lxc.sh — Automated OpenClaw AI assistant setup in a Proxmox LXC container
 #
-# Run this script directly on the Proxmox host.
-# It creates a Debian 13 LXC, installs OpenClaw + LXQt desktop + Google Chrome + VNC/noVNC,
+# Run this script directly on the Proxmox host as root.
+# It creates a Debian 13/12 LXC, installs OpenClaw + LXQt desktop + Google Chrome + VNC/noVNC,
 # and prints connection info when done.
 #
 
@@ -23,11 +23,63 @@ warn()  { echo -e "${YELLOW}[WARN]${NC}  $*"; }
 err()   { echo -e "${RED}[ERROR]${NC} $*" >&2; }
 fatal() { err "$@"; exit 1; }
 
+# Trap unexpected errors to give actionable advice
+trap 'err "An error occurred on line $LINENO. Container VMID: ${VMID:-none}. To clean up: pct destroy ${VMID:-<vmid>}"' ERR
+
 # ─── Pre-flight checks ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 command -v pct  >/dev/null 2>&1 || fatal "pct not found — this script must run on a Proxmox host."
 command -v pvesh >/dev/null 2>&1 || fatal "pvesh not found — this script must run on a Proxmox host."
 command -v pveam >/dev/null 2>&1 || fatal "pveam not found — this script must run on a Proxmox host."
 [[ $(id -u) -eq 0 ]] || fatal "This script must be run as root."
+[[ $(uname -m) == "x86_64" ]] || fatal "This script currently supports x86_64 (amd64) architecture only."
+
+# ─── Auto-detection ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+info "Detecting next available VMID and storage pools..."
+
+# Detect next available VMID
+DETECTED_VMID=$(pvesh get /cluster/nextid 2>/dev/null || true)
+if [[ -z "$DETECTED_VMID" || ! "$DETECTED_VMID" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+    DETECTED_VMID=$(pvesh get /cluster/resources --type vm --output-format json 2>/dev/null \
+      | python3 -c '
+import json, sys
+data = json.load(sys.stdin)
+ids = [r["vmid"] for r in data if "vmid" in r]
+print(max(ids) + 1 if ids else 100)
+' 2>/dev/null || echo 100)
+fi
+
+# Find template storage (enabled and supports vztmpl content)
+DETECTED_TMPL_STORAGE=$(pvesh get /storage --output-format json 2>/dev/null \
+  | python3 -c '
+import json, sys
+stores = json.load(sys.stdin)
+for s in stores:
+    if s.get("disable", 0) != 1 and s.get("enabled", 1) == 1:
+        if "vztmpl" in s.get("content", ""):
+            print(s["storage"])
+            break
+' 2>/dev/null || echo "local")
+
+# Find rootdir storage (prefer local-lvm, local-zfs, local-btrfs, then any with rootdir/images)
+DETECTED_ROOT_STORAGE=$(pvesh get /storage --output-format json 2>/dev/null \
+  | python3 -c '
+import json, sys
+stores = json.load(sys.stdin)
+candidates = []
+for s in stores:
+    if s.get("disable", 0) != 1 and s.get("enabled", 1) == 1:
+        content = s.get("content", "")
+        if "rootdir" in content or "images" in content:
+            candidates.append(s["storage"])
+for preferred in ["local-lvm", "local-zfs", "local-btrfs"]:
+    if preferred in candidates:
+        print(preferred)
+        sys.exit(0)
+if candidates:
+    print(candidates[0])
+else:
+    print("local-lvm")
+' 2>/dev/null || echo "local-lvm")
 
 # ─── User prompts ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 echo -e "${BOLD}╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╗${NC}"
@@ -35,10 +87,24 @@ echo -e "${BOLD}║     OpenClaw LXC Setup for Proxmox               ║${NC}"
 echo -e "${BOLD}╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════╝${NC}"
 echo
 
+read -rp "Container VMID [${DETECTED_VMID}]: " VMID_INPUT
+VMID="${VMID_INPUT:-$DETECTED_VMID}"
+[[ "$VMID" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || fatal "VMID must be an integer."
+
+if pct status "$VMID" >/dev/null 2>&1 || qm status "$VMID" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    fatal "VMID $VMID is already in use by another container or VM!"
+fi
+
 read -rp "Container password: " -s CT_PASSWORD
 echo
 [[ -n "$CT_PASSWORD" ]] || fatal "Password cannot be empty."
 
