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Felicia Grace for BytesRack

Posted on • Originally published at bytesrack.com

How to Migrate from VMware ESXi to Proxmox VE (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)

#devops #proxmox #virtualization #sysadmin

If you are reading this, you are likely part of the massive wave of system administrators exiting the VMware ecosystem following the recent Broadcom pricing changes. You are looking for a stable, cost-effective alternative, and Proxmox VE is the answer.

In this guide, we will walk you through the exact process of migrating a production Virtual Machine (VM) from ESXi to Proxmox VE. Whether you are moving a single server or an entire datacenter, this tutorial covers the most reliable methods for 2026: the native Import Wizard and the manual CLI method.

Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Start

Before we touch the terminal, ensure you have the following ready. A failed migration is usually due to skipping these checks.

  • Source Host: Access to your VMware ESXi host (v6.5, 7.0, or 8.0) with root credentials.
  • Destination Server: A server with Proxmox VE 8.x (or newer) installed.
  • Connectivity: Both servers must be able to communicate over the network. Ideally, they should be on the same LAN or connected via a fast private network/VPN to speed up data transfer.
  • Backup: Critical. Never migrate a live VM without a fresh backup. Use Veeam, Active Backup, or a manual OVF export before proceeding.

Hardware Tip: Migration involves heavy disk I/O. For production workloads, we strongly recommend using Enterprise NVMe storage.

Step 1: Preparing the Proxmox Environment

First, let’s make sure your destination server is ready to accept the new data.

1. Update Your System

Log in to your Proxmox server (via SSH or Console) and run:

apt update && apt dist-upgrade -y
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2. Check Storage Configuration

For the best reliability with imported VMs, we recommend using ZFS.

Why ZFS? It provides protection against bit rot (data corruption) during transfer and allows for instant snapshots.

Note: If you are setting up a new server at Bytesrack, our default deployment includes ZFS optimization for virtualization workloads.

Step 2: The Migration Process

In 2026, Proxmox introduced significant improvements to the migration workflow. You have two options: The Easy Way (Import Wizard) or The Manual Way (CLI).

Option A: The Proxmox Import Wizard (Recommended)

Best for: Moving standard VMs quickly without leaving the GUI.

  1. Add ESXi as Storage:

    • Navigate to Datacenter > Storage > Add > ESXi.
    • ID: Enter a name (e.g., esxi-source).
    • Server: Enter the IP address of your ESXi host.
    • Username/Password: Enter your ESXi root credentials.
    • Certificate: Check "Skip Certificate Verification" if you are using self-signed certs (common in internal networks).

  2. Select the VM:

    • Once added, click on the new esxi-source storage icon in the left sidebar.
    • Wait a moment for Proxmox to fetch the VM list from VMware.

  3. Start the Import:

    • Right-click the target VM and select Import.
    • Target Storage: Choose your local ZFS or LVM store.
    • Format: Select QCOW2 (recommended for snapshot support) or Raw (best performance on ZFS).
    • Click Import.

Pro Tip: There is a "Live Import" checkbox. While tempting, we recommend leaving it unchecked for production data. It is safer to let the data fully sync before booting the VM to avoid disk consistency issues.

Option B: Manual CLI Migration (The "Power User" Method)

Best for: .vmdk / .ova files, offline backups, or if the Wizard fails.

If you have a disk file exported from VMware, use the qm importdisk command. This is the "universal adapter" of Proxmox migrations.

1. Upload the Disk
Transfer your .vmdk file to the Proxmox server using SCP or WinSCP. Let's assume the file is at /root/server-disk.vmdk.

2. Create a "Shell" VM
In the Proxmox GUI, create a new VM.

  • Match the CPU and RAM settings of the old VM.
  • Important: Do not create a hard disk (delete the default disk if created).
  • Note the new VM ID (e.g., 105).

3. Run the Import Command
Open the Proxmox Shell and run:

# Syntax: qm importdisk [VM-ID] [Path-to-Source] [Target-Storage]
qm importdisk 105 /root/server-disk.vmdk local-zfs --format qcow2
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4. Attach the Disk

  • Go to VM 105 > Hardware.
  • You will see an "Unused Disk." Double-click it and click Add.
  • Go to Options > Boot Order, enable the new disk, and move it to the top.

Step 3: Network & Driver Configuration (Crucial)

The migration is done, but the VM might not boot or connect to the internet yet. This is because VMware uses different hardware drivers than Proxmox (KVM).

Fix 1: Change the Network Interface

VMware uses vmxnet3 or e1000. Proxmox works best with VirtIO.

  1. Go to Hardware > Network Device.
  2. Edit and change the Model to VirtIO (paravirtualized).

Note: For Windows VMs, if you don't have VirtIO drivers installed yet, keep this as Intel E1000 temporarily until you install them.

Fix 2: Windows "Inaccessible Boot Device" (BSOD)

If a Windows VM Blue Screens on boot, it’s because it lacks the VirtIO storage drivers.

  1. Change the Hard Disk Bus back to IDE or SATA.
  2. Boot the VM.
  3. Mount the virtio-win.iso (Download from Proxmox site) to the CD-ROM.
  4. Install the VirtIO drivers inside Windows.
  5. Shut down, change the Disk Bus to SCSI (VirtIO SCSI), and boot again.

Step 4: Post-Migration Cleanup

Once the VM is running:

  1. Install QEMU Guest Agent: This allows Proxmox to see the VM's IP address and shut it down gracefully.
    • Linux: apt install qemu-guest-agent
    • Windows: Install via the VirtIO ISO.
  2. Remove VMware Tools: Uninstall the old VMware tools to prevent driver conflicts.
  3. Update Network Config: In Linux, your interface name may have changed from ens192 to ens18. Update your Netplan or /etc/network/interfaces file accordingly.

Conclusion

Migrating from ESXi to Proxmox is no longer the complex task it used to be. With tools like the Import Wizard and robust hardware support, you can move away from licensing fees and gain the flexibility of open-source infrastructure.

Need High-Performance Infrastructure for your Cluster?

While Proxmox runs on almost anything, production workloads demand enterprise stability.

At Bytesrack, we specialize in Virtualization-Ready Dedicated Servers.

  • Zero Licensing Fees: We love Open Source.
  • High I/O: All servers come with Enterprise NVMe storage to ensure your VMs run faster than they did on ESXi.
  • Custom Builds: We configure the hardware specifically for Proxmox requirements.

👉 View Bytesrack Dedicated Servers

Don't want to handle the migration yourself?
Our team performs hundreds of migrations annually. Order a Managed Dedicated Server, and let the Bytesrack engineering team handle the transfer for you—zero headaches, zero downtime risks.

Contact Bytesrack Support

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