From a4d474777fa149d3ccd543e8cda7ffa5d3fdfff3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: teknium1 <127238744+teknium1@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:58:35 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] fix(computer-use): doctor diagnoses a denied cua-driver spawn
 instead of crashing

On Windows the Hermes venv interpreter cannot CreateProcess a binary under
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps (WinError 5) even though the shell resolves it,
so `hermes computer-use doctor` died with a raw PermissionError traceback
from _open_mcp. Catch the spawn OSError and print what failed, why the tool
may still work (PATH resolves another copy), and the fix (reinstall outside
WindowsApps or HERMES_CUA_DRIVER_CMD), exit 2.
---
 tests/computer_use/test_doctor.py | 11 +++++++++++
 tools/computer_use/doctor.py      |  9 +++++++++
 2 files changed, 20 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tests/computer_use/test_doctor.py b/tests/computer_use/test_doctor.py
index ad7c699c50..89b524fd8f 100644
--- a/tests/computer_use/test_doctor.py
+++ b/tests/computer_use/test_doctor.py
@@ -144,6 +144,17 @@ class TestDoctorExitCodes:
             code = doctor.run_doctor()
         assert code == 1
 
+    def test_spawn_denied_exits_2_with_diagnosis(self, capsys):
+        """The runtime interpreter cannot execute the resolved binary (Windows WinError 5 on a
+        `WindowsApps` install): a diagnosis + exit 2, never a raw traceback."""
+        from tools.computer_use import doctor
+
+        with patch("shutil.which", return_value="/protected/cua-driver"), \
+             patch("subprocess.Popen", side_effect=PermissionError(13, "Access is denied")):
+            code = doctor.run_doctor()
+        assert code == 2
+        err = capsys.readouterr().err
+        assert "Access is denied" in err and "HERMES_CUA_DRIVER_CMD" in err
 
     def test_protocol_error_exits_2(self, capsys):
         """An empty stdout response (driver crashed during handshake) is a
diff --git a/tools/computer_use/doctor.py b/tools/computer_use/doctor.py
index 87470dd15a..6c2fa7ddcc 100644
--- a/tools/computer_use/doctor.py
+++ b/tools/computer_use/doctor.py
@@ -339,6 +339,15 @@ def run_doctor(driver_cmd: Optional[str] = None, *, include: Sequence[str] = (),
             report = _drive_health_report(binary, include=include, skip=skip, timeout=12.0)
         except HealthReportUnavailable as e:
             report = _compose_fallback_report(binary, reason=str(e), timeout=12.0)
+    except OSError as e:
+        # The spawn itself failed (Windows: a venv interpreter denied `CreateProcess` on a binary under
+        # `C:\Program Files\WindowsApps`, WinError 5). A traceback here hides the one fact the user needs.
+        print(f"cua-driver could not be started from {binary!r}: {e}\n"
+              "  The Hermes runtime interpreter cannot execute this binary; the tool may still work because the\n"
+              "  shell resolves a different copy on PATH. Fix: install cua-driver outside the protected directory\n"
+              "  (e.g. the upstream installer's default under your user profile) or point HERMES_CUA_DRIVER_CMD at\n"
+              "  a copy the runtime can execute, then re-run `hermes computer-use doctor`.", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
     except RuntimeError as e:
         print(f"cua-driver health_report failed: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
         return 2