Local Install
Run PC2 on your own computer. Choose your preferred method:
Option 1: Desktop Launcher (Mac & Linux)
Download the ElastOS Desktop Launcher for a visual interface:
| Platform | Download |
|---|---|
| macOS | Download .dmg |
| Linux | Download .AppImage |
The launcher provides one-click Start/Stop, status monitoring, log viewing, and automatic update detection with one-click PC2 updates.
Windows users: Local installation is complex. We recommend using a VPS instead. See the Windows section below for details.
Mac Installation
ElastOS is signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it installs like any normal Mac app — no Terminal required:
- Download the
.dmgfile from the link above - Double-click the
.dmgto open the disk image - Drag ElastOS into your Applications folder
- Open ElastOS from Applications (double-click it)
On first launch macOS may ask “ElastOS is an app downloaded from the Internet. Are you sure you want to open it?” — click Open. You only need to confirm this once.
First-time PC2 setup (one-time): The very first time you install a PC2 node, macOS may show one or two system prompts — Apple’s “Install Command Line Tools?” dialog (click Install) and a single password prompt so ElastOS can install Homebrew and configure networking. After that, everything runs automatically with no Terminal needed. If you already have Homebrew installed, you won’t see the password prompt at all.
Option 2: Terminal Install
Open your terminal and paste this:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Elacity/pc2.net/main/scripts/start-local.sh | bashWait for it to finish, then open http://localhost:4200 in your browser.
Works on macOS and Linux. Windows users should use a VPS or see the advanced WSL2 instructions below.
Common Questions
How do I stop my PC2 node?
pm2 stop pc2How do I start my PC2 node?
pm2 start pc2How do I restart my PC2 node?
pm2 restart pc2How do I check if PC2 is running?
pm2 statusYou’ll see a table. If PC2 shows “online”, it’s running.
How do I see what’s happening (logs)?
pm2 logs pc2Press Ctrl+C to stop watching logs.
How do I update PC2?
If using the Desktop Launcher: The launcher shows your current version and an “Update” button when a new release is available. Click it to update automatically.
If using the terminal install:
cd ~/pc2.net && git fetch origin && git reset --hard origin/main && cd pc2-node && npm install --legacy-peer-deps && npm run build && pm2 restart pc2Windows Users
Local Windows installation is complex. We recommend using a VPS instead for the best experience.
Recommended: Use a VPS
For $5/month, you get a cloud server that:
- Runs 24/7 (even when your PC is off)
- Works from any device (phone, tablet, laptop)
- No complex local setup required
See our VPS setup guide - it takes about 10 minutes.
Advanced: Local Installation (WSL2)
If you want to run PC2 locally on Windows, you need:
- Hardware virtualization enabled in BIOS (varies by manufacturer)
- WSL2 with Ubuntu installed:
wsl --install -d Ubuntu - Restart your computer
- Open “Ubuntu” from Start menu and run the install command:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Elacity/pc2.net/main/scripts/start-local.sh | bash
If you see errors about “Virtual Machine Platform” or “virtualization not enabled”, you’ll need to enable virtualization in your computer’s BIOS settings. This process varies by manufacturer and may not be possible on some corporate laptops.
Where is everything stored?
| What | Location |
|---|---|
| PC2 installation | ~/pc2.net/ |
| Your files | ~/pc2.net/pc2-node/data/ |
| Configuration | ~/pc2.net/pc2-node/config/ |
Troubleshooting
”Command not found: pm2”
Run this first:
source ~/.nvm/nvm.shPC2 won’t start
Check if something else is using port 4200:
lsof -i :4200If you see a process, kill it:
kill -9 <the PID number>Then start PC2:
pm2 start pc2Uninstalling
pm2 stop pc2
pm2 delete pc2
rm -rf ~/pc2.netThis deletes all your uploaded files! Back up ~/pc2.net/pc2-node/data/ first if needed.