📦 Portable Ollama + OpenWebUI Setup

A sophisticated portable AI solution with two distinct usage modes: Solo Ollama for lightweight portability and OpenWebUI Project for full web interface experience.

📋 Table of Contents

• Quick Overview
• Solo Ollama Usage
• OpenWebUI Project Setup
• Data Preservation Guide
• Installation Methods
• Troubleshooting

🎯 Quick Overview

Two Usage Modes:

Mode	Portability	Use Case	Requirements
Solo Ollama	✅ Move anywhere	Lightweight AI, CLI interaction	Just 2 files
OpenWebUI Project	⚠️ Static path initially	Full web interface, team projects	Full conda setup

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🚀 Solo Ollama Usage (Anywhere, Anytime)

Perfect for: Quick deployment, testing, moving between systems

📁 Required Files (Only 2!)

GetOllama.bat # used to download ollama.exe 
OllamaCMD.bat # CLI wrapper to interact with ollama.exe
📂 ollama/
├── models/           # Directory for model files 
├── lib/              # for any dependencies or libraries
├── ollama.exe        # Main executable 

🎯 Usage Steps

1. Install: Run GetOllama.bat (downloads Ollama automatically)
2. Use: Run OllamaCMD.bat (interactive AI chat)
3. Move: Copy entire ollama/ folder anywhere you want!

💡 Solo Ollama Features

• ✅ True Portability: Works from USB, cloud drives, any location
• ✅ No Dependencies: No Python, no conda, no system installation
• ✅ Interactive CLI: Chat with AI models directly
• ✅ Auto Server Management: Starts/stops automatically
• ✅ Local Model Storage: Models saved in ollama/models/

🎮 OllamaCMD Commands

ollama run llama2        # Chat with Llama2
ollama list             # Show installed models  
ollama pull mistral     # Download new models
ollama ps               # Show running models
exit                    # Quit and cleanup

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🌟 OpenWebUI Project Setup (Famous Project)

Perfect for: Professional use, web interface, data persistence, team collaboration

Important: OpenWebUI has static paths initially - requires proper setup for portability

📋 Prerequisites

1. Clone/download the OpenWebUI project
2. Place ALL scripts directly in the OpenWebUI root folder (not in subfolders)

📁 Required Structure

📂 OpenWebUI-Project/           # Main OpenWebUI project folder
├── 📂 ollama/                  # Ollama files
├── 📂 installer_files/         # Miniconda + environments  
├── GetConda.bat               # Miniconda installer
├── SetEnv.bat                 # Path configurator
├── online_openwebui_manager.bat # Online installation
├── offline_openwebui_manager.bat # Offline installation (wheel-based)
├── launch_openwebui.bat       # Combined launcher
├── requirement.txt            # All Python dependencies
└── [OpenWebUI project files...]

🚀 Setup Process

Step 1: Basic Setup

# 1. Install portable Miniconda
GetConda.bat

# 2. Configure environment paths  
SetEnv.bat

# 3. Install Ollama
GetOllama.bat

Step 2: Create Conda Environment

# Creates conda environment named 'open-webui' with Python 3.11
# This is REQUIRED - the environment must be named exactly 'open-webui'

Step 3: Choose Installation Method

You have 2 options for OpenWebUI installation:

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🛠️ Installation Methods

🌐 Method 1: Online Manager

online_openwebui_manager.bat

Features:

• ✅ Always gets latest versions
• ✅ Automatic dependency resolution
• ❌ Requires internet during installation
• ❌ Slower (downloads everything)

Options:

1. Create new environment + install OpenWebUI
2. Update existing installation
3. Delete and reinstall (fresh start)

📦 Method 2: Offline Manager (Recommended)

offline_openwebui_manager.bat

Features:

• ✅ Pre-downloaded wheels: All dependencies stored locally
• ✅ Fast installation: No waiting for downloads
• ✅ Works offline: Install anywhere without internet
• ✅ Moving friendly: Perfect for portable setups

How it works:

1. Downloads ALL .whl files from requirement.txt to local folder
2. Installs everything from local wheels (super fast!)
3. After moving project: Just run again, installs from local wheels

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💾 Data Preservation Guide

🔒 Protecting Your Data Before Moving

OpenWebUI stores all your data (users, chats, settings) in webui.db. Here's how to preserve it:

📍 Database Location

\installer_files\Environments\open-webui\Lib\site-packages\open_webui\data\webui.db

🔄 Safe Moving Process

# BEFORE MOVING:
# 1. Backup your database
copy "webui.db" to safe location

# 2. Move entire OpenWebUI project folder

# 3. Run setup again (online/offline manager)

# 4. AFTER SETUP:
# Replace new webui.db with your old webui.db
# Your data is restored!

⚠️ What webui.db Contains

• 👥 User accounts (emails, usernames, passwords)
• 💬 Chat history (all conversations)
• ⚙️ Settings (configurations, preferences)
• 🎨 Customizations (themes, layouts)

Critical: Always backup webui.db before moving or reinstalling!

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🎯 Usage Scenarios

🏃‍♂️ Quick AI Access (Solo Ollama)

# Perfect for:
- Testing AI models quickly
- USB stick deployment  
- Temporary installations
- No-setup-required usage

# Just run:
GetOllama.bat    # Once
OllamaCMD.bat    # Every time

🏢 Professional Setup (OpenWebUI Project)

# Perfect for:
- Web-based AI interface
- Team collaboration
- Data persistence
- Custom workflows

# Setup once:
GetConda.bat → SetEnv.bat → offline_manager.bat

# Use daily:
launch_openwebui.bat
# Opens: http://localhost:8080

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🔧 Advanced Tips

🚀 Making OpenWebUI Truly Portable

1. Initial setup: Use offline manager to download all wheels
2. Before moving: Backup webui.db
3. After moving: Run SetEnv.bat + offline manager
4. Restore data: Replace new webui.db with backed up one

🎪 Performance Optimization

• SSD: Install on SSD for faster model loading
• RAM: 16GB+ for larger models
• GPU: Enable GPU acceleration in Ollama settings

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🐛 Troubleshooting

Solo Ollama Issues

# Ollama won't start
- Check if ollama.exe exists in ollama/ folder
- Run GetOllama.bat again
- Check antivirus blocking

# Models not loading  
- Check ollama/models/ folder exists
- Try: ollama pull llama2

OpenWebUI Issues

# Environment not found
- Ensure conda environment named 'open-webui' exists
- Run SetEnv.bat after moving

# Installation fails
- Use offline manager for reliability
- Check requirement.txt is present
- Try reinstall option (option 3)

# Data lost after moving
- Check webui.db backup/restore process
- Verify database file permissions

Port Conflicts

# OpenWebUI uses port 8080
- Check: netstat -an | find "8080"
- Close conflicting applications
- Or modify launch script for different port

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🎖️ 🌟 Perfect For

• Developers: Portable AI for coding assistance
• Researchers: Consistent environment across machines
• Teams: Shared AI interface with data persistence
• Enterprise: Offline deployment with security
• Students: Learn AI without complex installations