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To reinstall Ollama after a server reimage, install it on the rebuilt Linux system, start and verify its service, then restore any model files you preserved. A reimage can erase local models as well as the operating system, so save anything you need before starting and follow your hosting provider’s current reimage instructions.
Before you reimage: protect model files you want to keep
Reinstalling Ollama restores the software; it does not automatically restore models that were stored on the server’s local disk. Before the rebuild, note the model directory and arrange to preserve its contents somewhere that will survive the reimage.
For a standard Linux installation, Ollama’s FAQ gives /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models as the model location. If the old service used a custom location, check its OLLAMA_MODELS setting instead; saving only the standard directory would miss models stored elsewhere. The Ollama FAQ documents both the default location and the custom-path variable.
- Record whether Ollama used the default model directory or a custom
OLLAMA_MODELSpath. - Copy the model data to storage that is not erased by the rebuild, or confirm that an existing persistent volume or backup will remain available.
- Keep track of the storage and permissions needed to put the files back under the rebuilt system.
Do not assume that a Docker volume will survive a host-level reimage just because it persists when a container is removed. Ollama’s Docker example mounts a named volume at /root/.ollama; whether that volume survives a server rebuild depends on how it is stored and managed on your host.
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Reimage the server using your provider’s instructions
The steps to rebuild a server depend on its hosting provider, operating system image, and whether it is a physical machine or a virtual server. Use the provider’s current documented workflow for selecting and applying the image. Console labels, prerequisites, boot methods, and post-image setup vary, so there is no safe universal click path. A cloud VM does not necessarily involve USB installation media.
After the rebuild, connect to the server using the provider’s documented access method and confirm that the Linux system is ready. Then choose a native Linux installation or Docker, based on how you operate the server.
Choose native Linux or Docker
| Approach | What it uses | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Native Linux | Ollama’s Linux installer and a systemd service. | Service startup, the ollama account’s access to model files, and any custom service environment. |
| Docker | A container and, in Ollama’s documented example, a named volume mounted at /root/.ollama. |
Volume persistence across the host rebuild and, for GPU use, container runtime or device access. |
Native installation is a straightforward fit if you already manage Linux services with systemd. Docker can fit an existing container workflow, but you must manage the model volume separately from the container. Ollama’s Docker documentation describes its volume mount and GPU setup examples.
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Install Ollama on Linux
For a typical supported Linux system, Ollama’s Linux installation guide provides this installer command:
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curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | shRun it on the rebuilt server according to the current official instructions. The guide also documents manual installation with architecture-specific packages for AMD64 and ARM64; AMD GPU users can add the ROCm package. Package artifacts and commands can change, so consult the live guide if you need a manual or hardware-specific installation.
Start and verify the systemd service
The Linux guide describes an ollama system account and a systemd unit that runs /usr/bin/ollama serve. Follow the guide’s current setup for the installation method you used, then reload systemd, enable the service for startup, start it, and inspect its status:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable ollama
sudo systemctl start ollama
sudo systemctl status ollamaA successful status check confirms that the service is running; it does not confirm that saved models were restored or that optional GPU acceleration works. Check the logs if the service fails to start:
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Restore models or configure a custom model directory
If you preserved models, return them to the directory configured for the rebuilt installation. For the standard Linux installer, the model account must be able to read and write the directory. Ollama’s FAQ states: “On Linux using the standard installer, the ollama user needs read and write access to the specified directory.” Correct ownership and permissions before expecting the service to use restored files.
To use a custom location, set OLLAMA_MODELS in the service environment, ensure the ollama account has read and write access there, and restart the service so it picks up the setting. The precise backup, transfer, ownership, and service-configuration commands depend on your storage and Linux distribution; follow the relevant system and provider instructions rather than assuming one method applies to every server.
GPU acceleration is optional
Ollama can run without a GPU. If you want GPU acceleration, first identify the server’s hardware and ensure the appropriate drivers and device access are available to the Ollama process or container. The Linux guide covers NVIDIA/CUDA and AMD/ROCm paths; it does not establish a universal hardware size recommendation.
- NVIDIA: Check that the host driver is installed and visible with
nvidia-smi. Docker GPU use also requires the NVIDIA Container Toolkit and a runtime configuration that exposes the GPU to the container. - AMD: Follow the current ROCm guidance for the hardware and driver. Container setups may need access to the relevant devices and, in some cases, membership in the
videoorrendergroup.
If Ollama’s service starts but inference does not use the GPU, investigate driver, runtime, and device visibility separately from basic installation. The GPU troubleshooting guidance describes checks for GPU discovery and access.
Quick Recap
Common post-reimage problems
- Models appear to be missing: Check whether the old server used a custom
OLLAMA_MODELSpath, and whether the saved model data was actually preserved and restored. - The service cannot access restored files: Check that the
ollamaaccount can read and write the configured directory. - Ollama does not start: Review
sudo systemctl status ollamaandjournalctl -e -u ollamafor service errors. - GPU inference fails while the service runs: Check host drivers and whether the service or container can see the required GPU devices; for Docker, also verify the relevant runtime or device configuration.
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