Implementing a Runtime Limitation and Immediate Termination Feature in Ollama

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 33 views

Implementing a Runtime Limitation and Immediate Termination Feature in Ollama

Ollama, a powerful AI model runner, has been experiencing issues with models getting stuck or misbehaving, leading to prolonged runtime and system resource utilization. This article proposes a combination of bug fix and feature request to address this issue by introducing a maximum runtime option and an immediate termination feature. The goal is to provide users with more control over their models and prevent system resource exhaustion.

The issue at hand involves models, particularly starcoder2, getting stuck on simple tasks, such as listing numbers from 1 to 250 and exiting. Despite the model's attempts to stop, it remains stuck for an extended period, as seen in the ollama ps output. This has led to system resource utilization and potential system crashes.

The current behavior of ollama stop involves sending an empty generate request with a timeout of 0, allowing the model to gracefully unload. However, this approach is no longer sufficient, as the model remains stuck, and an immediate termination is required.

To address this issue, we propose the following solutions:

1. Maximum Runtime Option

Introduce a maximum runtime option, either per model or global, to limit the execution time of models. This will enable users to set a time limit for their models, preventing them from running indefinitely and causing system resource exhaustion.

2. Immediate Termination Feature

Implement an immediate termination feature, allowing users to stop misbehaving models instantly, similar to the pkill -9 -f "ollama runner" command.

To implement these features, we will modify the ollama code to include the following changes:

1. Maximum Runtime Option

Add a new configuration option, max_runtime, to the ollama configuration file.
Modify the ollama code to check the max_runtime value for each model and terminate the model if it exceeds the specified time limit.
Provide a command-line flag, e.g., --max-runtime, to set the maximum runtime for a specific model.

2. Immediate Termination Feature

Modify the ollama stop command to send a signal to the model process, forcing it to terminate immediately.
Implement a new command, e.g., ollama terminate, to stop a misbehaving model instantly.

The proposed solution requires the following system requirements:

Ollama version 0.5.12 or later
ROCm 6.3.3.60303-74~24.04 or later
Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS or later
Kernel 6.8.0-54-generic x86_64 or later
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Eight-Core Processor or equivalent
Radeon RX 7900 XTX, gfx1100 or equivalent

Here are some example use cases for the proposed features:

1. Maximum Runtime Option

Set the maximum runtime for a specific model: ollama --max-runtime 3600 starcoder2
Set the maximum runtime globally: ollama --global-max-runtime 3600

2. Immediate Termination Feature

Stop a misbehaving model instantly: ollama terminate starcoder2
Stop a misbehaving model using the ollama stop command: ollama stop starcoder2

The proposed solution addresses the issue of models getting stuck or misbehaving by introducing a maximum runtime option and an immediate termination feature. These features will provide users with more control over their models and prevent system resource exhaustion. The implementation details and system requirements are outlined above, and example use cases are provided to demonstrate the usage of these features.

Future work includes:

Refining the maximum runtime option to allow for more granular control over model execution time.
Implementing additional features, such as model monitoring and alerting, to provide users with more visibility into their model's performance.

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of the Ollama community and the developers who have worked on this project. Their efforts have been invaluable in shaping the direction of this project and ensuring its success.

Ollama documentation: https://ollama.readthedocs.io/
ROCm documentation: https://rocm.github.io/
Ubuntu documentation: https://ubuntu.com/
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Ollama Runtime Limitation and Immediate Termination Feature

The Ollama runtime limitation and immediate termination feature is a powerful tool that enables users to control the execution time of their models and terminate misbehaving models instantly. In this article, we will address some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about this feature.

A: The maximum runtime option is a feature that allows users to set a time limit for their models. This will prevent the model from running indefinitely and causing system resource exhaustion.

A: You can set the maximum runtime for a specific model using the --max-runtime flag followed by the model name. For example: ollama --max-runtime 3600 starcoder2

A: Yes, you can set the maximum runtime globally using the --global-max-runtime flag. For example: ollama --global-max-runtime 3600

A: The immediate termination feature is a feature that allows users to stop misbehaving models instantly. This feature is similar to the pkill -9 -f "ollama runner" command.

A: You can stop a misbehaving model instantly using the ollama terminate command followed by the model name. For example: ollama terminate starcoder2

A: Yes, you can use the ollama stop command to stop a misbehaving model instantly. However, this will send a signal to the model process, forcing it to terminate immediately.

A: The system requirements for this feature are:

Ollama version 0.5.12 or later
ROCm 6.3.3.60303-74~24.04 or later
Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS or later
Kernel 6.8.0-54-generic x86_64 or later
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Eight-Core Processor or equivalent
Radeon RX 7900 XTX, gfx1100 or equivalent

A: Yes, you can use this feature with other models. However, you may need to adjust the maximum runtime value based on the specific model's requirements.

A: The benefits of using this feature include:

Preventing system resource exhaustion
Reducing the risk of model crashes
Improving model performance and reliability
Enhancing user control over model execution

The Ollama runtime limitation and immediate termination feature is a powerful tool that enables users to control the execution time of their models and terminate misbehaving models instantly. We hope this FAQ article has provided you with the information you need to get started with this feature.

For more information about the Ollama runtime limitation and immediate termination feature, please refer to the following resources:

Ollama documentation: https://ollama.readthedocs.io/
ROCm documentation: https://rocm.github.io/
Ubuntu documentation: https://ubuntu.com/