diff --git a/install.ps1 b/install.ps1
index 0645188..a9bab85 100644
--- a/install.ps1
+++ b/install.ps1
@@ -78,14 +78,18 @@ if (-not (Test-Path .git)) {
 $launcher = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "Launch-Dashboard.bat"
 $desktop = [Environment]::GetFolderPath("Desktop")
 if ((Test-Path $launcher) -and (Test-Path $desktop)) {
-    $shortcutPath = Join-Path $desktop "Agentic OS Dashboard.lnk"
-    $shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell
-    $shortcut = $shell.CreateShortcut($shortcutPath)
-    $shortcut.TargetPath = $launcher
-    $shortcut.WorkingDirectory = $PSScriptRoot
-    $shortcut.Description = "Launch the Agentic OS dashboard"
-    $shortcut.Save()
-    Write-Host "Desktop shortcut created: $shortcutPath"
+    try {
+        $shortcutPath = Join-Path $desktop "Agentic OS Dashboard.lnk"
+        $shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell
+        $shortcut = $shell.CreateShortcut($shortcutPath)
+        $shortcut.TargetPath = $launcher
+        $shortcut.WorkingDirectory = $PSScriptRoot
+        $shortcut.Description = "Launch the Agentic OS dashboard"
+        $shortcut.Save()
+        Write-Host "Desktop shortcut created: $shortcutPath"
+    } catch {
+        Write-Warning "Could not create Desktop shortcut: $_"
+    }
 }
 
 Write-Host ""
diff --git a/start.ps1 b/start.ps1
index a30da8b..a6da799 100644
--- a/start.ps1
+++ b/start.ps1
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ $pythonArgs = @($python.Args)
 
 & $pythonCommand @pythonArgs -m pip install -r requirements.txt --quiet
 
-$configuredPort = & $pythonCommand @pythonArgs -c "import json; f=open('data/settings.json'); d=json.load(f); print(d.get('dashboard',{}).get('port',8080)); f.close()" 2>$null
+$configuredPort = & $pythonCommand @pythonArgs -c "import json; f=open('data/settings.json'); d=json.load(f); print(int(d.get('dashboard',{}).get('port',8080))); f.close()" 2>$null
 if (-not $configuredPort) { $configuredPort = "8080" }
 $configuredPort = [int]$configuredPort
 
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index a143397..4dd584d 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -28,14 +28,21 @@ CONFIGURED_PORT=$($PYTHON -c "import json; f=open('data/settings.json'); d=json.
 
 # Find a free port starting at CONFIGURED_PORT (in case it's already taken by another app)
 PORT="$CONFIGURED_PORT"
+FOUND=0
 for _ in $(seq 1 20); do
     if ! (exec 3<>"/dev/tcp/127.0.0.1/${PORT}") 2>/dev/null; then
+        FOUND=1
         break
     fi
     exec 3>&- 2>/dev/null || true
     PORT=$((PORT + 1))
 done
 
+if [ "$FOUND" -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Could not find a free port after 20 attempts starting at ${CONFIGURED_PORT}."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 if [ "$PORT" != "$CONFIGURED_PORT" ]; then
     echo "WARNING: Port ${CONFIGURED_PORT} is already in use - using ${PORT} instead."
 fi