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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] Claude Desktop fails to launch on Windows 11 Home 25H2 (26200.8117) — frontend never sends configure IPC to healthy CoworkVMService [2 comments, 1 participants]

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anthropics/claude-code#46818•Fetched 2026-04-12 13:32:17
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Error Message

Error Messages/Logs

Code Example

Claude Desktop failed to launch

Windows 11 Home Single Language
25H2 (Build 26200.8117)
Claude MSIX 1.1617.0.0

Backend log evidence:
2026/04/12 05:47:47.468305 Waiting for configuration from app via 'configure' method...
2026/04/12 05:47:47.486244 [HCS] vmcompute.dll loaded successfully
2026/04/12 05:47:47.489727 [HCS] computecore.dll loaded successfully
2026/04/12 05:47:47.490996 [HCN] Initialized HCN API from computenetwork.dll
2026/04/12 05:47:47.890430 Service ready. Listening on \\.\pipe\cowork-vm-service

---

---

# A) Full environment

* OS: Windows 11 Home Single Language
* Version: 25H2
* Initial build: 26200.8039
* Updated build: 26200.8117
* Desktop package: Claude MSIX 1.1617.0.0
* Install path:
  `C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Claude_1.1617.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc`
* Reproduced after cumulative update **KB5086672**
* WSL Ubuntu installed successfully
* Containers enabled
* HypervisorPlatform enabled
* VirtualMachinePlatform enabled

---

# B) Full remediation attempts already completed

## 1) Windows feature enablement

### Commands

---

### Result

Completed successfully.

---

## 2) WSL backend validation

### Command

---

### Result

Ubuntu installed and launched successfully.

This validates:

* VHDX attach support
* utility VM creation
* compute backend
* virtualization path
* lightweight VM stack

---

## 3) MSIX reinstall path

### Commands

---

### Result

Reinstall succeeded.

---

## 4) Local runtime DB reset

### Commands

---

### Result

Reset completed successfully.
No behavioral change.

---

## 5) Windows cumulative update validation

### Initial build

---

### Updated via

---

### Current build proof

---

### Output

---

Issue still reproduces identically.

---

# C) Service and platform validation

## VM services

### Command

---

### Output

---

## Documents path

### Command

---

### Output

---

## App package proof

### Command

---

### Output

---

---

# D) Event Viewer evidence

Repeated Application log source:

---

Event consistently shows service startup succeeds.

---

# E) Final backend log forensic proof

### Command

---

### Output

---

This proves:

* Cowork backend healthy
* HCS healthy
* HCN healthy
* pipe server healthy
* signature validation healthy
* service lifecycle healthy

The frontend process exits before sending:

---

to:

---

---

# F) Final validated exclusions

Already ruled out:

* broken Windows compute stack
* HCS failure
* HCN failure
* vmcompute stopped
* hns stopped
* bad MSIX registration
* stale LocalState
* stale TempState
* WSL failure
* VHDX attach issues
* Documents path issue
* app install drive redirection
* outdated Windows build
* cumulative update regression

---

# Final engineering conclusion

This is now conclusively a **Claude Desktop frontend IPC handshake regression** on:
RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

Preflight Checklist

  • I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
  • This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
  • I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Claude Desktop consistently fails to launch on Windows 11 Home Single Language 25H2 (Build 26200.8117) using the MSIX package version 1.1617.0.0.

The app always shows the popup:

Claude Desktop failed to launch

This remains reproducible even after:

  • updating Windows from 26200.8039 → 26200.8117
  • reinstalling the MSIX package
  • resetting LocalState / TempState
  • validating WSL, vmcompute, and hns
  • confirming healthy HCS / HCN initialization

The backend CoworkVMService is healthy, starts successfully, initializes HCS + HCN, and opens the named pipe:

\\.\pipe\cowork-vm-service

However, the frontend never completes the IPC handshake.

The key backend log line is:

Waiting for configuration from app via 'configure' method...

This strongly suggests the frontend process exits before sending the configure IPC request, while the backend remains healthy.

What Should Happen?

Claude Desktop should launch normally, complete the frontend → CoworkVMService IPC handshake, send the configure request through \\.\pipe\cowork-vm-service, and continue to the main application window without showing the launch failure popup.

