2.7. When Replies Are Blocked or Slow
Overview
When an AI agent's reply does not arrive, or is slower than usual, the screen usually shows the reason. A safeguard may have blocked a command, the connection may have dropped, or the AI agent workspace may be restarting. This chapter lists the signs shown on the screen by cause, and explains what you can do and when to tell an administrator.
Permissions: General users. Administrators change settings and repair servers. In those cases, follow "When to Tell an Administrator" in the last section.
What to Check First
When a reply is slow, find one of the following on the screen and go to the section on the right.
| What you see on the screen | Where to go |
|---|---|
| An approval card or question card above the message box | 2.6. Answering Approvals and Questions. If you do not answer the card, the AI agent waits. |
| A gray connection line above the message box | "When the Connection Drops" below |
| A "restarting" notice at the top of the screen | "When the AI Agent Workspace Is Restarting" below |
| A red mark or an error line in the chat area | "When a Safeguard Blocks a Command" below |
While the AI agent is preparing a reply, "Writing a reply…" or "Thinking…" appears. Reading a large document or using several tools takes time. If the name of a tool in progress is shown, the work is continuing. If you cannot wait, or the direction is wrong, click "Stop reply", fix your request, and send it again. Start a new topic with "New chat".
When a Safeguard Blocks a Command
If an AI agent tries to run a command that could harm the system (for example, a command that deletes the whole data folder), the safeguard of the program that runs the AI agent (Hermes) blocks that command. The following signs appear.
| Place | Sign |
|---|---|
| Work steps line | A red dot and "{number} steps · {time} · blocked by a safeguard" |
| Inside the step list | A red "Blocked" mark on the blocked step |
| Above the AI agent's reply | A red vertical line and "A safeguard blocked a dangerous command", with the reason for the block below it |
This sign is not an error. It means the dangerous command did not run. It is attached only to the AI agent's first reply after the block. It also appears when you reopen a past chat.
After a block, do the following in order.
- Ask the AI agent to do the same work another way. Example: "Don't delete the folder. Just clean up the files you need."
- If the work you need keeps getting blocked, write down the reason for the block exactly as shown and tell an administrator.
When the Connection Drops
Reconnecting the Chat
If the connection to the AI agent drops, the screen reopens the same chat by itself. A gray line appears just above the message box.
| Text on the line | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Waiting for the connection | Waiting for the connection between the browser and the AAS server to come back. |
| Reopening this chat · in {number} s | The connection is back and the chat is being reopened. The seconds left until the next attempt are shown. |
While this line is visible, you cannot send messages or stop a reply, and "You can send or stop once reconnected" appears under the message box. You also cannot answer approvals and questions during this time.
To try right away without waiting, click "Reopen now". When the chat reopens, "Reopened the chat" is shown. If the connection drops while the chat window is minimized, a "Disconnected" mark appears on the minimized window.
When It Does Not Reopen by Itself
If it does not reopen after automatic attempts for a while, the automatic attempts stop and an error line appears.
| Error line | What to do |
|---|---|
| Couldn't reopen this chat. | Click "Reopen". This starts the automatic attempts again. |
| Lost the connection to the Hermes API server. Select Reopen to open the latest chat again. | Hermes is the name of the program that actually runs AI agents. Click "Reopen". |
| This chat no longer exists. Start a new chat. | Click "New chat". This chat cannot be reopened. |
While AAS is being switched to a new version, the connection may drop for 1 to 2 minutes. In this case, wait a moment and it reopens by itself.
Connection Notices at the Top of the Screen
The following notices may appear at the top of the screen.
| Notice | Meaning and what to do |
|---|---|
| Lost the connection to the server. Reconnecting. The values on screen are the last ones received. | Wait a moment. It disappears by itself when the connection returns. |
| Too many windows are open, so live updates stopped in this one. The values on screen are the last ones received. | To continue in this window, click "Continue in this window". |
| Your sign-in ended, so live updates stopped. Sign in again. | Sign in to AAS again in the browser. |
When the AI Agent Workspace Is Restarting
An AI agent workspace restarts when settings are applied or when it is switched to a new version. During this time, a notice line appears at the top of the screen.
| Notice | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The {name} AI Agent Workspace is restarting. Lists and chats may not load for a moment; it continues by itself when done. | It is restarting to apply settings. Wait a moment. |
| Hermes is being updated to a new version. It usually takes 1-2 minutes, at most 15. Your chats and files stay. | The program that runs AI agents (Hermes) is being switched to a new version. |
| This AI Agent Workspace is restarting, so the profile could not be read. It reloads by itself when done. | Appears when you open the profile drawer. It is not an error. |
While this notice is shown, AAS does not switch the workspace you are viewing to another workspace. When the restart finishes, the notice disappears by itself and the chat continues.
Checking Workspace Status
In the left menu, open "My AI Agents › AI Agent Workspaces" to see the status of each workspace.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ready | Normal. |
| Preparing | The workspace is being prepared. |
| Creating | A new workspace is being created. |
| Failed | The workspace could not be created or started. |
| Suspended | The workspace is stopped. You can restart it on the same screen. If the "Restart" button does not appear or does not work when you click it, tell an administrator. |
| Disconnected | AAS cannot connect to the workspace. |
In the AI agent list on the Chat screen, an "Offline" mark and a "Retry" button may appear. If clicking "Retry" does not help, see "When to Tell an Administrator" at the end of this chapter.
Other Blocks
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| A file does not upload | Read the reason next to the file name. Common reasons are over 100MB, more than 10 files at once, or a full work folder. See 2.3. Uploading and Downloading Files. |
| Voice input does not work | Check the microphone permission and the connection status. See 2.5. Voice Input and Read Aloud. |
| When you send a "/" command, "Available after the answer finishes" appears | The AI agent is still replying. Send it again after the reply ends. /help, /steer, and /queue can be used even while the AI agent is replying. |
/compress does not finish | If "It may still be compressing" appears, click "Check again" to see the status. |
| The Chat screen shows "Chat is unavailable because the Hermes API server login is not set." | This is an installation settings problem. Tell an administrator. Example request: "Chat shows a notice that the Hermes API server login is not set. Please check it." |
When to Tell an Administrator
Tell an administrator in the following cases.
- The workspace status stays at "Preparing" or "Creating" for a long time.
- The status is "Failed", "Suspended", or "Disconnected" and does not recover even after you restart it.
- The chat does not open even after you click "Reopen" several times.
- Replies keep not arriving without any notice line.
When you tell them, include the following. It helps them find the cause.
- Which AI agent workspace and profile it is
- The notice text shown on the screen, exactly as it appears
- When the problem started
- What you already tried above