# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Windows PATH node priority during desktop install

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These items address a problem where a system-installed Node appearing before the managed Node on PATH causes install script failures on Windows. Two fixes aim to make the managed Node take precedence in that context.

## TL;DR

- 6 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 3 merged PR(s), 2 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #125589. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #125589 (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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.33`: 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

- #82309: \[Windows\] Desktop dependency install fails with ERR_REQUIRE_ESM when a system Node precedes the managed Node on PATH

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#125589: fix: Hermes never falls back to the user's node/npm/npx/uv**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `agent/lsp/install.py`, `hermes_cli/doctor_tools.py`, `hermes_cli/gateway.py`, `hermes_cli/main_install_repair.py`, `hermes_cli/source_build.py`, `hermes_constants.py`, `scripts/install.ps1`, `scripts/install.sh`, `tests/e2e/core/upgrade/_install_helpers.py`, `tests/fixtures/resolution_allowlist.json`, `tests/gateway/test_adapter_connect_classification.py`, `tests/gateway/test_whatsapp_connect.py`, `tests/gateway/test_whatsapp_stale_bridge.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_desktop_update_verify.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_service.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_node_runtime_npm_resolution.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_source_build.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_web_ui_build.py`, `tests/plugins/platforms/photon/test_npm_error_log_regression.py`, `tests/plugins/platforms/photon/test_runtime_record.py` (+5 more)
- **#125635: MCP stdio servers keep their configured PATH order again (revert #124792)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `tests/tools/test_mcp_tool_issue_948.py`, `tools/mcp_tool_common.py`
- **#125721: fix: Hermes's own lint, activate, tui and MCP launchers use PM's node/npx/uv, never the user's**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `hermes_platform/resolver/known_dirs.py`, `pm/__init__.py`, `pm/install.py`, `tests/agent/lsp/test_install_and_lint_fixes.py`, `tests/agent/lsp/test_shell_linter_lsp_skip.py`, `tests/fixtures/resolution_allowlist.json`, `tests/gateway/test_tui_slash_worker_path.py`, `tests/pm/test_startup_activation.py`, `tests/tools/test_file_operations_edge_cases.py`, `tests/tools/test_mcp_tool.py`, `tests/tools/test_mcp_tool_issue_948.py`, `tools/file_operations_lint.py`, `tools/mcp_tool_config.py`, `tui_gateway/server.py`
- **#82355: fix(desktop): prevent Windows installs from using stale system Node**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `ba343709dd95443f7caf54aab957aa199469f8b8`, `7cadfaa668587a2be683c069373ca5ea3ca65fca`, `79dbb1450ec404a2240529f5554526da4cfec498`, `76d6798b4b4b6b09a7f37fb759bee341400a25b8`, `6ca192476370093c0f56eb35bf34772a6ac3020b`, `28e6496a5e3adfea57bebfc9571b981bff378523`, `8104ee628cc4658d164cd5a39c2a52e6f69e4ddc`, `ba343709d`, `150b197363451161308c0621385c7ca490d84108`, `ba343709dd`, `5e4a2a3d2407cdc207f05eee543c63a6136540a2`, `81b4c132b5fa`, `26b3918dd`, `ba343709d`, `ba343709d`, `6ca192476370`, `5e4a2a3d2407`, `6ca192476370`, `5e4a2a3d2407`, `e0fae5566afd`, `26b3918dd`, `ba343709dd95443f7caf54aab957aa199469f8b8`, `76d6798b4b4b6b09a7f37fb759bee341400a25b8`, `8104ee628cc4`, `28e6496a5e`, `8104ee628cc4`, `6ca192476370`, `79dbb1450ec4`, `ba343709dd`, `28e6496a5e`, `#124792`, `#124792`, `#82309`, `#124792`, `#124792`, `#125635`, `#124792`, `#82355`, `#91188`, `#124792`, `#125635`, `#124792`, `#125635`, `#82309`, `#124792`, `#125729`, `#125318`, `#124792`, `#82309`, `#91188`, `#124792`, `#125635`, `#125729`, `#125318`, `#82309`, `#124792`, `#124792`, `#125635`, `#125721`, `#125729`, `#125318`, `#108188`, `#108199`, `#126934`, `#125589`, `#124792`, `#125635`
- **#91188: fix(desktop): make managed Node authoritative for Windows install scripts**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#82355`, `#82355`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #125589 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-28`.
- Subsystem: `apps/desktop`