diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index a3d6db6..4949b8e 100644
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -32,9 +32,14 @@ PMEM_PATH="pmem"
 _expect_workdir=""
 for arg in "$@"; do
   if [[ -n "$_expect_workdir" ]]; then
-    OPENCLAW_DIR="$arg"
-    PLUGIN_DEST="${OPENCLAW_DIR}/extensions/memory-powermem"
-    _expect_workdir=""
+    if [[ "$arg" == -* ]]; then
+      echo "install.sh: Warning: Missing value for --workdir; ignoring." >&2
+      _expect_workdir=""
+    else
+      OPENCLAW_DIR="$arg"
+      PLUGIN_DEST="${OPENCLAW_DIR}/extensions/memory-powermem"
+      _expect_workdir=""
+    fi
     continue
   fi
   [[ "$arg" == "-y" || "$arg" == "--yes" ]] && INSTALL_YES="1"
@@ -52,6 +57,10 @@ for arg in "$@"; do
     exit 0
   }
 done
+if [[ -n "$_expect_workdir" ]]; then
+  echo "install.sh: ERROR: Option --workdir requires a path." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
 
 RED='\033[0;31m'
 GREEN='\033[0;32m'
@@ -88,11 +97,12 @@ detect_openclaw_instances() {
     [[ "$(basename "$d")" == .openclaw ]] || [[ "$(basename "$d")" == .openclaw-* ]] || continue
     list+=("$d")
   done
-  echo "${list[@]}"
+  printf '%s\n' "${list[@]}"
 }
 
 select_workdir() {
-  local instances=($(detect_openclaw_instances))
+  local instances=()
+  mapfile -t instances < <(detect_openclaw_instances) || true
   if [[ ${#instances[@]} -le 1 ]]; then
     return 0
   fi
diff --git a/skills/install-powermem-memory/SKILL.md b/skills/install-powermem-memory/SKILL.md
index ba30cf1..6ffc3cb 100644
--- a/skills/install-powermem-memory/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/install-powermem-memory/SKILL.md
@@ -27,23 +27,30 @@ This skill folder includes supplementary docs to reference when needed:
 
 ## When User Asks to Install
 
+**Important:** PowerMem must be installed and running (or `pmem` available) **before** installing this plugin. The one-liner `install.sh` only installs the OpenClaw plugin; it does **not** install PowerMem. Users who run the script first often see failures because PowerMem is missing.
+
 1. **Check OpenClaw**  
    Run `openclaw --version`. If not installed, tell the user to install OpenClaw first: `npm install -g openclaw` and `openclaw onboard`.
 
-2. **Check PowerMem**  
-   - **HTTP mode**: User must have PowerMem server running (e.g. `pip install powermem`, create `.env`, then `powermem-server --port 8000`).  
-   - **CLI mode**: User needs `pmem` on PATH (and optionally a PowerMem `.env`). No server required.
+2. **Install and verify PowerMem** (do this before installing the plugin)  
+   - **Python**: PowerMem requires **Python 3.10+**. Have the user run `python3 --version`. If older, ask them to upgrade.  
+   - **HTTP mode**  
+     - Install: `pip install powermem` (recommended: use a virtualenv: `python3 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate` then `pip install powermem`).  
+     - Create `.env`: copy from [PowerMem .env.example](https://github.com/oceanbase/powermem/blob/master/.env.example) or create a minimal one with at least: `DATABASE_PROVIDER=sqlite`, `LLM_PROVIDER`/`LLM_API_KEY`/`LLM_MODEL`, `EMBEDDING_PROVIDER`/`EMBEDDING_API_KEY`/`EMBEDDING_MODEL`/`EMBEDDING_DIMS`.  
+     - Start server **in the directory that contains `.env`**: `powermem-server --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000`.  
+     - Verify: `curl -s http://localhost:8000/api/v1/system/health` should return OK.  
+   - **CLI mode**  
+     - Install: `pip install powermem` (same as above; ensure the env is activated so `pmem` is on PATH).  
+     - Check: `pmem --version` or `which pmem`. If not found, user may need to activate the venv or use full path to `pmem`.  
+     - Optional: create PowerMem `.env` (e.g. via `pmem config init`) for DB/LLM/Embedding if using intelligent extraction.
 
 3. **Install the plugin**  
    If the user has the repo path:
    ```bash
-   openclaw plugins install /path/to/memory-powermem
-   ```
-   Or from GitHub one-liner:
-   ```bash
-   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ob-labs/memory-powermem/main/install.sh | bash
+   openclaw plugins install memory-powermem
    ```
 
+
 4. **Configure OpenClaw**  
    Set memory slot and config. Example (HTTP, local server):
    ```bash
@@ -115,6 +122,8 @@ Restart the gateway after changing the memory slot.
 
 | Symptom | Fix |
 |---------|-----|
-| `openclaw ltm health` fails | For HTTP: ensure PowerMem server is running and `baseUrl` is correct. For CLI: ensure `pmem` is on PATH and optional `.env` is valid. |
-| Plugin not loaded | Check `plugins.slots.memory` is `memory-powermem` and restart gateway. |
-| Add/search returns 500 or empty | Check PowerMem server logs; usually LLM/Embedding API key or model in PowerMem `.env`. |
+| **`pip install powermem` fails** | Ensure Python 3.10+ (`python3 --version`). Use a clean venv. On network or build errors, try `pip install powermem --no-build-isolation` or install problematic deps (e.g. `psycopg2-binary`, `pyobvector`) separately first. See [PowerMem repo](https://github.com/oceanbase/powermem) issues if needed. |
+| **`pmem` or `powermem-server` not found** | Installed in a virtualenv: activate it (`source .venv/bin/activate`) so they are on PATH. Or run `python -m powermem.cli.main` for CLI and start server via `python -m server.cli.server` (see PowerMem docs). |
+| **`openclaw ltm health` fails** | For HTTP: ensure PowerMem server is running and `baseUrl` is correct; run server in the directory that contains `.env`. For CLI: ensure `pmem` is on PATH and optional `.env` is valid. |
+| **Plugin not loaded** | Check `plugins.slots.memory` is `memory-powermem` and restart gateway. |
+| **Add/search returns 500 or empty** | Check PowerMem server logs; usually missing or wrong LLM/Embedding API key or model in PowerMem `.env`. Ensure `.env` has at least `LLM_*` and `EMBEDDING_*` set for the provider you use. |
diff --git a/skills/install-powermem-memory/config-reference.md b/skills/install-powermem-memory/config-reference.md
index bbba3b3..4402c50 100644
--- a/skills/install-powermem-memory/config-reference.md
+++ b/skills/install-powermem-memory/config-reference.md
@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@ Quick reference for this skill folder. See **SKILL.md** for full details.
 
 ---
 
+## Installing PowerMem (do this before the plugin)
+
+- **Python 3.10+** required. Check with `python3 --version`.
+- **Install**: `pip install powermem` (prefer inside a virtualenv).
+- **HTTP mode**: Create a `.env` (copy from [PowerMem .env.example](https://github.com/oceanbase/powermem/blob/master/.env.example)), set at least database + LLM + Embedding. Start server in that directory: `powermem-server --port 8000`. Verify: `curl -s http://localhost:8000/api/v1/system/health`.
+- **CLI mode**: Ensure `pmem` is on PATH (e.g. activate the venv where powermem is installed). Optional: `pmem config init` for `.env`.
+
+---
+
 ## Plugin configuration
 
 | Key | Default | Description |