# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Windows SSH binary detection instead of hard-coded path

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These items address a bug where the desktop hard-codes the System32 OpenSSH path on Windows, causing an infinite boot loop when that binary is broken. The fix probes for a working SSH binary rather than assuming a fixed location.

## TL;DR

- 3 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 1 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #126997. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #126997 (and any competing PRs below) before filing. Confirm the merged change covers your symptom.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `resolved` · deciding PR(s): `pr-126997`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.
- Pairwise link density `0.67`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #103288: Windows desktop hard-codes System32 OpenSSH ssh.exe; a broken in-box OpenSSH makes the desktop boot-loop forever

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#126997: fix(desktop): resolve the Windows ssh client instead of hard-coding System32 OpenSSH**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `apps/desktop/electron/backend-start-failure.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/backend-start-failure.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/main.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/renderer-heap-flags.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/renderer-heap-flags.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/ssh-binary.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/ssh-binary.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/ssh-connection.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/ssh-connection.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/terminal-ipc.ts`, `hermes_cli/config_defaults.py`, `website/docs/user-guide/desktop.md`
- **#103289: fix(desktop): probe for a working ssh binary on Windows**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `c2b5cbe0be`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #126997 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-30`.