Windows 11 install tips on Proxmox

These notes cover two common issues when installing Windows 11 on a Proxmox VM: missing storage drivers during setup and avoiding a Microsoft account when the VM is meant to stay local.

Add the VirtIO ISO before booting the installer

If your VM disk is attached as scsi0, Windows setup may not show the disk until the VirtIO storage drivers are loaded.

Before starting the VM for the first time:

1. Attach the Windows 11 ISO as one CD/DVD drive.
2. Attach the virtio-win ISO as a second CD/DVD drive.
3. Start the VM and boot into the Windows installer.

When you reach the disk selection screen:

1. Click Load driver.
2. Browse to the VirtIO CD/DVD.
3. Open the folder for the storage controller you are using.
4. Install the matching driver so the scsi0 disk appears.

This is the usual fix when Windows setup cannot see the Proxmox disk yet.

Stay local and skip the Microsoft account

If this VM is meant to remain local, you do not need to sign in with a Microsoft account.

On the Microsoft sign-in screen:

1. First try the back arrow in the top-left corner.
2. If it returns you to a page with a Skip, Offline account, or Local account option, use that path.

If Windows keeps sending you back to Microsoft account sign-in, a commonly working method on current Windows 11 builds is:

1. Press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt.
2. Run:

start ms-cxh:localonly

A local user creation dialog should appear. Create the username and password there, then continue setup.