+read -rp "Rootfs storage [${DETECTED_ROOT_STORAGE}]: " ROOT_STORAGE_INPUT
+ROOT_STORAGE="${ROOT_STORAGE_INPUT:-$DETECTED_ROOT_STORAGE}"
+
+read -rp "Template storage [${DETECTED_TMPL_STORAGE}]: " TMPL_STORAGE_INPUT
+TMPL_STORAGE="${TMPL_STORAGE_INPUT:-$DETECTED_TMPL_STORAGE}"
+
 read -rp "Disk size in GB [32]: " DISK_SIZE
 DISK_SIZE="${DISK_SIZE:-32}"
 
@@ -52,70 +118,31 @@ read -rp "VNC resolution [1920x1080]: " VNC_RES
 VNC_RES="${VNC_RES:-1920x1080}"
 
 echo
+ok "Will create container $VMID on storage $ROOT_STORAGE (template on $TMPL_STORAGE)"
 
-# ─── Auto-detect next VMID ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
-info "Detecting next available VMID..."
-VMID=$(pvesh get /cluster/resources --type vm --output-format json 2>/dev/null \
-  | python3 -c '
-import json, sys
-data = json.load(sys.stdin)
-ids = [r["vmid"] for r in data if "vmid" in r]
-print(max(ids) + 1 if ids else 100)
-' 2>/dev/null || echo 100)
-ok "Will use VMID: $VMID"
-
-# ─── Auto-detect storage ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-info "Detecting storage..."
-
-# Find template storage (supports vztmpl content)
-TMPL_STORAGE=$(pvesh get /storage --output-format json 2>/dev/null \
-  | python3 -c '
-import json, sys
-stores = json.load(sys.stdin)
-for s in stores:
-    content = s.get("content", "")
-    if "vztmpl" in content:
-        print(s["storage"])
-        break
-' 2>/dev/null || echo "local")
-
-# Find rootdir storage (prefer local-lvm, then any with rootdir)
-ROOT_STORAGE=$(pvesh get /storage --output-format json 2>/dev/null \
-  | python3 -c '
-import json, sys
-stores = json.load(sys.stdin)
-candidates = []
-for s in stores:
-    content = s.get("content", "")
-    if "rootdir" in content or "images" in content:
-        candidates.append(s["storage"])
-if "local-lvm" in candidates:
-    print("local-lvm")
-elif candidates:
-    print(candidates[0])
-else:
-    print("local-lvm")
-' 2>/dev/null || echo "local-lvm")
-
-ok "Template storage: $TMPL_STORAGE"
-ok "Rootfs storage:   $ROOT_STORAGE"
-
-# ─── Download Debian 13 template ─────────────────────────────────────────────
-info "Checking for Debian 13 template..."
+# ─── Download Debian template (Debian 13 or 12) ───────────────────────────────
+info "Checking for Debian template..."
 pveam update >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
 
-TEMPLATE=$(pveam available --section system 2>/dev/null | grep -oP 'debian-13-standard_\S+' | head -1 || true)
-if [[ -z "$TEMPLATE" ]]; then
-    TEMPLATE=$(pveam available 2>/dev/null | grep -oP 'debian-13-standard_\S+' | head -1 || true)
-fi
-[[ -n "$TEMPLATE" ]] || fatal "Could not find Debian 13 template. Check 'pveam available'."
+# Check if an existing Debian 13 or 12 template is already downloaded on storage
+TEMPLATE=$(pveam list "$TMPL_STORAGE" 2>/dev/null | grep -oP 'debian-(13|12)-standard_\S+' | head -1 || true)
 
