Compare saved and effective state
Record the expected provider and model, the command or interface used, the active profile and what evidence identifies the actual selection. Ask the running system for effective settings rather than trusting a remembered configuration path. The official guide documents hermes config get model and hermes config check for inspecting configuration and stale selections.
Check invocation overrides and whether the CLI, desktop session or gateway is reading the same profile. A provider error may prevent the requested model from starting; it is different from a configuration change being ignored. Preserve the exact non-secret error and the requested model identifier before trying a different provider.
Change one cause at a time
If a setting was written to the wrong profile or an unsupported key, correct that specific location. If the running service predates the change, follow the installation's documented reload or restart procedure at a suitable boundary. Start a fresh bounded session and inspect the actual selected provider and model before resuming the original task.
Use a task with a short, inspectable result. The model's writing style is weak evidence of identity; rely on configuration diagnostics and available run metadata. Keep a record of old and new effective selections so a later failure can be traced without exposing credentials or full environment dumps.
Expected result and limits
The diagnosis closes when a new attempt records the intended supported provider/model combination and completes its small check. Correct selection does not prove the model is suitable for all tools or tasks. Provider names, identifiers and access rules change, so verify the relevant current provider documentation when authentication or model availability remains the actual failure.
Primary sources
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Browse all troubleshooting guides or search by symptom. For hands-on help, see services.