diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1316122
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+URL="https://git.jordanwages.com/wagesj45/proxmox-server-setup/raw/branch/main/setup.sh"
+
+# make sure whiptail is available for the password prompt
+if ! command -v whiptail >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Error: whiptail is required for this bootstrap." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# if we’re not running as root, grab root password and re‑exec via su
+if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
+  ROOTPW=$(whiptail --title "Authentication Required" \
+                   --passwordbox "Enter root password to elevate this script:" \
+                   8 60 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3) || exit 1
+
+  # choose fetch tool
+  if command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    FETCH_CMD="curl -fsSL \"$URL\" | bash"
+  elif command -v wget >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    FETCH_CMD="wget -qO- \"$URL\" | bash"
+  else
+    whiptail --title "Error" --msgbox "curl or wget not found; install one to continue." 8 60
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  # run the remote script as root
+  echo "$ROOTPW" | su -c "$FETCH_CMD" root
+  exit $?
+fi
+
+# already root → fetch & exec directly
+if command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  curl -fsSL "$URL" | bash
+else
+  wget -qO- "$URL" | bash
+fi