-if pveam list "$TMPL_STORAGE" 2>/dev/null | grep -q "$TEMPLATE"; then
-    ok "Template already downloaded: $TEMPLATE"
+if [[ -n "$TEMPLATE" ]]; then
+    ok "Found locally downloaded template: $TEMPLATE"
 else
+    # Search available templates, prioritizing Debian 13 then Debian 12
+    TEMPLATE=$(pveam available --section system 2>/dev/null | grep -oP 'debian-13-standard_\S+' | head -1 || true)
+    if [[ -z "$TEMPLATE" ]]; then
+        TEMPLATE=$(pveam available --section system 2>/dev/null | grep -oP 'debian-12-standard_\S+' | head -1 || true)
+    fi
+    if [[ -z "$TEMPLATE" ]]; then
+        TEMPLATE=$(pveam available 2>/dev/null | grep -oP 'debian-(13|12)-standard_\S+' | head -1 || true)
+    fi
+    [[ -n "$TEMPLATE" ]] || fatal "Could not find Debian 13 or Debian 12 template in 'pveam available'."
+
     info "Downloading $TEMPLATE to $TMPL_STORAGE..."
     pveam download "$TMPL_STORAGE" "$TEMPLATE"
-    ok "Template downloaded."
+    ok "Template downloaded: $TEMPLATE"
 fi
 
 # ─── Create the LXC container ────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -128,6 +155,8 @@ pct create "$VMID" "${TMPL_STORAGE}:vztmpl/${TEMPLATE}" \
     --cores "$CORES" \
     --net0 name=eth0,bridge=vmbr0,ip=dhcp \
     --unprivileged 0 \
+    --features nesting=1 \
+    --onboot 1 \
     --start 0
 ok "Container $VMID created."
 
@@ -147,16 +176,23 @@ ct_exec() {
 info "Waiting for DHCP lease (up to 30s)..."
 CT_IP=""
 for i in $(seq 1 30); do
-    CT_IP=$(ct_exec "hostname -I 2>/dev/null" | awk '{print $1}' || true)
-    if [[ -n "$CT_IP" && "$CT_IP" != "127.0.0.1" ]]; then
+    CT_IP=$(ct_exec "hostname -I 2>/dev/null" | grep -oP '\b(?:\d{1,3}\.){3}\d{1,3}\b' | grep -v '^127\.' | head -n1 || true)
+    if [[ -n "$CT_IP" ]]; then
         break
     fi
-    CT_IP=""
     sleep 1
 done
-[[ -n "$CT_IP" ]] || warn "Could not detect container IP — continuing anyway."
+[[ -n "$CT_IP" ]] || warn "Could not detect container IPv4 — continuing anyway."
 ok "Container IP: ${CT_IP:-unknown}"
 
+info "Verifying internet connectivity inside container..."
+for i in $(seq 1 15); do
+    if ct_exec "curl -s --connect-timeout 2 https://deb.debian.org >/dev/null 2>&1 || ping -c 1 -W 2 1.1.1.1 >/dev/null 2>&1"; then
+        break
+    fi
+    sleep 1
+done
+
 # ─── Install packages inside the container ────────────────────────────────────
 info "Updating packages and installing prerequisites..."
 ct_exec "
@@ -170,10 +206,19 @@ ct_exec "
     export LANG=en_US.UTF-8 LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8
 
     apt-get upgrade -y 2>&1 | grep -v 'Failed to write'
-    apt-get install -y curl ca-certificates gnupg git 2>&1 | grep -v 'Failed to write'
+    apt-get install -y curl ca-certificates gnupg git sudo openssh-server 2>&1 | grep -v 'Failed to write'
 "
 ok "Prerequisites installed."
 
