# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Windows in-app update blocked by locked Node files

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

A permission error occurs on Windows when an in-app update attempts to overwrite Node files that are locked by the running process. A fix was proposed to avoid rewriting the in-use managed Node tree.

## 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 #86663. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #86663 (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-86663`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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

- #80926: \[Windows/Desktop\] In-app update fails with WinError 5 (Permission Denied) due to Hermes-managed Node locking

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#86663: fix(win): never rewrite the in-use managed Node tree (#80926)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `hermes_cli/npm_engine.py`, `hermes_constants.py`, `scripts/install.ps1`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_npm_engine.py`, `tests/test_hermes_constants.py`, `tests/test_install_ps1_managed_node_swap.py`
- **#81500: fix(win): never rewrite the in-use managed Node tree (#80926)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `#86663`, `#80926`
- **#81586: fix(win): never rewrite the in-use managed Node tree (#80926)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `partial_fix`; implication `needs_llm`; refs `b5363a014`, `#86663`, `#81500`, `#80926`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #86663 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-08-15`.
- Subsystem: `apps/desktop`