A retired laptop can make an excellent low-power Proxmox node, but there is one immediate problem: closing the lid may suspend the machine and take every VM with it.
The fix is to tell systemd-logind to ignore lid-switch events. This guide uses a drop-in file so a future package update is less likely to overwrite your change.
Quick fix
Run these commands from the Proxmox shell as root:
mkdir -p /etc/systemd/logind.conf.d
cat > /etc/systemd/logind.conf.d/10-ignore-lid.conf <<'EOF'
[Login]
HandleLidSwitch=ignore
HandleLidSwitchExternalPower=ignore
HandleLidSwitchDocked=ignore
EOF
systemctl restart systemd-logind
Restarting systemd-logind can terminate active desktop sessions. On a headless Proxmox host, that is normally harmless, but finish important console work first.
Verify the setting that systemd actually loaded
Do not rely only on what the file says. Ask systemd for the merged configuration:
systemd-analyze cat-config systemd/logind.conf | grep -E 'HandleLidSwitch'
Then close the lid for a minute and confirm from another machine that the node remains reachable:
ping -c 4 PROXMOX_IP
ssh root@PROXMOX_IP
You can also inspect recent lid and suspend messages:
journalctl -b -u systemd-logind --no-pager
journalctl -b | grep -Ei 'lid|suspend|sleep'
If the laptop still suspends
Another power manager may be handling the event before systemd-logind.
- If a desktop environment is installed, disable its lid-close action or remove its power manager from a headless host.
- Check for additional drop-ins with systemd-analyze cat-config systemd/logind.conf.
- Some firmware implements its own lid behavior. Review the BIOS or UEFI power settings.
- Confirm that you edited the Proxmox host, not a guest VM.
Operational cautions
A closed laptop can run hotter because some models vent through the keyboard or hinge. Watch temperatures after closing the lid:
apt install lm-sensors
sensors
Keep the laptop on a hard surface, make sure air vents remain clear, and consider setting an alert for high temperature or an unreachable node.
The underlying options are documented in the official logind.conf manual. If you are building out the same node, continue with adding Synology NFS storage or fixing a VM stuck in an error state.