fix(hindsight): skip local_embedded daemon when running as root

PostgreSQL's initdb refuses to run as root, so the embedded Hindsight
daemon could never initialize its data directory under root. The
daemon-start thread would fail, retry, and loop forever — each cycle
reloading embedding models (~958MB RAM, ~33% CPU) with no user-visible
error, leaving Hermes sluggish on a common VPS/cloud root setup.

initialize() now detects root (os.geteuid() == 0) before spawning the
daemon thread, disables local_embedded mode, and surfaces a clear
warning to both the log and the terminal so the user knows to run as a
non-root user or switch to cloud / local_external mode.

Closes #13125.

Co-authored-by: teknium1 <127238744+teknium1@users.noreply.github.com>

plugins/memory/hindsight/__init__.py

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import json
 import logging
 import os
 import queue
+import sys
 import threading
 
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
@@ -1322,6 +1323,30 @@ class HindsightMemoryProvider(MemoryProvider):
         # doesn't block the chat. Redirect stdout/stderr to a log file to
         # prevent rich startup output from spamming the terminal.
         if self._mode == "local_embedded":
+            # PostgreSQL's initdb refuses to run as root by design, so the
+            # embedded daemon can never initialize its data directory under
+            # root. Without this guard the daemon-start thread would fail,
+            # retry, and loop forever — each cycle reloading embedding models
+            # (~958MB RAM, ~33% CPU) with no user-visible error. Detect root
+            # up front and skip daemon startup with a clear message instead.
+            if hasattr(os, "geteuid") and os.geteuid() == 0:
+                msg = (
+                    "Hindsight local_embedded mode cannot run as root "
+                    "(PostgreSQL initdb refuses root). Skipping the embedded "
+                    "memory daemon. Run Hermes as a non-root user, or switch "
+                    "to cloud / local_external mode via 'hermes memory setup'."
+                )
+                logger.warning(msg)
+                # Surface to the terminal too — a daemon that never starts
+                # would otherwise fail silently and the user would only see
+                # Hermes get sluggish. (issue #13125)
+                try:
+                    print(f"  ⚠ {msg}", file=sys.stderr, flush=True)
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+                self._mode = "disabled"
+                return
+
             def _start_daemon():
                 import traceback
                 log_dir = get_hermes_home() / "logs"