# Create Docker VM

> Create the VM that hosts the automation stack: Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr, SABnzbd, and Overseerr.

# Create Docker VM

The automation stack — Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr, SABnzbd, and Overseerr — runs as Docker containers inside a VM. Using a VM instead of an LXC gives better Docker compatibility and easier resource control.

## Create the VM in Proxmox

Click **Create VM** in the Proxmox UI. Recommended settings:

**General**
- Name: e.g. `docker-media`

**OS**
- ISO: Debian 12 (netinstall) — download from `debian.org` and upload to Proxmox local storage
- Guest OS: Linux

**System**
- Leave defaults (SeaBIOS or OVMF both work)

**Disk**
- Size: **64 GB** (for the OS and Docker data; media is on separate ZFS storage)
- Storage: local-lvm

**CPU**
- Cores: **4**

**Memory**
- RAM: **4096 MB** (4 GB)

**Network**
- Bridge: `vmbr0`

## Install Debian

Start the VM and follow the Debian installer. Use a minimal installation — no desktop environment needed. Set a hostname (e.g. `docker-media`), create a user, and finish the install.

After first boot, update the system:

```bash
apt update && apt upgrade -y
```

## Install Docker

```bash
apt install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg

install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/debian/gpg | gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/debian \
  $(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" \
  | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

apt update
apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin
```

Verify Docker is running:

```bash
docker run hello-world
```

## Create the config directory

Create the directory that will hold all service configs:

```bash
mkdir -p /srv/media-stack/config/{sonarr,radarr,prowlarr,sabnzbd,overseerr}
chown -R 1000:1000 /srv/media-stack/config/
```

## Result

At this point:

- Docker VM is running Debian
- Docker and Docker Compose are installed
- Config directory is created with correct ownership

Continue to [Create ZFS Pool & Datasets](/docs/home-server/media-automation/installation/create-zfs-pool).