Install Hermes Agent inside a WSL2 Linux distribution, not in Windows PowerShell: enable WSL2, open Ubuntu, run Hermes’s official installer, then complete its setup wizard. WSL2 is the right choice when you need Linux process and filesystem behavior or Hermes’s dashboard embedded terminal; native Windows is also supported if you do not need those WSL-specific benefits.
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What you need before installing Hermes Agent
Hermes runs in the Linux environment provided by WSL2. You will need a supported Windows 11 installation, an Administrator session for the initial WSL setup, an internet connection to download the installer and its components, and a Linux username and password for the distribution. The Linux credentials are separate from your Windows account.
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- Use Ubuntu for the commands below. If you already have another WSL2 Linux distribution, the installation steps apply inside that distribution too.
- Keep active repositories and Hermes work in the Linux filesystem, such as
~/code/project, unless a Windows-side tool requires a Windows-mounted path.
The official Hermes installation command is the same one used for Linux. The installer bootstraps uv, prepares pinned Python, Node, npm, ripgrep, and FFmpeg tooling, installs browser and computer-use tools by default, and writes logs under the Hermes data directory. See the official Hermes installer.
Install and verify WSL2
Install WSL from an elevated terminal
- Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal as Administrator.
- Run
wsl --install. - Reboot if Windows prompts you to do so. After the restart, Ubuntu opens and asks you to create a Linux username and password. Enter credentials you will remember; they are not your Windows sign-in credentials.
Confirm the distribution uses version 2
In PowerShell, run:
wsl --list --verboseFind the Ubuntu row and check its VERSION column. It should read 2. Do not continue on the assumption that a distribution is WSL2 simply because WSL is installed; the version shown for that distribution is the check that matters.
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If WSL installation did not create Ubuntu, install a Linux distribution through the available WSL installation flow and then run wsl --list --verbose again. The listed distribution name is also the name you use in Windows commands that target a particular distribution.
Enable systemd if you want Hermes gateways to run as services
Systemd is recommended when you plan to install a Hermes gateway as a service. It is not required just to run the interactive Hermes command. In your WSL distribution, edit /etc/wsl.conf and add the following settings, merging them with any existing sections rather than duplicating section headers:
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[boot]
systemd=true
[interop]
enabled=true
appendWindowsPath=true
[automount]
options = "metadata,umask=22,fmask=11"The metadata automount option preserves Linux permission bits on Windows-mounted paths. The automount section header must be spelled [automount]; a malformed header will prevent the setting from taking effect. Keep the interop settings if you want WSL and Windows command paths to work together.
After saving the file, return to PowerShell and stop the WSL virtual machine so the configuration is re-read:
wsl --shutdownReopen Ubuntu. To check whether systemd is PID 1, run inside WSL:
ps -p 1 -o comm=A result of systemd confirms it is active. If the command returns something else, recheck the /etc/wsl.conf section spelling and restart WSL again.
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Install Hermes inside the Linux distribution
Open Ubuntu from the Start menu or Windows Terminal. Run the installer and start Hermes from the WSL shell, not from an Administrator PowerShell prompt:
curl -fsSL https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc
hermesThe official Hermes WSL2 guidance says the installer treats WSL2 as plain Linux, so there is no separate WSL-specific installer or Windows-side installation step. The shell script downloads and sets up Hermes and its tooling in the Linux environment. Allow it to finish before closing the terminal.
The source ~/.bashrc command reloads the shell configuration so the current terminal can see the command and environment changes made by the installer. You can alternatively close Ubuntu and open a fresh terminal. When the final hermes command runs, it should launch Hermes in the WSL session.
Complete setup and configure a model
Run the full interactive configuration wizard from Ubuntu:
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hermes setupUse the prompts to configure a model provider and any other settings your intended workflow needs. Installation alone does not choose or configure the model and tools you plan to use.
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Configure only the area you need
If you prefer to configure components individually, run the corresponding command from the WSL shell:
hermes modelopens model configuration.hermes toolsconfigures tools.hermes gateway setupconfigures the gateway and, when systemd is available, can set up a systemd user unit.hermes config setchanges a configuration value.
Nous Portal users can use hermes setup --portal as a quicker setup route. For diagnostics after setup or when a component is not behaving as expected, run hermes doctor.
Choose where to keep projects and files
For active coding and Hermes work, prefer a directory in the Linux filesystem, such as ~/code/project. A path under /mnt/c is on a Windows-mounted drive. The WSL2 guide associates Windows-mounted paths with much slower git status and hermes chat operations, so using the Linux filesystem can make day-to-day work more responsive.
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Prevent line-ending errors in repositories edited from Windows
Windows editors can introduce CRLF line endings. A shell script with those endings may fail with bad interpreter: /bin/bash^M; byte-order marks can cause related interpreter problems. Set Git’s WSL defaults with:
git config --global core.autocrlf input
git config --global core.eol lfThese settings configure Git to convert CRLF input to LF and use LF for checked-out files. If an existing script already has CRLF endings, convert the affected file to LF as well; changing Git defaults does not retroactively repair every file already in a working tree.
