# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Windows non-ASCII username breaks Python path handling

## Open now

- 0 issues, 1 PR open on GitHub.
- PR #124633: fix(install): force UTF-8 console decode so non-ASCII profile paths survive

These items concern a bug where non-ASCII characters in Windows usernames or profile paths cause failures in Python path resolution during installation. A proposed fix involves enforcing UTF-8 console decoding to preserve Unicode paths.

## TL;DR

- 3 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 1 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 0 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #132430. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #132430 (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-132430`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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

- #124526: Windows: non-ASCII character in username breaks \`uv\` Python path resolution during \`python-deps\` stage (also affects Desktop app installer)

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#132430: fix(install): preserve Unicode Python paths on Windows \[risk 1.00\]**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `scripts/desktop-update/runtime.ps1`, `scripts/install.ps1`, `scripts/tests/test-install-ps1-store-guard.ps1`, `scripts/tests/test-install-ps1-utf8.ps1`, `setup-hermes.ps1`, `tests/scripts/desktop_update/test_desktop_update_runtime_unicode.py`
- **#124633: fix(install): force UTF-8 console decode so non-ASCII profile paths survive**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `37a8c15839`, `#125227`
  - files: `scripts/install.ps1`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_install_ps1_utf8_console.py`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #132430 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-10-04`.
- Subsystem: `apps/bootstrap-installer`