[Bug]: Title: Internal API Port (9005) fails to start - CLI commands not working

[Thavia]

Platform

Windows

Operating system version

Windows 11 Pro

System architecture

Windows

Herd Version

1.23.0.0

PHP Version

No response

Bug description

Bug Description The Internal API Port (port 9005) fails to start when running Herd on Windows, preventing all CLI commands from working. The HerdHelper service starts correctly on port 5001, but the Electron app's internal HTTP server never binds to port 9005.

Environment • Herd Version: 1.23.0.0 • OS: Windows 10 Build 26200 • Shell: PowerShell 5.1.26100.7019 • Windows Defender: Active (exclusions added for Herd)

Expected Behavior • Internal API Port should show green/online status • Port 9005 should be listening on localhost • CLI commands should work normally

Actual Behavior • Internal API Port shows red/offline • Port 9005 is never opened (verified with netstat -ano) • Only port 5001 (HerdHelper) is listening • All CLI commands fail

What I've Tried

1. ✅ Installed HerdHelper service: herd install-helper - Service running correctly
2. ✅ Reinstalled Herd completely
3. ✅ Ran Herd as Administrator
4. ✅ Cleared cache (%APPDATA%\Herd and %LOCALAPPDATA%\Herd)
5. ✅ Added Windows Defender exclusions for: ◦ C:\Program Files\Herd ◦ %USERPROFILE%.config\herd ◦ Process: Herd.exe ◦ Process: HerdHelper.exe
6. ✅ Checked Windows Firewall - rules are present and enabled

Steps to reproduce

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Herd for Windows
2. Start Herd application (with or without administrator privileges)
3. Check the "Internal API Port" status in Settings - shows red/offline
4. Attempt to run any CLI command: herd --version
5. Error: "The Herd Desktop application is not running. Please start Herd and try again."

Relevant log output

# HerdHelper is running
Get-Service HerdHelper
# Name: HerdHelper, Status: Running, StartType: Automatic

# Port 5001 is listening
netstat -ano | findstr "5001"
# TCP  127.0.0.1:5001  LISTENING

# Port 9005 is NOT listening
netstat -ano | findstr "9005"
# (no output)