Connect Windows, WSL, local models, and other clients
Networking matters when a Hermes process in WSL needs to call a service on Windows, when Windows needs to open a dashboard served by Hermes, or when another device on your LAN must reach a service. Windows 11 version 22H2 or later supports mirrored networking. NAT is the other common WSL networking mode; the right configuration depends on which side initiates the connection.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Mode or access need | What to expect | What to configure |
|---|---|---|
| Mirrored networking, Windows 11 22H2 or later | Can make localhost work in both directions between Windows and WSL. It is the simplest route when Hermes in WSL calls a Windows-hosted local model. | Add networkingMode=mirrored under [wsl2] in %USERPROFILE%.wslconfig, then run wsl --shutdown and reopen the distribution. |
| NAT, Windows host connecting to a WSL service | Localhost forwarding usually works for Windows-host access, but a service may need to listen on all interfaces. | Check the service bind address. If needed, bind it to 0.0.0.0; confirm the service is listening before changing firewall settings. |
| NAT, a LAN client connecting to a WSL service | Windows-host localhost forwarding does not by itself make a service reachable to other devices on the local network. | Configure a Windows port proxy and an appropriate Windows Firewall rule, and ensure the service binds to 0.0.0.0. |
| Hermes in WSL calling a Windows-hosted Ollama, LM Studio, or llama-server | Mirrored mode is the simplest arrangement. With older or NAT configurations, the Windows service may not be reachable as WSL localhost. | In NAT setups, use the Windows host IP from WSL, bind the Windows service to 0.0.0.0, and allow the port through Windows Firewall as appropriate. |
Enable mirrored networking
- In Windows, open
%USERPROFILE%.wslconfig. Create the file if necessary. - Add the following setting under a
[wsl2]section:
[wsl2]
networkingMode=mirrored- Save the file, run
wsl --shutdownin PowerShell, then reopen Ubuntu.
Mirrored networking is a WSL networking option, not a Hermes setting. If a connection still fails, check the service’s listening address and Windows Firewall rather than assuming that changing the WSL mode also starts or exposes the service.
Keep a gateway available after you close the terminal
For an interactive session, Hermes runs while you use the WSL terminal. A gateway intended to operate as a service needs a service manager and a running WSL environment. With systemd enabled, run hermes gateway setup and follow the wizard to install the available systemd user unit.
If you need WSL to remain running after Windows login, Windows Task Scheduler can launch a long-running WSL process at user logon. Create a task whose program is wsl.exe and whose arguments are:
-d Ubuntu --exec /bin/sh -c "sleep infinity"Use the distribution’s actual name if it is not Ubuntu. This task keeps the WSL environment alive; it does not replace the Hermes gateway setup or configure the gateway itself. Check that the task runs under the Windows account that owns the WSL distribution and that it starts at the logon event you intend.
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Native Windows or WSL2: which should you choose?
Hermes supports native Windows as well as WSL2. The decision is less about whether Hermes can run and more about which environment best matches your tools and the way you access it.
| Consideration | WSL2 | Native Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Hermes dashboard embedded terminal | Required for this dashboard feature, according to the Hermes Windows guidance. | Not the supported environment for the embedded terminal. |
| Linux process and filesystem behavior | Provides a POSIX-style Linux environment, which is the reason to choose WSL2 over WSL1. | Uses Windows behavior rather than a Linux distribution. |
| Windows file and path access | Windows drives are available under paths such as /mnt/c, but active repositories there can be slower for Linux operations. |
Windows paths are native; there is no Linux-to-Windows filesystem boundary for the Windows working copy. |
| Networking | May require choosing mirrored or NAT behavior and configuring bind addresses, proxies, or firewall rules for particular connections. | Avoids the Windows-to-WSL network boundary, although services still need suitable listening and firewall settings. |
| Long-running gateways | Can use a systemd user unit, with WSL kept alive when needed. | Uses Windows service and process management rather than WSL’s systemd setup. |
| GPU and local-model workflow | Supports NVIDIA GPUs through the standard Windows NVIDIA driver; local Windows-hosted models need the appropriate WSL networking path. | Uses the Windows environment directly for Windows-hosted tools. |
Choose WSL2 when you need the embedded dashboard terminal, Linux-compatible development tools, or POSIX behavior. Choose native Windows when a Linux environment is not needed and a direct Windows workflow is simpler.
Fix common installation and connection problems
hermes: command not found
The current shell may not have loaded the environment changes made by the installer. Run source ~/.bashrc in Ubuntu or open a new WSL terminal, then try the command again. Also confirm you ran the installer inside the Linux distribution rather than in PowerShell.
bad interpreter: /bin/bash^M
The ^M indicates a line-ending problem in the script. Convert the file’s CRLF endings to LF, then apply the Git settings in the filesystem section so future checkouts use Linux line endings. Check for a byte-order mark too if the interpreter error remains after conversion.
A Windows-hosted local model returns “connection refused”
Confirm the model server is running and listening on the address Hermes is trying to reach. In mirrored mode, test the localhost route. In a NAT setup, use the Windows host IP, ensure the Windows service binds to 0.0.0.0, and check whether Windows Firewall allows the service port. A refused connection points first to the listening address, service state, or port path—not to Hermes installation.
Repository commands or Hermes chats are slow
Check whether the project is under /mnt/c or another Windows-mounted location. Move the active working copy into the Linux filesystem, for example under ~/code, and work from there.
An MCP-launched binary reports “UNC paths are not supported”
Some Windows-launched binaries cannot start from a Windows UNC path. For that session, start Hermes from a Windows-reachable mounted path such as /mnt/c/.... This is a targeted workaround for the launch boundary; it is not a reason to keep every active repository on a Windows-mounted drive.
Certificate-based connections fail after the computer sleeps
Clock drift after sleep can interfere with certificate validation. The WSL guide suggests this on-demand correction from the Linux shell:
sudo hwclock -sBecause it uses sudo, enter the Linux account password when prompted. Treat it as a clock correction for the affected session, not a substitute for diagnosing a connection that continues failing for another reason.
GPU notes for WSL2
WSL2 supports NVIDIA GPUs through the standard Windows NVIDIA driver. Do not install a separate Linux NVIDIA driver inside WSL; the WSL guidance identifies the Windows driver as the route for NVIDIA GPU support. AMD ROCm and Intel Arc support remain evolving and are outside that guide’s test matrix, so the available installation guidance does not establish equivalent support for those GPU workflows.
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