1b92d1bff7
- Fix Homebrew installation: install sudo, set sudoers permissions, and add transparent root wrapper - Add Debian 12 fallback when Debian 13 template is unavailable - Ensure proper OpenClaw token authentication configuration - Dynamically resolve binary paths in systemd services - Configure SSH root password login - Clean stale VNC locks on startup and prevent screen-blanking - Add --skip-daemon flag to onboarding shortcut to avoid service conflict - Enable nesting and onboot autostart for container - Prompt for VMID and storage pools with auto-detected defaults
OpenClaw on Proxmox — One Script, Full AI Assistant
Deploy your own OpenClaw AI assistant on any Proxmox server in minutes. One command, zero manual setup.
Why use this?
- Self-hosted AI assistant — OpenClaw runs entirely on your hardware, under your control
- One command to deploy — no manual package installation, no config file editing, no guesswork
- Full remote desktop — access a graphical LXQt desktop from any browser via noVNC
- Ready-to-use browser — Google Chrome with developer mode for OpenClaw browser extension
- Lightweight container — runs in a privileged LXC (not a full VM), so it's fast and resource-efficient
- Auto-starts on boot — all services (gateway, VNC, noVNC) are systemd-managed
- Onboarding made easy — desktop shortcut walks you through OpenClaw setup step by step
- Homebrew included — install OpenClaw skills right away
Quick Start
SSH into your Proxmox host and run:
bash <(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/adadrag/Openclaw-Proxmox/main/setup-openclaw-lxc.sh)
That's it. The script will ask for a password, pick sensible defaults for everything else, and print your connection URLs when done.
Alternative install methods
Download first, then run:
wget -O setup-openclaw-lxc.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/adadrag/Openclaw-Proxmox/main/setup-openclaw-lxc.sh
chmod +x setup-openclaw-lxc.sh
./setup-openclaw-lxc.sh
Clone the repo:
git clone https://github.com/adadrag/Openclaw-Proxmox.git
cd Openclaw-Proxmox
chmod +x setup-openclaw-lxc.sh
./setup-openclaw-lxc.sh
What you get
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?autoconnect=true&resize=scale |
| SSH | ssh root@<container-ip> |
The script prints all of this (including the direct token link) at the end.
Desktop Shortcuts
Once you open the remote desktop via noVNC, you'll find two shortcuts ready to go:
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| 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+ (x86_64 / amd64)
- Root access on the Proxmox host
- Internet connectivity (for downloading packages)
Configuration
The script prompts you interactively (all optional with smart auto-detection except password):
| Option | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 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 — 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 or 12 LXC (privileged, nested, onboot)
- Node.js 22 + OpenClaw
- 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
Container Management
pct enter <VMID> # Shell into the container
pct stop <VMID> # Stop the container
pct start <VMID> # Start the container
pct status <VMID> # Check container status
Notes on the onboarding wizard
When you run the OpenClaw Setup Wizard from the desktop shortcut:
- The shortcut automatically includes
--skip-daemonso 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.
Troubleshooting
Service not starting?
pct exec <VMID> -- systemctl status openclaw-gateway
pct exec <VMID> -- systemctl status vncserver
pct exec <VMID> -- systemctl status novnc
Chrome extension not loading?
Open Chrome, navigate to chrome://extensions, enable Developer Mode (top right toggle), then click Load unpacked and select the OpenClaw extension directory.
License
MIT License. See LICENSE for details.