# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Windows update hand-off stale module import fixes

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These items address a Windows-specific issue where the update process crashes or aborts due to ImportError caused by stale modules during the post-swap hand-off step. The work involves making imports lazy or otherwise tolerant of outdated module state at that transition point.

## TL;DR

- 4 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 2 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #116796. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #116796 (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-116796`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.50`: 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

- #116152: ImportError at update hand-off: new update_handoff lazily imports a symbol added to the stale, eagerly-imported main_install_repair (Windows)

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#116796: fix(update): Windows post-swap hand-off no longer crashes with a stale-module ImportError (#116152, salvage #116165)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `hermes_cli/update_cmd.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_update_post_swap_handoff.py`
- **#116165: fix(update): keep Windows updates from aborting after checkout swaps**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `26e85cfea2be`, `#116796`, `#116152`, `#116165`
- **#116172: fix(update): tolerate stale Windows hand-off modules**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `26e85cfea2be`, `#116796`, `#116152`, `#116165`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #116796 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-20`.