Open Weight Models · Windows · Lesson 2

Install Ollama and check your setup

Prepare your computer and verify that your local Ollama service is ready.

Windows version. Use PowerShell for terminal commands. The exercises and setup instructions below are tailored to this version.

What you will learn

Install Ollama using the official instructions for your operating system.
Distinguish the command-line client from the background service.
Verify that the client is installed and can reach the local service without downloading a model.
Recognise an empty model list as a valid starting state.

Prepare the Windows tools

Use the native Windows application and a PowerShell terminal for this version. If you are using Windows Terminal, select a PowerShell profile. Keep the hardware notes from Lesson 1 and check Ollama's current Windows requirements before installing.

The ollama command is a client. The desktop application starts the background server it talks to. You will verify these separately: first find the command, then check that the server responds. Follow your device's installation process if it is managed by your organisation.

Install and start the native application

Visit ollama.com/download/windows and download OllamaSetup.exe. Run the installer, then open Ollama from the Windows Start menu. The normal installer sets up the command for your user account and the application runs in the background.

Open a new PowerShell window after installation so it picks up the command's PATH entry. If you previously quit Ollama from its notification-area icon, launch it again from Start before testing. For this app-based setup, do not start an additional ollama serve process.

Keep the local route

Select the downloaded course model when you reach Lesson 3. You do not need to sign into a cloud model or create an API key for the local exercises.

Check the PowerShell command and server

Run each line in PowerShell. Get-Command shows the executable PowerShell resolves; the version identifies the client. A successful model list shows that the client can reach the configured server. No model rows is a normal result before your first download.

If Get-Command cannot find ollama, reopen PowerShell and check that installation completed. If the command exists but the connection fails, open Ollama from Start and retry. Retain the exact error instead of changing the prompt or downloading unrelated models.

PowerShell: verify the native installation · powershell

Get-Command ollama
ollama --version
ollama list

Prepare Python for the API lessons

Check for Python 3 with py -3 --version. If it already reports a working Python 3 runtime, retain that installation. For a new installation, use the Python Install Manager linked from python.org/downloads or the official Python documentation, then reopen PowerShell. The manager may download a runtime on the first launch when none is installed.

If py is unavailable but python --version reports Python 3, you may use python in place of py -3 throughout this course. If neither works, follow the official Windows troubleshooting guidance; an app-install prompt is not a successful interpreter check. The client scripts use only Python's standard library.

PowerShell: verify Python 3 · powershell

py -3 --version

Check the interpreter, not just a shortcut

Record the actual version output. Use the same working Python command in later lessons, including when running local_chat.py and study_assistant.py.

Put it into practice

Record your Windows setup checks

Install Ollama from its official Windows download and open it from Start.
Open a new PowerShell window. Record Get-Command ollama and ollama --version.
Run ollama list and record whether the server returned an empty or populated model table.
Verify Python 3 using py -3 --version, or document the verified python fallback. Install it from the official route if needed for the later API lessons.
For any failure, retain the exact error and identify whether it concerns command discovery, server availability, or Python before continuing.

You have completed this task when…

PowerShell resolves ollama, its version is recorded, and ollama list returns without a connection error.
You can start the native Ollama app from Start and distinguish it from a PowerShell client window.
Your notes identify a working Python 3 command, ready for Lesson 5.

Official documentation

Use these references for platform requirements, current options, and further detail.