+# ─── Configure SSH for root access ───────────────────────────────────────────
+info "Configuring SSH for root password login..."
+ct_exec "
+    mkdir -p /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d
+    echo 'PermitRootLogin yes' > /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/permit-root-login.conf
+    systemctl restart ssh 2>/dev/null || systemctl restart sshd 2>/dev/null || true
+"
+ok "SSH configured."
+
 info "Installing Node.js 22..."
 ct_exec "
     export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
@@ -185,18 +230,38 @@ ok "Node.js installed."
 info "Installing Homebrew (required for OpenClaw skills)..."
 ct_exec "
     export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
-    apt-get install -y build-essential procps file 2>&1 | grep -v -E 'Failed to write|Permission denied'
+    apt-get install -y build-essential procps file sudo 2>&1 | grep -v -E 'Failed to write|Permission denied'
 
-    # Homebrew must be installed as a non-root user
+    # Create dedicated brewuser and configure passwordless sudo
     useradd -m -s /bin/bash brewuser 2>/dev/null || true
+    mkdir -p /etc/sudoers.d
     echo 'brewuser ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL' > /etc/sudoers.d/brewuser
+    chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/brewuser
+
+    # Pre-create /home/linuxbrew with correct ownership
+    mkdir -p /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew
+    chown -R brewuser:brewuser /home/linuxbrew
 
     # Install Homebrew as brewuser
     su - brewuser -c 'NONINTERACTIVE=1 /bin/bash -c \"\$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)\"' 2>&1 | tail -5
 
-    # Make brew available system-wide for root
+    # Configure brew environment for brewuser
+    echo 'eval \"\$(/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew shellenv)\"' >> /home/brewuser/.bashrc
+    echo 'eval \"\$(/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew shellenv)\"' >> /home/brewuser/.profile
+
+    # Configure brew environment for root
     echo '[ -x /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew ] && eval \"\$(/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew shellenv)\"' >> /root/.bashrc
-    ln -sf /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew /usr/local/bin/brew
+
+    # Safe wrapper so root and OpenClaw can seamlessly execute brew without root errors
+    cat > /usr/local/bin/brew << 'BREWWRAPPER'
+#!/bin/bash
+if [[ \$(id -u) -eq 0 ]]; then
+    exec sudo -u brewuser -i /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew \"\$@\"
+else
+    exec /home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew \"\$@\"
+fi
+BREWWRAPPER
+    chmod +x /usr/local/bin/brew
 "
 ok "Homebrew installed."
 
@@ -208,7 +273,7 @@ info "Installing LXQt, TigerVNC, noVNC (this takes a few minutes)..."
 ct_exec "
     export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
     export LANG=en_US.UTF-8 LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8
-    apt-get install -y lxqt openbox lxterminal tigervnc-standalone-server novnc websockify dbus-x11 fonts-noto-color-emoji 2>&1 \
+    apt-get install -y lxqt openbox lxterminal tigervnc-standalone-server tigervnc-common novnc websockify dbus-x11 fonts-noto-color-emoji x11-xserver-utils 2>&1 \
         | grep -v -E 'Failed to write|Failed to send reload|Permission denied|Cannot set LC_'
 "
 ok "Desktop environment installed."
@@ -230,29 +295,39 @@ ct_exec "
     openclaw config set gateway.mode local
     openclaw config set gateway.bind lan
     openclaw config set gateway.controlUi.dangerouslyAllowHostHeaderOriginFallback true
+    openclaw config set gateway.auth.mode token
     openclaw config set gateway.auth.token '${AUTH_TOKEN}'
 "
 ok "OpenClaw configured (token: $AUTH_TOKEN)."
 
 info "Installing OpenClaw browser extension..."
 ct_exec "openclaw browser extension install 2>&1 | tail -5 || true"
+EXTENSION_DIR=$(ct_exec "openclaw browser extension path 2>/dev/null" || echo "/root/.openclaw/browser/extension")
 ok "OpenClaw browser extension installed."
 
 # ─── Configure VNC ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 info "Configuring VNC..."
-ct_exec "
-    mkdir -p /root/.config/tigervnc
-    echo '${CT_PASSWORD}' | vncpasswd -f > /root/.config/tigervnc/passwd
+
+# Safely set VNC password via stdin to prevent shell escape issues with special characters
+printf '%s\n' "$CT_PASSWORD" | pct exec "$VMID" -- sh -c '
+    mkdir -p /root/.config/tigervnc /root/.vnc /etc/tigervnc
+    vncpasswd -f > /root/.config/tigervnc/passwd
     chmod 600 /root/.config/tigervnc/passwd
-"
+    ln -sf /root/.config/tigervnc/passwd /root/.vnc/passwd
+    echo ":1=root" > /etc/tigervnc/vncserver.users
+'
 
