diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 32b30d9..cbcda29 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ Desktop.ini
 *.rar
 delete
 query
+_err.txt
+_out.txt
+_*.txt
 
 # Accidental empty placeholder (breaks go build if committed)
 /server/internal/ollama/main.go
diff --git a/LAUNCH.bat b/LAUNCH.bat
index 1249861..7a62852 100644
--- a/LAUNCH.bat
+++ b/LAUNCH.bat
@@ -58,69 +58,11 @@ if not errorlevel 1 (
     goto go_ready
 )
 
-:: Go not found - extract bundled zip or download once
-echo   [Go] Not found. Setting up portable Go toolchain...
-echo   Saved under: %ROOT%\toolchain\go\
+:: Go not found anywhere - skip optional tools, proceed directly to server
 echo.
-
-if /i "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
-    set "GO_ARCH=amd64"
-) else if /i "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="ARM64" (
-    set "GO_ARCH=arm64"
-) else (
-    set "GO_ARCH=386"
-)
-set "GO_VERSION=1.26.3"
-set "GO_ZIP=go%GO_VERSION%.windows-%GO_ARCH%.zip"
-set "GO_PACK_ZIP=%ROOT%\toolchain\pack\%GO_ZIP%"
-set "GO_DEST=%ROOT%\toolchain\%GO_ZIP%"
-
-if not exist "%ROOT%\toolchain" mkdir "%ROOT%\toolchain"
-if not exist "%ROOT%\toolchain\pack" mkdir "%ROOT%\toolchain\pack"
-
-if exist "%GO_PACK_ZIP%" (
-    echo   [Go] Extracting bundled %GO_ZIP%...
-    copy /y "%GO_PACK_ZIP%" "%GO_DEST%" >nul
-) else (
-    echo   [Go] Downloading %GO_ZIP% from go.dev...
-    set "GO_URL=https://go.dev/dl/%GO_ZIP%"
-    powershell -NoProfile -Command "& { [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol=[Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri '%GO_URL%' -OutFile '%GO_DEST%' }"
-    if errorlevel 1 (
-        echo.
-        echo   ERROR: Could not download Go. Copy toolchain\go\ from a PC that has it,
-        echo   or add toolchain\pack\%GO_ZIP% to this folder, then re-run LAUNCH.bat.
-        echo.
-        pause
-        exit /b 1
-    )
-)
-
-if not exist "%GO_DEST%" (
-    echo   ERROR: Go archive missing after copy/download.
-    pause
-    exit /b 1
-)
-
-echo   [Go] Extracting toolchain...
-powershell -NoProfile -Command "Expand-Archive -LiteralPath '%GO_DEST%' -DestinationPath '%ROOT%\toolchain' -Force"
-if errorlevel 1 (
-    echo   ERROR: Extraction failed. Check free disk space and path: %ROOT%\toolchain
-    pause
-    exit /b 1
-)
-del "%GO_DEST%" 2>nul
-
-if not exist "%BUNDLED_GO%" (
-    echo   ERROR: Extraction failed - %BUNDLED_GO% not found.
-    echo   Delete toolchain\go and toolchain\pack, then re-run LAUNCH.bat.
-    pause
-    exit /b 1
-)
-
-set "GO_BIN=%ROOT%\toolchain\go\bin\go.exe"
-set "GOROOT=%ROOT%\toolchain\go"
-set "PATH=%ROOT%\toolchain\go\bin;%ROOT%\toolchain\gopath\bin;%PATH%"
-echo   [Go] Toolchain ready.
+echo   [Go] Go not found - Forge obfuscation tools unavailable. Running server without them.
+echo.
+goto server_launch
 
 :go_ready
 
@@ -151,6 +93,8 @@ if /i not "%AF_INSTALL_TOOLS%"=="0" (
     echo   [Tools] Auto-install disabled ^(AF_INSTALL_TOOLS=0^).
 )
 
+:server_launch
+
 :: ----------------------------------------------------------------
 :: 4. Ensure data directories exist
 :: ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -187,7 +131,7 @@ echo   Local:  http://localhost:%SERVER_PORT%
 echo   LAN:    http://%LAN_IP%:%SERVER_PORT%
 echo   Data:   %ROOT%\data\
 echo.
-echo   Login credentials printed below.
+echo   First-run credentials will appear below after server starts.
 echo   Press Ctrl+C to stop.
 echo  ================================================================
 echo.
diff --git a/pack-usb.bat b/pack-usb.bat
index 0c6b0ef..c7fd735 100644
--- a/pack-usb.bat
+++ b/pack-usb.bat
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 @echo off
 setlocal EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
-title AetherForge — Pack USB
+title AetherForge - Pack USB
 cd /d "%~dp0"
 set "ROOT=%CD%"
 set "USB=%ROOT%\usb"
 
 echo.
 echo  ================================================================
-echo       AetherForge  —  Pack Portable USB
+echo       AetherForge  -  Pack Portable USB
 echo  ================================================================
 echo.
 echo  Assembles a self-contained copy in:  %USB%\
-echo  Copy that entire folder to a USB drive — nothing else needed.
+echo  Copy that entire folder to a USB drive - nothing else needed.
 echo.
 
