FATALnet×Proxmox Backup Server

Build your own backup vault, right from the stick

The FATALnet Tech Toolkit can do more than back up and restore computers, it can help you stand up the backup server too. Boot the stick, choose Make a Proxmox Install USB, flash a spare USB stick, and use it to install Proxmox Backup Server on a spare PC. The result is a complete, self-hosted backup system: the tool that backs up your machines, and the server that stores those backups.

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No server yet? Build one.

Boot the stick, make a Proxmox install USB, and use it to install Proxmox Backup Server on a spare PC.

See the install steps ↓

Already have PBS

Already run a server? Connect it.

Skip the install and just point the toolkit at the Proxmox Backup Server you already run.

How to connect ↓

What is a backup server, and do I need one?

Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) is free, open-source software that acts as a dedicated “backup vault” on your network. When you back up a computer with the toolkit, that backup has to be stored somewhere, PBS is that somewhere. It keeps your backups organized, saves space by skipping duplicate data, and lets you restore any machine later.

If you want to back up and restore whole computers, you need a destination for those backups, and PBS is the recommended one. The good news: you don’t have to buy anything or be a server expert. You can turn almost any spare desktop or mini-PC into a backup server using your FATALnet stick.

What you’ll need:

  • A spare computer to become the server, an old desktop or mini-PC is fine. More disk space means more room for backups.
  • That computer connected to your network with an Ethernet cable (recommended for a server).
  • Your FATALnet Tech Toolkit USB stick.
  • A spare USB stick (4GB or larger) to make the Proxmox installer on, it will be erased.

Important, two things get erased: the USB stick you make the installer on, and the server’s drive.

Making the Proxmox install USB erases that spare USB stick, and running the installer formats the drive in the computer you pick as your server. Use an empty USB stick and a spare machine or a fresh drive, and make sure nothing you want to keep is on either one first.

Make a Proxmox install USB, then install the server

This makes a Proxmox installer USB from the stick, then uses it to set up a complete backup server on a spare computer. Plan for it to take a little while, just let it finish.

1

Boot the FATALnet stick

Plug the FATALnet USB into any working computer, turn it on, and open the boot menu (tap F12, F10, Esc, or F9 as it powers on). Choose the FATALnet drive. This doesn’t have to be the computer that becomes your server, any working PC will do.

2

Choose “Make a Proxmox Install USB”

When the FATALnet menu appears, pick Make a Proxmox Install USB. This prepares the official Proxmox Backup Server installer on a USB stick you supply, it doesn’t change the computer you’re on.

3

Plug in a spare USB stick

Insert a spare USB stick (4GB or larger) when prompted, everything on it will be erased, so use an empty one. The toolkit downloads the latest Proxmox Backup Server installer and flashes it onto the stick. Let it finish, and you’ll have a Proxmox install USB.

4

Boot the server PC from the install USB

Move the Proxmox install USB to the spare computer you want to use as your backup server, and boot from it (same boot-menu key). If it won’t boot from USB, turn off Secure Boot first, see the Getting Started guide.

5

Run the Proxmox Backup Server installer

Follow the on-screen Proxmox installer: choose the disk to install onto (this erases that drive), set a strong password, and confirm the network settings. It installs Proxmox Backup Server onto the server PC.

6

Note the details and sign in

When it finishes, the screen shows the server’s web address (something like https://192.168.1.50:8007) and login. Write these down. From any computer on the same network, open that address in a browser, sign in, and create a place to store backups (in Proxmox this is called a datastore). That’s where your backups will live.

Connect your toolkit to the server

Once the server is running, whether the stick installed it or you already had one, tell your FATALnet sticks where to send backups:

  1. Boot the FATALnet Tech Toolkit on a computer you want to back up.
  2. Go to Settings → PBS Backup Server.
  3. Enter your server’s details, its web address and the access information from your PBS setup.
  4. Save. The toolkit confirms it can reach the server.

That’s it, your toolkit and your backup server are connected. You can now back up and restore whole computers to your own self-hosted vault.

Backup server questions

What gets erased when I set up the server?
Two things: the spare USB stick you make the Proxmox installer on (when the toolkit flashes it), and the drive of the computer you choose as your server (when the Proxmox installer runs). Use an empty USB stick and a spare machine or fresh drive, and make sure nothing important is on either first.
What kind of computer do I need for the server?
It doesn’t need to be powerful. An older desktop or a small mini-PC works well. The main thing that matters is disk space, the more storage, the more backups you can keep. A wired (Ethernet) connection is recommended.
Is Proxmox Backup Server free?
Yes, it’s free and open-source. The FATALnet Tech Toolkit simply makes it easy to install and connect to.
Can I use a backup server I already have?
Absolutely. If you already run Proxmox Backup Server, skip the install and just connect the toolkit to it in Settings → PBS Backup Server.
The spare PC won’t boot from the Proxmox install USB.
Most often this is Secure Boot. Enter BIOS/UEFI setup (tap F2, F10, or Del at power-on), set Secure Boot to Disabled, save, and try again. See the Getting Started guide for the full walkthrough.

Need a hand?

If the spare PC won’t boot from the stick, it’s usually Secure Boot, the Getting Started guide shows how to turn it off. Still stuck? Tell us your computer’s make and model and what you see on screen.

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Proxmox and Proxmox Backup Server are trademarks of Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH. The FATALnet Tech Toolkit is built around open-source software and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Proxmox.