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[GH-ISSUE #4048] Windows installation is behaving like malware #64548

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opened 2026-05-03 18:05:17 -05:00 by GiteaMirror · 8 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:17 -05:00
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Originally created by @eabase on GitHub (Apr 30, 2024).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/issues/4048

Originally assigned to: @dhiltgen on GitHub.

What is the issue?

This is beyond bad.

  1. It installs stuff all over the place, without informing the user.
	C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
	C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Temp\ollamaNNNNNN
	C:\Users\xxxx\.ollama\id_ed25519
	C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Programs\Ollama
	C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Ollama
  1. It doesn't ask the user where they want it to be installed!
  2. It opens ports and starts a server under different application name and on unspecified sever ports that can only be found in a temp directory.
  3. Once the original (cmd) windows is closed, the server is still running!
  4. There are no instructions on how to shut down the server

In the current state this application is acting more like malware than something serious.

OS

Windows

GPU

Nvidia

CPU

Intel

Ollama version

No response

Originally created by @eabase on GitHub (Apr 30, 2024). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/issues/4048 Originally assigned to: @dhiltgen on GitHub. ### What is the issue? This is beyond bad. 1. It installs stuff all over the place, without informing the user. ``` C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Temp\ollamaNNNNNN C:\Users\xxxx\.ollama\id_ed25519 C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Programs\Ollama C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Ollama ``` 2. It doesn't ask the user where they want it to be installed! 3. It opens ports and starts a server under different application name and on unspecified sever ports that can only be found in a temp directory. 4. Once the original (cmd) windows is closed, the server is still running! 5. There are no instructions on how to shut down the server In the current state this application is acting more like **malware** than something serious. ### OS Windows ### GPU Nvidia ### CPU Intel ### Ollama version _No response_
GiteaMirror added the bug label 2026-05-03 18:05:17 -05:00
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:20 -05:00
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@zanderlewis commented on GitHub (Apr 30, 2024):

  1. Did you download from the website?
  2. If you did, those file locations look correct, and Ollama runs in the background when your computer starts so you can use the models supported by Ollama at anytime without having to start the app.

The issue with downloading without asking the path might be an issue with the installer. Otherwise, Ollama was built to run in the background. Ollama is not malware.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2087345371 --> @zanderlewis commented on GitHub (Apr 30, 2024): 1. Did you download from the website? 2. If you did, those file locations look correct, and Ollama runs in the background when your computer starts so you can use the models supported by Ollama at anytime without having to start the app. The issue with downloading without asking the path might be an issue with the installer. Otherwise, Ollama was built to run in the background. Ollama is not malware.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:20 -05:00
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@liaosu0755 commented on GitHub (May 1, 2024):

  1. Did you download from the website?
  2. If you did, those file locations look correct, and Ollama runs in the background when your computer starts so you can use the models supported by Ollama at anytime without having to start the app.

The issue with downloading without asking the path might be an issue with the installer. Otherwise, Ollama was built to run in the background. Ollama is not malware.

I'm having the same problem, I'm trying to install ollama as well as the models to other partitions instead of the system partition, but I can't do it.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2088536127 --> @liaosu0755 commented on GitHub (May 1, 2024): > 1. Did you download from the website? > 2. If you did, those file locations look correct, and Ollama runs in the background when your computer starts so you can use the models supported by Ollama at anytime without having to start the app. > > The issue with downloading without asking the path might be an issue with the installer. Otherwise, Ollama was built to run in the background. Ollama is not malware. I'm having the same problem, I'm trying to install ollama as well as the models to other partitions instead of the system partition, but I can't do it.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:21 -05:00
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@dhiltgen commented on GitHub (May 1, 2024):

In 0.1.33 we've moved to a more conventional packaging model on Windows where all the executables are in the installer instead of carrying them as payloads in the primary CLI. We've also added a zip file with all the components for folks who want to roll their own installation models in advanced use-cases. The pre-release is available at https://github.com/ollama/ollama/releases

@liaosu0755 you can adjust the location of the models by adjusting an environment variable - see https://github.com/ollama/ollama/blob/main/docs/faq.md#where-are-models-stored

Fine-grain control over the installer location is tracked in #2776

<!-- gh-comment-id:2088735107 --> @dhiltgen commented on GitHub (May 1, 2024): In 0.1.33 we've moved to a more conventional packaging model on Windows where all the executables are in the installer instead of carrying them as payloads in the primary CLI. We've also added a zip file with all the components for folks who want to roll their own installation models in advanced use-cases. The pre-release is available at https://github.com/ollama/ollama/releases @liaosu0755 you can adjust the location of the models by adjusting an environment variable - see https://github.com/ollama/ollama/blob/main/docs/faq.md#where-are-models-stored Fine-grain control over the installer location is tracked in #2776
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:22 -05:00
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@eabase commented on GitHub (May 2, 2024):

@dhiltgen

Please reconsider your install paths.
No serious package is putting huge models under a dotted sub-directory in home, especially on Windows.

