# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Windows updater self-lock loop fix

## Open now

- Nothing open on GitHub.

These items address a bug where the Windows in-app updater enters an infinite retry loop due to false-positive self-lock preflight checks, particularly involving cryptography._rust. The work narrows when the self-lock deferral fires to prevent unnecessary looping.

## 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 #86906. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #86906 (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-86857`. 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evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.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

- #86780: Windows: hermes update / desktop in-app Update loops forever — self-lock preflight false-positives on cryptography._rust

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#86782: fix(update): lazy-import secrets_cli + defer secret_sources registry — prevent Windows self-lock loop**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `hermes_cli/env_loader.py`, `hermes_cli/main.py`, `hermes_cli/secrets_cli.py`, `tests/test_lazy_secrets_dispatch.py`, `tests/test_lazy_secrets_import.py`
- **#86857: fix(update): self-lock deferral fires only when the swap is actually at risk**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `hermes_cli/main.py`, `hermes_cli/update_cmd.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_update_self_lock.py`
- **#86906: fix(updater): stop Windows update retries from looping forever on a deferred install (#86780)**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `hermes_cli/_early_recovery.py`, `hermes_cli/env_loader.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_early_recovery.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_env_loader.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_update_self_lock.py`
- **#86804: fix(updater): stop Windows update retries from looping forever**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `merged_via`; implication `superseded`; refs `b70bd03b3c`, `#86906`, `#86782`, `#86857`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #86906 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-08-15`.