 ct_exec "cat > /root/.config/tigervnc/xstartup << 'XSTARTUP'
 #!/bin/bash
 unset SESSION_MANAGER
 unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
+xset s off
+xset s noblank
+xset -dpms
 exec dbus-launch --exit-with-session startlxqt
 XSTARTUP
-chmod +x /root/.config/tigervnc/xstartup"
+chmod +x /root/.config/tigervnc/xstartup
+ln -sf /root/.config/tigervnc/xstartup /root/.vnc/xstartup"
 
 # Configure lxterminal with dark theme
 ct_exec "
@@ -323,9 +398,11 @@ ct_exec "
 exec /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable --no-sandbox \"\$@\"
 WRAPPER
     chmod +x /usr/local/bin/google-chrome
+    ln -sf /usr/local/bin/google-chrome /usr/local/bin/google-chrome-stable
 
-    update-alternatives --set x-www-browser /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable 2>/dev/null || true
-    update-alternatives --set gnome-www-browser /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable 2>/dev/null || true
+    update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-www-browser x-www-browser /usr/local/bin/google-chrome 200 2>/dev/null || true
+    update-alternatives --set x-www-browser /usr/local/bin/google-chrome 2>/dev/null || true
+    update-alternatives --set gnome-www-browser /usr/local/bin/google-chrome 2>/dev/null || true
     xdg-mime default google-chrome.desktop x-scheme-handler/http 2>/dev/null || true
     xdg-mime default google-chrome.desktop x-scheme-handler/https 2>/dev/null || true
     xdg-mime default google-chrome.desktop text/html 2>/dev/null || true
@@ -367,14 +444,14 @@ StartupNotify=true
 SHORTCUT
 chmod +x /root/Desktop/terminal.desktop"
 
-# OpenClaw Onboarding wizard (runs in terminal)
+# OpenClaw Onboarding wizard (runs in terminal with --skip-daemon)
 ct_exec "cat > /root/Desktop/openclaw-onboard.desktop << 'SHORTCUT'
 [Desktop Entry]
 Version=1.0
 Type=Application
 Name=OpenClaw Setup Wizard
 Comment=Run the OpenClaw onboarding wizard to configure your AI assistant
-Exec=lxterminal --title='OpenClaw Onboarding' -e sh -c 'openclaw onboard; exec bash'
+Exec=lxterminal --title='OpenClaw Onboarding' -e sh -c 'openclaw onboard --skip-daemon; exec bash'
 Icon=utilities-terminal
 Terminal=false
 Categories=Utility;
@@ -382,7 +459,7 @@ StartupNotify=true
 SHORTCUT
 chmod +x /root/Desktop/openclaw-onboard.desktop"
 
-# OpenClaw Dashboard (opens in Chrome with token)
+# OpenClaw Dashboard (opens in Chrome with token pre-filled)
 ct_exec "cat > /root/Desktop/openclaw-dashboard.desktop << SHORTCUT
 [Desktop Entry]
 Version=1.0
@@ -402,17 +479,24 @@ ok "Desktop shortcuts created."
 # ─── Create systemd services ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 info "Creating systemd services..."
 
-ct_exec "cat > /etc/systemd/system/openclaw-gateway.service << 'SVC'
+OPENCLAW_BIN=$(ct_exec "command -v openclaw" || echo "/usr/bin/openclaw")
+WEBSOCKIFY_BIN=$(ct_exec "command -v websockify" || echo "/usr/bin/websockify")
+VNC_BIN=$(ct_exec "command -v vncserver" || echo "/usr/bin/vncserver")
+
+ct_exec "cat > /etc/systemd/system/openclaw-gateway.service << SVC
 [Unit]
 Description=OpenClaw Gateway
 After=network.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
-ExecStart=/bin/openclaw gateway run --bind lan --auth token
+ExecStart=${OPENCLAW_BIN} gateway run --bind lan --auth token --token ${AUTH_TOKEN}
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=5
+Environment=HOME=/root
 Environment=NODE_ENV=production
+Environment=OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN=${AUTH_TOKEN}
+Environment=PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
 WorkingDirectory=/root
 
