ollama for this computer
By Herd Latch editorial team Current release, published September 14, 2026
Pick the the runner door that matches the operating system on this computer. Windows labs prefer winget the verified winget id or Windows Setup.exe. Mac desks prefer brew cask ollama-app or the runner.dmg. Linux hosts prefer install.sh or the amd64 tar.zst.
Confirm architecture before you download. Most campus PCs want the plain x64 Setup. ARM Windows and ARM Linux archives exist on some tags for specialised hardware.
Opening doors
Free disk space matters more than people expect. Models accumulate under the local library. Leave headroom before the first large pull.
After Setup, open a new terminal so PATH updates. Run ollama --version, then ollama run on a small tag.
Managed devices may block winget or brew. Keep the Releases asset path documented as the fallback so imaging still finishes.
Prove steps
Related: first hour, Windows, macOS, Linux, home.
GPU drivers help when present but are not required for small models. CPU-only boxes should stay on tiny tags for demos.
Proxy environments should test one pull early. Document any exception needed for model downloads.
Room notes
Shared accounts on lab images should avoid storing experimental multi-gigabyte models on the system volume. Point libraries at a data disk when policy allows.
If a previous local AI app is installed, you can keep both while you evaluate. Switch-from guides explain how to move habits without rival-first titles.
Write the machine name, OS build, door used, and tag on the same line. That habit survives staff turnover.
When travel laptops return from the field, run winget upgrade or brew upgrade before the next demo week so tags do not drift silently.
winget install -e --id Ollama.the runnerbrew install --cask ollama-appcurl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | shollama run llama3.2Lab checklist habits
Write the installer door beside the machine name before you image a room. Include whether winget, the Windows Setup executable, the Homebrew cask, or the Linux install script was blessed for that ring. Substitutes should not guess under pressure during the first week of term.
Prove one short CLI chat after every reimage. That single step catches vanished PATH entries, truncated downloads, and adware shortcuts that reappear from old browser folders. Keep a spare copy of the current Setup on trusted media when catalogs are flaky.
- Record the GitHub tag used for the golden image.
- Note free disk space before large model pulls.
- Keep the local API on loopback until network review says otherwise.
Support tickets that resolve faster
Ask for the operating system build, the door used, and the exact CLI error text. Vague reports that only say artificial intelligence feels wrong waste a day. Attach version command output when the user can copy it.
Proxy desks should test one model pull on a clean path once, then document any required exception. Offline classrooms should pre-stage weights on a well-connected machine instead of launching twelve simultaneous downloads on demo day.
Prefer official GitHub Releases, the verified winget package, and the verified Homebrew cask. Skip advertising mirrors that rename the Setup executable.
Update and rollback notes
Pick one update door per room and stick to it for a semester. Mixing winget, Setup, and brew without notes creates version drift tickets. Keep the previous Setup on trusted media so rollback is a file copy, not a scavenger hunt.
After an upgrade, prove a small chat again before you seal the image. Large experimental model tags belong on scratch accounts, not on the shared golden profile. Maintenance windows should remove stale tags so libraries do not grow without limits.
Related reading on this guide: the home install panel, the first-hour checklist, and the guides hub.
## Filename matching without drama Match the GitHub asset name character for character before you override SmartScreen or Gatekeeper. A mismatched publisher string is a reason to delete the file, not to click through faster. Advertising portals that wrap the same search intent with toolbars are the common failure mode. When bandwidth is limited, schedule the large Windows Setup download overnight and keep the browser shelf visible until the size matches what Releases shows. Partial files cause confusing launch errors that look like security drama but are often truncated bits.