# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Desktop updater stale-lock and retry fixes

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These items address a deadlock and blocking condition in the Desktop updater where stale update state prevents retries from succeeding. Two fixes target preserving holder age across handoffs and clearing stale updates after retries.

## TL;DR

- 5 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 0 open PR(s), 3 merged PR(s), 1 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #90994. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #90994 (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-90994`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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 `0.40`: 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

- #85894: Desktop updater deadlocks against launchd gateways, then the stale updater blocks every retry

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#90937: fix(update): Windows Desktop updates finish instead of parking on "Updating Hermes"**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `scripts/desktop-update/windows.ps1`, `tests/test_desktop_update_windows_pipe_drain.py`, `tests/test_desktop_update_windows_python_handoff.py`
- **#90941: fix(installer): the bootstrap installer stops waiting on pipe EOF**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `.github/actions/detect-changes/action.yml`, `.github/workflows/ci.yaml`, `.github/workflows/rust-tests.yml`, `apps/bootstrap-installer/src-tauri/src/powershell.rs`, `apps/bootstrap-installer/src-tauri/src/update.rs`, `scripts/ci/classify_changes.py`, `tests/ci/test_classify_changes.py`
- **#90994: fix(updater): preserve the holder's age across update-marker handoffs**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `apps/bootstrap-installer/src-tauri/src/update.rs`, `apps/desktop/electron/main.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/update-handoff-marker.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/update-marker.test.ts`, `apps/desktop/electron/update-marker.ts`, `scripts/desktop-update/posix.sh`, `scripts/desktop-update/windows.ps1`
- **#85964: fix(updater): let stale Desktop updates clear after retries**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `#90994`, `#90937`, `#90941`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #90994 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-08-20`.
- Subsystem: `apps/desktop`