Lost snapshot ability after a storage replacement is almost always the storage type. You swapped to a disk that doesn’t support snapshots, and Proxmox quietly removed the option. Check the storage type first, then migrate your VM to LVM-thin or ZFS.
Why your snapshots disappeared
Proxmox only shows snapshot options when the underlying storage supports them. Directory storage, LVM (thick), and NFS don’t do snapshots. LVM-thin, ZFS, and Ceph RBD do. If you replaced a ZFS pool with a plain directory or LVM volume, the snapshot button vanishes from the VM’s GUI. No error, no warning—it’s just gone.
This is a dumb default. Proxmox knows the storage type, but it doesn’t tell you why snapshots are missing. You have to dig.
Check your storage type
In the Proxmox web UI, go to Datacenter → Storage. Look at the Type column for your replacement storage. If it says Directory, LVM, or NFS, that’s your problem. Those types don’t support snapshots.
You can also check from the CLI:
pvesm statusThis lists all storages and their types. If you see dir or lvm for the one holding your VM disks, snapshots are off the table.
Migrate back to a snapshot-capable storage
You have two good options: LVM-thin or ZFS. Both support snapshots. ZFS gives you more features like replication and compression, but LVM-thin is simpler if you’re already on LVM.
First, create the new storage. For LVM-thin, you can add it via the GUI: Datacenter → Storage → Add → LVM-Thin. For ZFS, you’ll need to create a zpool first:
zpool create tank /dev/sdbThen add it as ZFS storage in the GUI.
Once the new storage is ready, migrate your VM’s disk. In the VM’s Hardware tab, select the disk and click Move disk. Choose the new storage as the target. Proxmox will copy the disk and update the config. After that, snapshots should be available again.
If you have multiple VMs, you can use the command line to move disks in bulk. But honestly, the GUI is fine for a home lab.
What I’d do
If you’re replacing storage anyway, go with ZFS. It’s more flexible and you get snapshots, replication, and compression. LVM-thin is okay if you’re already on LVM and just need snapshots. Directory storage is only good for ISOs and backups—never for VM disks if you care about snapshots.
Also, check your backup strategy. If you lost snapshots, you might have lost a quick rollback path. Proxmox Backup Server is a solid addition if you don’t have it yet. See proxmox backup server host restore for a real-world recovery scenario.
