How to Fix Ollama Download Restarting Issue on MacBook

How to Fix Ollama Download Restarting Issue on MacBook

If you’ve been using Ollama on your MacBook, you might have encountered an issue where the download keeps restarting, causing the whole process to fail repeatedly. 😓 It’s one of those annoying problems that many people face when trying to download AI models.

Well, guess what? I was stuck in the same loop until I discovered a solution that works like a charm! In this blog, I’ll walk you through the steps on how to fix this issue and ensure your Ollama download continues without any more hiccups.

The Problem: Ollama Download Keeps Restarting

When I first tried downloading models with Ollama, I thought it was going smoothly, but to my surprise, every time the download failed, it would restart from scratch, instead of resuming where it left off.

This problem is quite common and typically happens when there’s an internet connection glitch, or if the download takes too long and times out. While you can manually restart the download, this becomes incredibly frustrating and time-consuming, especially if your connection isn’t stable.

Solution: Automatic Retry Script for Ollama Download on MacBook

After doing some research and digging through forums, I found a simple yet effective solution that involves creating a bash script that retries the download automatically whenever it fails. The idea is simple: if the download stops, the script restarts it from where it left off. This prevents having to start all over again.

Here’s how you can fix it:

Step-by-Step Guide to Solving the Download Restart Issue:

1. Open Terminal

First, open your Terminal. You can find it by going to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.

2. Create the Bash Script

In Terminal, type the following command to create a new bash script:

bashCopyEditnano ~/ollama_download.sh

3. Write the Script

Next, copy and paste the following script into the Terminal:

MODEL_NAME="llama3.3"  # Replace with the model you want to download
TIMEOUT=300            # Timeout in seconds (5 minutes)

while true; do
    echo "Attempting to download $MODEL_NAME model..."
    ollama pull "$MODEL_NAME" &
    PID=$!

    SECONDS=0
    while kill -0 $PID 2>/dev/null; do
        if [ $SECONDS -ge $TIMEOUT ]; then
            echo "Timeout occurred, restarting download..."
            kill -9 $PID
            wait $PID 2>/dev/null
            break
        fi
        sleep 5
    done

    if ! kill -0 $PID 2>/dev/null; then
        wait $PID
        EXIT_CODE=$?
        if [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 0 ]; then
            echo "Model downloaded successfully!"
            break
        else
            echo "Download failed (Exit code: $EXIT_CODE). Retrying..."
        fi
    fi

    sleep 5
done

4. Save the Script

After pasting the script, press Ctrl + X, then Y, and hit Enter to save the file.

5. Make the Script Executable

Now, you need to make the script executable. Type the following command in Terminal:

bashCopyEditchmod +x ~/ollama_download.sh

6. Run the Script

Finally, to start the download process with automatic retries, run the script by typing:

bashCopyEdit~/ollama_download.sh

This script will attempt to download the model, and if it fails or times out, it will automatically restart the download until it completes successfully.

Additional Tips:

• Stable Internet Connection: Make sure you have a reliable internet connection to avoid interruptions during the download.
• Check Disk Space: Ensure you have enough disk space for the model you’re trying to download.
• Update Ollama: Keep Ollama updated to the latest version, as it may contain fixes for download issues.

Conclusion:

I hope this guide helps you solve the annoying problem of Ollama download restarting on your MacBook. By using this simple bash script, you can save time and frustration by automating the download process.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve encountered other issues or have any additional tips to share with the community. We all learn together!