# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Fix UTF-8 decoding of git output on Windows

## Open now

- 1 issue, 1 PR open on GitHub.
- #122239: Windows (cp936 locale): \`hermes update\` prints UnicodeDecodeError traceback — version_info.py decodes git output without encoding
- PR #122265: fix(cli): decode git output with utf-8 and replace errors in version_info

These items address a UnicodeDecodeError that occurs when git command output is decoded without specifying UTF-8 encoding, particularly on Windows systems with non-UTF-8 locales like cp936. The fixes apply explicit UTF-8 decoding with error handling in version_info-related code.

## TL;DR

- 4 member(s): 1 open issue(s), 0 closed issue(s), 1 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 1 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #122965. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #122965 (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: `unresolved`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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.

## Open related issues

- #122239: Windows (cp936 locale): \`hermes update\` prints UnicodeDecodeError traceback — version_info.py decodes git output without encoding

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#122965: fix(cli): pin utf-8 decoding on all text-mode subprocess readers (Windows gbk crash)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `hermes_cli/boot_bootstrap.py`, `hermes_cli/gitlock.py`, `hermes_cli/kanban_pr_acceptance.py`, `hermes_cli/local_runtime/bootstrap.py`, `hermes_cli/local_runtime/hardware.py`, `hermes_cli/macos_signing.py`, `hermes_cli/macos_tcc_anchor.py`, `hermes_cli/main_desktop.py`, `hermes_cli/plugin_catalog.py`, `hermes_cli/plugin_validate.py`, `hermes_cli/plugins_provenance.py`, `hermes_cli/plugins_updates.py`, `hermes_cli/source_build.py`, `hermes_cli/sqlite_runtime.py`, `hermes_cli/update_cmd_fleet_checkout.py`, `hermes_cli/update_lock.py`, `hermes_cli/version_info.py`, `hermes_cli/web_routers/local_models.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_subprocess_text_encoding.py`
- **#122259: fix(version): decode git identity probes as UTF-8**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `b00b4bb7f2b1da979df2c1053758e43d63123e43`, `#122965`
- **#122265: fix(cli): decode git output with utf-8 and replace errors in version_info**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`; refs `760fc91028`
  - files: `hermes_cli/version_info.py`, `scripts/write_install_stamp.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_version_info.py`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #122965 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-25`.
- Subsystem: `hermes_cli`