Comfortably closing the issue, does not solve the problem. The problem is that ollama is behaving like malware, for all sorts of reasons, including and not limited to the ones I stated above. But mostly for lack of informing the user what the installer is about to do.

Fine-grain control over the installer location is tracked in #2776

You could also have answered:

$Env:OLLAMA_MODELS = 'C:\LLM\models'                                    # User
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('OLLAMA_MODELS','C:\LLM\models')  # System

Please put all environment variables in your README, so users doesn't have to waste time finding out about this, only after having completed installation.

Other Environment variables of interest:

	OLLAMA_HOST         The host:port to bind to (default "127.0.0.1:11434")
	OLLAMA_ORIGINS      A comma separated list of allowed origins.
	OLLAMA_MODELS       The path to the models directory (default is "~/.ollama/models")
	OLLAMA_KEEP_ALIVE   The duration that models stay loaded in memory (default is "5m")
	OLLAMA_DEBUG        Set to 1 to enable additional debug logging

# [UninstallDelete]
Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%TEMP}\ollama*"
Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%LOCALAPPDATA}\Ollama"
Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%LOCALAPPDATA}\Programs\Ollama"
Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%USERPROFILE}\.ollama\models"
Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%USERPROFILE}\.ollama\history"
# ; NOTE: if the user has a custom OLLAMA_MODELS it will be preserved
<!-- gh-comment-id:2090564308 --> @eabase commented on GitHub (May 2, 2024): @dhiltgen Please reconsider your install paths. No serious package is putting huge models under a dotted sub-directory in home, especially on Windows. Comfortably closing the issue, does not solve the problem. The problem is that ollama is behaving like malware, for all sorts of reasons, including and not limited to the ones I stated above. But mostly for lack of informing the user what the installer is about to do. > *Fine-grain control over the installer location is tracked in* #2776 You could also have answered: ```powershell $Env:OLLAMA_MODELS = 'C:\LLM\models' # User [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('OLLAMA_MODELS','C:\LLM\models') # System ``` Please put all environment variables in your README, so users doesn't have to waste time finding out about this, only after having completed installation. --- Other Environment variables of interest: ```powershell OLLAMA_HOST The host:port to bind to (default "127.0.0.1:11434") OLLAMA_ORIGINS A comma separated list of allowed origins. OLLAMA_MODELS The path to the models directory (default is "~/.ollama/models") OLLAMA_KEEP_ALIVE The duration that models stay loaded in memory (default is "5m") OLLAMA_DEBUG Set to 1 to enable additional debug logging # [UninstallDelete] Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%TEMP}\ollama*" Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%LOCALAPPDATA}\Ollama" Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%LOCALAPPDATA}\Programs\Ollama" Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%USERPROFILE}\.ollama\models" Type: filesandordirs; Name: "{%USERPROFILE}\.ollama\history" # ; NOTE: if the user has a custom OLLAMA_MODELS it will be preserved ```
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:22 -05:00
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@tetsuoo-online commented on GitHub (May 4, 2024):

I agree with eabase. I have a 16Tb disk + 2Tb SSD + 500 Gb nvme but most of the time I can't even use them because so many programs force themselves in C: system disk, I hate it. I try to use symlinks for many things to conteract this but it's very complicate sometimes and can create problems.
Here I just installed Ollama with 1 model, I have now 495Mb left. This is a neverending fight with the programs even though I have plenty of storage space, a custom install option is essential

<!-- gh-comment-id:2093938652 --> @tetsuoo-online commented on GitHub (May 4, 2024): I agree with eabase. I have a 16Tb disk + 2Tb SSD + 500 Gb nvme but most of the time I can't even use them because so many programs force themselves in C: system disk, I hate it. I try to use symlinks for many things to conteract this but it's very complicate sometimes and can create problems. Here I just installed Ollama with 1 model, I have now 495Mb left. This is a neverending fight with the programs even though I have plenty of storage space, a custom install option is essential
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:23 -05:00
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@eabase commented on GitHub (May 6, 2024):

Also, if you use the OLLAMA_MODELS, where does all the other files go for example history etc.?

<!-- gh-comment-id:2095996474 --> @eabase commented on GitHub (May 6, 2024): Also, if you use the `OLLAMA_MODELS`, where does all the other files go for example `history` etc.?
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:23 -05:00
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@dhiltgen commented on GitHub (May 7, 2024):

@eabase Ollama is a client-server architecture. The server keeps track of the models, and the client keeps track of history. We don't currently have a way to alter where the client stores state; it will always be in your home directory.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2099477711 --> @dhiltgen commented on GitHub (May 7, 2024): @eabase Ollama is a client-server architecture. The server keeps track of the models, and the client keeps track of history. We don't currently have a way to alter where the client stores state; it will always be in your home directory.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-05-03 18:05:24 -05:00
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@eabase commented on GitHub (May 8, 2024):

@dhiltgen
Thanks for clarification. One last, question:
(a) What is placed in this history folder?
(b) How large can it get?

<!-- gh-comment-id:2100494768 --> @eabase commented on GitHub (May 8, 2024): @dhiltgen Thanks for clarification. One last, question: (a) What is placed in this history folder? (b) How large can it get?
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