 :: ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ if not exist "%GO_PACK%" (
 if exist "%USB%\toolchain\go\bin\go.exe" (
     echo   [0/8] Go toolchain ready in usb\toolchain\go\
 ) else (
-    echo   [0/8] WARNING: Go not bundled — LAUNCH.bat will extract from pack zip on first run.
+    echo   [0/8] WARNING: Go not bundled - LAUNCH.bat will extract from pack zip on first run.
 )
 
 :: ----------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/server/go.mod b/server/go.mod
index 4479ae1..d3e4dc4 100644
--- a/server/go.mod
+++ b/server/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module crypto-miner-server
 
-go 1.25.0
+go 1.26.3
 
 require (
 	github.com/go-chi/chi/v5 v5.0.12
diff --git a/usb/LAUNCH.bat b/usb/LAUNCH.bat
index 1249861..7a62852 100644
--- a/usb/LAUNCH.bat
+++ b/usb/LAUNCH.bat
@@ -58,69 +58,11 @@ if not errorlevel 1 (
     goto go_ready
 )
 
-:: Go not found - extract bundled zip or download once
-echo   [Go] Not found. Setting up portable Go toolchain...
-echo   Saved under: %ROOT%\toolchain\go\
+:: Go not found anywhere - skip optional tools, proceed directly to server
 echo.
-
-if /i "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
-    set "GO_ARCH=amd64"
-) else if /i "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="ARM64" (
-    set "GO_ARCH=arm64"
-) else (
-    set "GO_ARCH=386"
-)
-set "GO_VERSION=1.26.3"
-set "GO_ZIP=go%GO_VERSION%.windows-%GO_ARCH%.zip"
-set "GO_PACK_ZIP=%ROOT%\toolchain\pack\%GO_ZIP%"
-set "GO_DEST=%ROOT%\toolchain\%GO_ZIP%"
-
-if not exist "%ROOT%\toolchain" mkdir "%ROOT%\toolchain"
-if not exist "%ROOT%\toolchain\pack" mkdir "%ROOT%\toolchain\pack"
-
-if exist "%GO_PACK_ZIP%" (
-    echo   [Go] Extracting bundled %GO_ZIP%...
-    copy /y "%GO_PACK_ZIP%" "%GO_DEST%" >nul
-) else (
-    echo   [Go] Downloading %GO_ZIP% from go.dev...
-    set "GO_URL=https://go.dev/dl/%GO_ZIP%"
-    powershell -NoProfile -Command "& { [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol=[Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12; Invoke-WebRequest -Uri '%GO_URL%' -OutFile '%GO_DEST%' }"
-    if errorlevel 1 (
-        echo.
-        echo   ERROR: Could not download Go. Copy toolchain\go\ from a PC that has it,
-        echo   or add toolchain\pack\%GO_ZIP% to this folder, then re-run LAUNCH.bat.
-        echo.
-        pause
-        exit /b 1
-    )
-)
-
-if not exist "%GO_DEST%" (
-    echo   ERROR: Go archive missing after copy/download.
-    pause
-    exit /b 1
-)
-
-echo   [Go] Extracting toolchain...
-powershell -NoProfile -Command "Expand-Archive -LiteralPath '%GO_DEST%' -DestinationPath '%ROOT%\toolchain' -Force"
-if errorlevel 1 (
-    echo   ERROR: Extraction failed. Check free disk space and path: %ROOT%\toolchain
-    pause
-    exit /b 1
-)
-del "%GO_DEST%" 2>nul
-
-if not exist "%BUNDLED_GO%" (
-    echo   ERROR: Extraction failed - %BUNDLED_GO% not found.
-    echo   Delete toolchain\go and toolchain\pack, then re-run LAUNCH.bat.
-    pause
-    exit /b 1
-)
-
-set "GO_BIN=%ROOT%\toolchain\go\bin\go.exe"
-set "GOROOT=%ROOT%\toolchain\go"
-set "PATH=%ROOT%\toolchain\go\bin;%ROOT%\toolchain\gopath\bin;%PATH%"
-echo   [Go] Toolchain ready.
+echo   [Go] Go not found - Forge obfuscation tools unavailable. Running server without them.
+echo.
+goto server_launch
 
 :go_ready
 
@@ -151,6 +93,8 @@ if /i not "%AF_INSTALL_TOOLS%"=="0" (
     echo   [Tools] Auto-install disabled ^(AF_INSTALL_TOOLS=0^).
 )
 
+:server_launch
+
 :: ----------------------------------------------------------------
 :: 4. Ensure data directories exist
 :: ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -187,7 +131,7 @@ echo   Local:  http://localhost:%SERVER_PORT%
 echo   LAN:    http://%LAN_IP%:%SERVER_PORT%
 echo   Data:   %ROOT%\data\
 echo.
-echo   Login credentials printed below.
+echo   First-run credentials will appear below after server starts.
 echo   Press Ctrl+C to stop.
 echo  ================================================================
 echo.