[Bug]: [Desktop] GUI reads config from wrong directory on Windows

[cakebuildcom]

Bug Description

Hermes Desktop GUI looks for config in C:\Users<username>\hermes, but the CLI and installation place it in C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\hermes. This causes config changes to be ignored by the GUI.

Steps to Reproduce

Install Hermes (config goes to AppData\Local\hermes\config.yaml)
Edit config.yaml to change the model
Launch Hermes Desktop GUI
GUI ignores the config changes and uses cached/default settings

Expected Behavior

GUI reads from AppData\Local\hermes\config.yaml like the CLI does

Actual Behavior

GUI reads from C:\Users<username>\hermes\config.yaml (doesn't exist or is stale)

Affected Component

Other, Configuration (config.yaml, .env, hermes setup)

Messaging Platform (if gateway-related)

No response

Debug Report

n/a

Operating System

windows 11

Python Version

3.13.13

Hermes Version

v0.18.0 (2026.7.1)

Additional Logs / Traceback (optional)

Root Cause Analysis (optional)

No response

Proposed Fix (optional)

Workaround: Set HERMES_HOME=C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\hermes as a user environment variable
Environment: Windows 10/11, Hermes Desktop v[whatever version you have]

Are you willing to submit a PR for this?

• I'd like to fix this myself and submit a PR

[GottZ]

This was generated by AI during triage.

Summary

One PR addresses #57897 by aligning the Desktop Windows Hermes-home resolver with the CLI/Python default, including the missing-LOCALAPPDATA fallback, while preserving explicit, registry, override, and legacy-directory precedence.

Related pull requests

• fix(desktop): align Windows Hermes home fallback #58189 best fix — (+193/-48) — fixes: Extracts the resolver into TypeScript, wires it into the Electron main process, and adds Vitest coverage showing that Windows resolves to %LOCALAPPDATA%\hermes or C:\Users<user>\AppData\Local\hermes when LOCALAPPDATA is absent. The contributor keep_open review flagged the earlier stale CJS implementation and main-branch conflict; the current diff explicitly addresses that review by using hermes-home.ts, hermes-home.test.ts, main.ts, and Vitest as requested.

Suggested consolidation

Merge #58189 — it directly fixes the reported Desktop/CLI config-directory mismatch, preserves the established precedence behavior, and its current TypeScript diff incorporates the contributor review's required port from the obsolete CJS surfaces. There are no competing PRs to close as duplicates.

Complex graph

flowchart LR
    classDef open fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#1d4ed8,color:#1e3a8a
    classDef merged fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#15803d,color:#14532d
    classDef closed fill:#e5e7eb,stroke:#6b7280,color:#1f2937
    classDef unverified fill:#f3f4f6,stroke:#9ca3af,color:#374151
    classDef best stroke-width:3px,stroke:#b45309
    classDef target stroke-width:3px,stroke:#4338ca
    I57897(["issue #57897 (open)"])
    P58189["PR #58189 (open)"]
    P58189 -->|best fix| I57897
    class I57897 open
    class I57897 target
    class P58189 open
    class P58189 best
    click I57897 "https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/issues/57897"
    click P58189 "https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/pull/58189"

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Graph: solid arrow = fixes / best fix, dashed arrow = partial or unverified (see edge label); boxed group = PRs duplicating each other; amber border = best fix; indigo border = target; gray node = closed or no verify verdict yet (state tag in the node label).

Cross-PR triage: Reviewed 1 pull request and 1 issue in this complex. Each diff was read against this issue; Assessment working set: 11 kB of PR diffs, 2 kB of issue/PR text, 2 kB of discussion (3 comments), 2 verify verdicts. verdicts reflect diff content, not PR titles. Part of an automated triage batch.