A Python-based utility for managing Ollama models, allowing you to easily copy, move, and delete models between your local installation and external storage.

• Help manage and backup Ollama models when system space is limited
• Simplify the process of copying, moving, and deleting models
• Make it easy to transfer models between different systems

• Copy/move models from local installation to external storage
• Transfer models between external drives or folders
• Delete models from local installation or external storage
• Manage models within the local installation
• Safe deletion that preserves shared layers between models

• Python 3.x (uses standard library only, no additional dependencies needed)
• Ubuntu-based Linux system (tested on Ubuntu, Pop!_OS)
• Ollama installation is only required if you plan to interact with your local Ollama models
  • Not needed for managing models between external drives/folders

python main.py [options]

Options:
  --from DIR           Source directory (must end in 'models/')
                      Default: /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models/
  --to DIR            Target directory (must end in 'models/')
                      Default: /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models/
  --action {copy,delete,move}
                      Action to perform (default: copy)
  --all               Process all models
  --models MODEL [MODEL ...]
                      List of specific models to process
  --always-replace    Always replace existing files
  --show              Show all models available in the source directory

Show available models in local Ollama installation:

# Both commands are equivalent (no sudo needed for viewing)
python main.py --show
python main.py --from /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models/ --show

Show available models in external storage:

python main.py --from /path/to/backup/models/ --show

Copy a specific model from local installation to external storage:

# Both commands are equivalent (no sudo needed when copying from local)
python main.py --to /path/to/backup/models/ --models llama2
python main.py --from /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models/ --to /path/to/backup/models/ --models llama2

Copy a specific model to local installation (requires sudo):

# Both commands are equivalent
sudo python main.py --from /path/to/backup/models/ --models llama2
sudo python main.py --from /path/to/backup/models/ --to /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models/ --models llama2

Move all models to external storage:

# Both commands are equivalent (sudo needed as this modifies local installation)
sudo python main.py --to /path/to/backup/models/ --action move --all
sudo python main.py --from /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models/ --to /path/to/backup/models/ --action move --all

Delete a model from local installation:

# Both commands are equivalent (sudo needed as this modifies local installation)
sudo python main.py --action delete --models mistral
sudo python main.py --action delete --from /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models/ --models mistral

Copy specific models between external drives:

python main.py --from /media/drive1/models/ --to /media/drive2/models/ --models llama2 mistral

Move all models from one folder to another:

python main.py --from /backup/old/models/ --to /backup/new/models/ --action move --all

Delete models from external storage:

python main.py --action delete --from /path/to/backup/models/ --models codellama

Show models on external drive:

python main.py --from /media/external/models/ --show

1. Administrative Privileges

   • Admin/sudo privileges are ONLY required when modifying the local Ollama installation
   • No sudo needed for:
     • Viewing models (--show)
     • Copying models from local installation (if permissions are not restricted)
     • Any operations between external drives/folders (unless permissions are restricted)
   • Sudo required for:
     • Moving models from local installation
     • Deleting models from local installation
     • Copying/Moving models to local installation

2. Model Deletion

   • Models copied/moved to local Ollama installation should be removable via ollama rm <model_name>
   • Use this script with --action=delete to remove models in case ollama rm fails
   • Delete operations only affect models in the --from directory
   • The script preserves layers shared between models during deletion

3. Compatibility

   • Limited testing with multimodal (image+text) models
   • Designed and tested for Ubuntu-based systems only
   • Not tested on other Linux distributions or operating systems

4. Disclaimer

   • Use this script at your own risk
   • I am not responsible for any damage to your system
   • Not affiliated with Ollama.ai or any of its affiliates

• Does not install Ollama
• Does not download models (no internet connectivity required)
• Does not modify model configurations

• Web-based UI (simple HTTP server with HTML interface)
• Orphaned layer detection and cleanup
• Extended platform support
• Multimodal model testing and validation

Contributions are welcome! Here's how you can help:

1. Create an Issue

   • Explain the bug or feature you want to work on
   • Discuss implementation details if needed

2. Fork and Create PR

   • Fork the repository
   • Create your branch using the format:
     • For features: feature/[ISSUE_ID]-[description] (e.g., feature/1-ui_html)
     • For fixes: fix/[ISSUE_ID]-[description] (e.g., fix/2-typo_fix)
   • Commit your changes
   • Push to your branch
   • Open a Pull Request targeting the main branch referencing the Issue

If you encounter any problems or have suggestions:

1. Check existing issues first
2. Open a new issue with:
   • Clear description of the problem
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Expected behavior
   • System information

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Thanks to the Ollama team for their amazing work