 [Install]
@@ -427,9 +511,9 @@ After=network.target
 [Service]
 Type=forking
 Environment=HOME=/root
-ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c \"/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :1 > /dev/null 2>&1 || :\"
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/vncserver :1 -geometry ${VNC_RES} -depth 24 -localhost yes
-ExecStop=/usr/bin/vncserver -kill :1
+ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c \"${VNC_BIN} -kill :1 >/dev/null 2>&1 || :; rm -f /tmp/.X1-lock /tmp/.X11-unix/X1; mkdir -p /tmp/.X11-unix; chmod 1777 /tmp/.X11-unix\"
+ExecStart=${VNC_BIN} :1 -geometry ${VNC_RES} -depth 24 -localhost yes
+ExecStop=${VNC_BIN} -kill :1
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=5
 
@@ -437,7 +521,7 @@ RestartSec=5
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
 SVC"
 
-ct_exec "cat > /etc/systemd/system/novnc.service << 'SVC'
+ct_exec "cat > /etc/systemd/system/novnc.service << SVC
 [Unit]
 Description=noVNC WebSocket Proxy
 After=vncserver.service
@@ -445,7 +529,7 @@ Requires=vncserver.service
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
-ExecStart=/bin/websockify --web=/usr/share/novnc/ 6080 localhost:5901
+ExecStart=${WEBSOCKIFY_BIN} --web=/usr/share/novnc/ 6080 localhost:5901
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=5
 
@@ -474,7 +558,7 @@ for svc in openclaw-gateway vncserver novnc; do
 done
 
 # Re-detect IP in case it changed
-CT_IP=$(ct_exec "hostname -I 2>/dev/null" | awk '{print $1}' || echo "unknown")
+CT_IP=$(ct_exec "hostname -I 2>/dev/null" | grep -oP '\b(?:\d{1,3}\.){3}\d{1,3}\b' | grep -v '^127\.' | head -n1 || echo "unknown")
 
 # ─── Print connection info ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 echo
@@ -485,17 +569,22 @@ echo
 echo -e "  ${BOLD}Container ID:${NC}  $VMID"
 echo -e "  ${BOLD}Container IP:${NC}  $CT_IP"
 echo
-echo -e "  ${BOLD}OpenClaw Dashboard:${NC}"
-echo -e "    http://${CT_IP}:18789/"
-echo -e "    Auth token: ${CYAN}${AUTH_TOKEN}${NC}"
+echo -e "  ${BOLD}OpenClaw Dashboard (Direct Link):${NC}"
+echo -e "    ${CYAN}http://${CT_IP}:18789/#token=${AUTH_TOKEN}${NC}"
+echo -e "    Auth token: ${AUTH_TOKEN}"
 echo
-echo -e "  ${BOLD}noVNC (remote desktop):${NC}"
-echo -e "    http://${CT_IP}:6080/vnc.html"
+echo -e "  ${BOLD}noVNC Remote Desktop (Auto-connect):${NC}"
+echo -e "    ${CYAN}http://${CT_IP}:6080/vnc.html?autoconnect=true&resize=scale${NC}"
+if [[ ${#CT_PASSWORD} -gt 8 ]]; then
+echo -e "    ${YELLOW}Note on VNC password:${NC} VNC protocol uses first 8 characters: ${BOLD}${CT_PASSWORD:0:8}${NC}"
+else
 echo -e "    VNC password: (same as container password)"
+fi
 echo
 echo -e "  ${BOLD}Browser Extension:${NC}"
+echo -e "    Directory: ${CYAN}${EXTENSION_DIR}${NC}"
 echo -e "    Open Chrome → chrome://extensions → Enable Developer Mode"
-echo -e "    Click 'Load unpacked' and select the OpenClaw extension directory"
+echo -e "    Click 'Load unpacked' and select the directory above"
 echo
 echo -e "  ${BOLD}SSH:${NC}"
 echo -e "    ssh root@${CT_IP}"