I scored a retired laptop from work and decided to dive into the world of self-hosting with Proxmox. I had zero experience with hypervisors and VMs. But guess what? In under 10 hours, I had multiple VMs running, even with GPU passthrough working! And a big chunk of that success? I owe it to ChatGPT.
For about a year, I’ve been lurking in the self-hosting subreddit, seeing how tricky some of this stuff can be. So, I was pretty shocked at how smoothly things went. ChatGPT was my trusty sidekick, guiding me through every step. Whether it was a bug, a confusing setting, or just a plain old question, ChatGPT always had an answer. It felt like having an expert on speed dial.
This wasn’t my first AI rodeo. Back in April, I moved my containers from Synology to a Linux Mint server. ChatGPT was a lifesaver then, too. Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to set up everything without it.
So, if you’re new to self-hosting or any technical project, I highly recommend giving ChatGPT a try. Think of it as an experienced assistant, always ready to help. It’s made this whole world so much more accessible.
Here’s how I used ChatGPT effectively:
- Specific Questions: I didn’t just ask vague questions. I described my setup and the exact problem I was facing.
- Justification and Explanation: I always asked ChatGPT *why* it suggested a particular solution. This helped me understand the underlying logic.
- Learning Opportunity: I used it as a chance to learn. I’d ask follow-up questions to dig deeper into the concepts.
One important note: Don’t blindly copy-paste everything ChatGPT tells you. Always double-check and make sure you understand what you’re doing. Use it as a tool to learn and guide you, not as a replacement for your own critical thinking.
My experience with Proxmox and ChatGPT has been fantastic. It’s shown me how powerful AI can be for learning and tackling complex projects. If you’re feeling intimidated by self-hosting, give ChatGPT a shot. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish.
