Install NZBHydra Windows for Universal Usenet Searching

Install NZBHydra on Windows for universal usenet searching to replace NZBMegaSearch. NZBMegaSearch has come to a bit of a standstill despite mirabis attempt to provide fixes for Sonarr. theotherp has created an NZBMegaSearch replacement called NZBHydra which integrates with Sonarr, SickRage, CouchPotato and other automation software. If you use reverse proxies you will be happy to know that NZBHydra will work without any fuss unlike NZBMegaSearch. This NZBHydra tutorial will show you how to install NZBHydra on all Windows versions that can run Python: Windows 7, 8, 10 and Server editions like 2008 and 2012. I have included a Windows system service as well as a vbs script method to autostart NZBHydra.

Install NZBHydra Windows

NZBHydra like many other usenet programs requires git and python. If you already have those installed from previous guides you can skip down to the install NZBHydra section.

Install Git Windows

Download gitshell and run it. You will see this wizard.

Accept the license

Choose the install location

Uncheck these options Additional icons and Windows Explorer integration. You won't need them. You can uncheck the bottom ones as well.

Leave the start menu folder as is or change it to your liking

This is important, for Adjusting your PATH environment, choose Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt

This is less important but I chose the top option Checkout Windows-style. It only matters if you are using git to create programs.

Unless you want to see the Release Notes uncheck it and click Finish

Install Python 2.7.x

Download Python 2.7 32-bit or 64-bit which will work on 64 or 32 bit systems

Run the installer, for the most part you just click Next through the Wizard

The guide will assume you are installing to C:\Python27

In the Customize Python 2.7.x enable Add python.exe to Path.

This allows you to run python from the command prompt in Windows.

Click Next

Click Finish to exit

Install NZBHydra

Open up a command prompt as an Administrator.

Pull the latest NZBHydra from github

git clone https://github.com/theotherp/nzbhydra c:\NZBHydra

If you insist on putting NZBHydra in Program Files

git clone https://github.com/theotherp/nzbhydra "c:\Program Files (x86)\NZBHydra"

Make sure NZBHydra runs

cd c:\NZBHydra
python c:\NZBHydra\nzbhydra.py

Try accessing NZBHydra at http://ip.address:5075

Now we will make NZBHydra run on startup so it runs in the background on boot.

This method also means you won't have a command prompt open all the time, it will be hidden.

NZBHydra Windows System Service

Install the latest nssm and find nssm.exe in the win32 (32-bit) or win64 (64-bit) and copy it to c:\Windows\System32

In a command prompt running as an Administrator

nssm install NZBHydra c:\python27\python.exe "c:\NZBHydra\nzbhydra.py"

If you put it in c:\Program Files or any directory with spaces

nssm install NZBHydra c:\python27\python.exe "c:\Program Files (x86)\NZBHydra\nzbhydra.py"

Change the NZBHydra nssm service to autostart on boot

nssm set NZBHydra Start SERVICE_AUTO_START

Start the NZBHydra service

nssm start NZBHydra

Reboot Windows to test and the NZBHydra web interface will be available on its default port 5075

NZBHydra vbs Script

If for some reason you do not want to use the nssm service above you can use a vbs script instead.

Create the file NZBHydra.vbs in Notepad

Paste this code, if it doesn't work for you there is another vbs in the comments thanks to Gabriel.

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run chr(34) & "C:\NZBHydra\nzbhydra.py" & Chr(34), 0
Set WshShell = Nothing

File Save as and save it as “NZBHydra.vbs” in C:\NZBHydra so the file ends up as C:\NZBHydra\NZBHydra.vbs

Now copy a shortcut of NZBHydra.vbs to your Startup folder

Open up you Startup Menu. Right click and choose Open.

In Windows explorer, go into C:\NZBHydra and copy NZBHydra.vbs

Now paste it as a shortcut in the Startup menu folder by right-clicking and choosing Create Shortcuts here.

Now you can reboot and NZBHydra should autostart with Windows.