Technology is getting more powerful every day, and AI agents are changing how people use computers.
One example is Hermes Agent, built by Nous Research.
It's not just a chatbot — it has memory, skills, file tools, browser automation, task scheduling, and more.
But getting powerful software running for the first time doesn't always go smoothly.
When I installed Hermes Agent on my Windows 10 Home computer, I hit an "INSTALL DIDN'T FINISH" error. Instead of giving up, I looked into it, tried a few things, and eventually got it working. Here's what happened.
PART 1: WHY I WANTED TO TRY HERMES AGENT
I wanted something more than a chatbot that just answers questions and forgets everything five minutes later. Hermes caught my attention because it can actually:
Remember things across sessions — so it doesn't treat every conversation like it's meeting you for the first time
Work with files and projects — you can bring files, folders, and even Git diffs into a conversation
Use skills and tools — there's a whole system for specialized instructions when needed Automate tasks — you can schedule things to run automatically
Work with the web and browsers — it can navigate sites, fill forms, and grab information
That combination sounded useful. I wasn't just looking for an AI to chat with — I wanted something that could actually help me do things on my computer.
PART 2: HOW TO DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL HERMES AGENT (THE OFFICIAL WAY)
Before I get into what went wrong, here's the normal installation process.
Step 1: Go to the official website
Search for "Hermes Agent" and find the official site. Make sure you're on the real one before down anything.
Step 2: Download for Windows
On the site, look for the "DOWNLOAD FOR WINDOWS" button and click it. The installer should start down.
Step 3: Wait for the download to finish
The installer may need to pull in extra components, so a stable internet connection helps.
Step 4: Run the installer
Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions.
Step 5: Wait and don't close it
Installation can take a while. Don't close the installer while it's working.
Step 6: Launch and sign in
When it finishes, you'll see a "LAUNCH" option. After that, sign in or create an account.
That's what's supposed to happen. Here's what actually happened to me.
PART 3: WHAT WENT WRONG
After running the installer, I got a message that said:
"INSTALL DIDN'T FINISH"
That's it. No detailed error code, no explanation of what went wrong. Just that message telling me the installation hadn't completed.
I tried clicking "Retry Install" and let it run again. I also double-checked that my internet was working properly.
But the same thing happened again. The installation just wouldn't finish.
PART 4: HOW I FIXED IT
At this point I was frustrated. I'd never seen an installer just stop like that before. I didn't know if it was something on my computer, something with the installer, or something else entirely.
First, I Googled the error.
I searched for "INSTALL DIDN'T FINISH Hermes Agent" and looked through what came up. I also asked ChatGPT for help — it suggested the problem might be related to Python dependencies.
Now, here's something important: the current Hermes Agent installer is supposed to handle Python itself (it uses Python 3.11 through a tool called uv). So, in theory, you shouldn't need to install Python separately. But I was troubleshooting my specific situation, and the suggestion was to try installing Python manually.
I tried installing Python 3.11 first.
I went to Google and searched for "python 3.11" hoping to find the official download. I had trouble finding the right version — I'm not sure if I was looking in the wrong place or if something else went wrong. Either way, I couldn't get Python 3.11 installed.
Then I tried Python 3.13.
This time, the search led me to the Microsoft Store. I found the Python 3.13 page and clicked Download. The installer file (Python 3.13 Installer.exe) showed up in my Downloads — you can see it in the browser's download panel and in the Downloads folder.
I installed Python 3.13, then went back to the Hermes Agent installer and clicked "Retry Install" again.
This time, it worked. The installation finished, and I saw the "HERMES IS READY" screen.
[Image blocked: Hermes is Ready screen] That "HERMES IS READY" screen felt like a win after all the trouble.
PART 5: WHAT I LEARNED
A few things from this experience:
The "INSTALL DIDN'T FINISH" message was just the starting point. It didn't mean Hermes was unusable — it meant something in the setup needed to be fixed.
ChatGPT pointed me toward the Python dependency issue, which turned out to be useful. But I also had to actually try things and see what worked. And I still don't know for sure whether Python 3.13 was the real fix or if something else was going on.
The official docs say the installer uses Python 3.11. I tried 3.11 first and failed. Then 3.13 worked. Go figure.
I happened to take screenshots along the way — the Google search, the Microsoft Store page, the downloaded file, and finally the success screen. If you're troubleshooting, capturing what you see can help you (or someone else) figure out what happened later.
PART 6: HOW TO INSTALL PYTHON 3.13 ON WINDOWS (IF YOU NEED TO)
Since this was the step that worked for me, here's how to do it:
Go to Google and search "python 3.13"
Look for the Microsoft Store result
You should see a result like "Python 3.13 - Free download and install on Windows" from the Microsoft Store.
This will download the Python 3.13 installer from the Microsoft Store.
Open the downloaded .exe file from your Downloads folder and follow the setup.
After Python is installed, return to the Hermes Agent installer and try again.
PART 7: OTHER TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
If you run into the same problem, here are a few things worth trying: Check your internet connection — unstable connections can interrupt installs that need to download extra components
Restart the installer — close it completely and start fresh
Restart your computer — this can clear temporary issues
Read the exact error message — even a vague message can give you a clue
Check official sources — always get software from the official site or trusted sources
CONCLUSION
Hermes Agent is a pretty interesting AI tool. It's more than a chatbot — it has memory, skills, file tools, browser automation, and scheduling features that make it useful for more than just asking questions.
My installation didn't go smoothly. I got an "INSTALL DIDN'T FINISH" error, tried retrying, Googled the problem, asked ChatGPT, tried Python 3.11 (which didn't work), then installed Python 3.13 and succeeded.
The main lesson? Don't give up when an installation fails. Read the error, check the basics, figure out what part is causing the problem, and work through it step by step. Sometimes the solution is something simple you hadn't tried yet.
And if all else fails — try a different version of Python. 😄