PHYSICAL-TO-VIRTUAL BUILD DOCUMENTATION

Required Hardware

Physical hardware required for the P2V.

PART 01

Source PC

Windows 11 Pro x86-64 PC.
UEFI/GPT required for this guide.
Hardware virtualization available.
Wired Ethernet.
Strongly recommended: second internal SSD/NVMe large enough for Proxmox and the imported Windows VM. Keeping the original Windows disk intact provides a firmware-level fallback/dual-boot path and avoids erasing it.

PART 02

Migration drive

External USB SSD/HDD large enough for the VHDX.
Holds the guide, saved state, and VHDX.
NTFS or exFAT.
Never used as the Proxmox installer.

PART 03

Proxmox installer USB

Separate 8 GB+ USB flash drive.
Erased when the Proxmox ISO is written.
Must not be the migration drive.

PART 04

Second PC

On the same LAN.
Used only after Proxmox is installed.
Opens this guide and the Proxmox web UI.

PART 05

Wired network

Ethernet cable and router/switch port.

PART 06

Local console

Monitor, keyboard, and mouse for firmware and Proxmox installation.