How do I upgrade an agent without losing working state?

Before you start

• Check current account access, plan and task requirements.

Inventory the running system

Record the real executable, version, working directory, identity, profile, data paths, model endpoint and channel. A shell’s default executable can differ from the running service.

Rehearse recovery

A backup file’s existence is not proof that the whole system can recover. Restore to an isolated target with test channels, check memory and schedules, and keep the original untouched until the result is understood.

Acceptance after restart

1. Confirm the intended executable, configuration and data paths in the actual process.
2. Check a real test message, a fresh session and one scheduled task.
3. Compare activity, errors and state changes with the pre-upgrade baseline.

Evidence and limits

Official documentation checked

• Source-backed facts plus BotClaw editorial interpretation. No product account, inference or agent performance test was run.

Sources

• https://docs.openclaw.ai/releases/2026.9.7
• https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/backup
• https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/releases/tag/v2026.9.24

Continue the decision

• Hermes 2026.9.24: release tag and internal version are different
• OpenClaw 2026.9.7: check the upgrade path before restarting