OnBoot Option Deep Dive

Overview

The onboot option controls whether a VM or container starts automatically when the Proxmox VE host boots. This is critical for production services.

Enable OnBoot

For VMs

# Enable onboot
qm set 100 --onboot 1
 
# Disable
qm set 100 --onboot 0
 
# Check status
qm config 100 | grep onboot

For Containers

# Enable onboot
pct set 200 --onboot 1
 
# Disable
pct set 200 --onboot 0

OnBoot in Cluster

HA Considerations

# HA managed VMs
# onboot is handled by HA
ha-manager status

Priority with OnBoot

# Set startup priority
qm set 100 --onboot 1 --startup-delay 10
 
# Lower number = higher priority
# Default: 0

Troubleshooting OnBoot

VM Not Starting

# Check onboot status
qm config 100 | grep onboot
 
# Verify VM exists
qm list
 
# Check host status
pvesh get /nodes/localhost/status

Start Order Wrong

# Set startup order
qm set 100 --onboot 1 --startup-delay 0
qm set 101 --onboot 1 --startup-delay 10
qm set 102 --onboot 1 --startup-delay 20

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