Error Messages/Logs

Claude Desktop failed to launch

Windows 11 Home Single Language
25H2 (Build 26200.8117)
Claude MSIX 1.1617.0.0

Backend log evidence:
2026/04/12 05:47:47.468305 Waiting for configuration from app via 'configure' method...
2026/04/12 05:47:47.486244 [HCS] vmcompute.dll loaded successfully
2026/04/12 05:47:47.489727 [HCS] computecore.dll loaded successfully
2026/04/12 05:47:47.490996 [HCN] Initialized HCN API from computenetwork.dll
2026/04/12 05:47:47.890430 Service ready. Listening on \\.\pipe\cowork-vm-service

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Use Windows 11 Home Single Language 25H2 (Build 26200.8117).
  2. Install Claude Desktop MSIX version 1.1617.0.0.
  3. Launch Claude Desktop from the Start menu or via AppID: shell:AppsFolder\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc!Claude
  4. Observe the popup: Claude Desktop failed to launch
  5. Open: C:\ProgramData\Claude\Logs\cowork-service.log
  6. Confirm backend log shows: Waiting for configuration from app via 'configure' method...
  7. Observe that CoworkVMService remains healthy, but frontend never sends the configure IPC handshake.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

1.1617.0.0 (Claude Desktop MSIX)

Claude Code Version

1.1617.0.0

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

Complete forensic timeline, remediation history, commands, outputs, and final root-cause proof

This issue is fully reproducible on Windows 11 Home Single Language 25H2 (OS Build 26200.8117) with Claude Desktop MSIX 1.1617.0.0.

The issue persists after full OS cumulative update, full MSIX reinstall, runtime state reset, WSL validation, VM service validation, package path validation, storage validation, and backend service log verification.

The visible user symptom is always:

Claude Desktop failed to launch

A) Full environment

  • OS: Windows 11 Home Single Language
  • Version: 25H2
  • Initial build: 26200.8039
  • Updated build: 26200.8117
  • Desktop package: Claude MSIX 1.1617.0.0
  • Install path: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Claude_1.1617.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc
  • Reproduced after cumulative update KB5086672
  • WSL Ubuntu installed successfully
  • Containers enabled
  • HypervisorPlatform enabled
  • VirtualMachinePlatform enabled

B) Full remediation attempts already completed

1) Windows feature enablement

Commands

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Containers -All
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName HypervisorPlatform -All
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName VirtualMachinePlatform -All

Result

Completed successfully.

2) WSL backend validation

Command

wsl --install

Result

Ubuntu installed and launched successfully.

This validates:

  • VHDX attach support
  • utility VM creation
  • compute backend
  • virtualization path
  • lightweight VM stack

3) MSIX reinstall path

Commands

Stop-Process -Name claude -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Remove-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Add-AppxPackage -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\Claude.msix"

Result

Reinstall succeeded.

4) Local runtime DB reset

Commands

Remove-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc\LocalState" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc\TempState" -Recurse -Force

Result

Reset completed successfully. No behavioral change.

5) Windows cumulative update validation

Initial build

26200.8039

Updated via

KB5086672

Current build proof

winver

Output

Windows 11 Home Single Language
Version 25H2
OS Build 26200.8117

Issue still reproduces identically.

C) Service and platform validation

VM services

Command

Get-Service vmcompute,hns

Output

Running  hns
Running  vmcompute

Documents path

Command

Test-Path "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents"

Output

True

App package proof

Command

Get-AppxPackage -Name *Claude | Select Name, Version

Output

Claude   1.1617.0.0

D) Event Viewer evidence

Repeated Application log source:

CoworkVMService

Event consistently shows service startup succeeds.

E) Final backend log forensic proof

Command

Get-Content "C:\ProgramData\Claude\Logs\cowork-service.log" -Tail 50

Output

Waiting for configuration from app via 'configure' method...
[HCS] vmcompute.dll loaded successfully
[HCS] computecore.dll loaded successfully
[HCN] Initialized HCN API from computenetwork.dll
[HCN] EnumerateNetworks result: []
[Server] Signature verification initialized
[Server] Named pipe server listening
Service ready. Listening on \\.\pipe\cowork-vm-service

This proves:

  • Cowork backend healthy
  • HCS healthy
  • HCN healthy
  • pipe server healthy
  • signature validation healthy
  • service lifecycle healthy

The frontend process exits before sending:

configure

to:

\\.\pipe\cowork-vm-service

F) Final validated exclusions

Already ruled out:

  • broken Windows compute stack
  • HCS failure
  • HCN failure
  • vmcompute stopped
  • hns stopped
  • bad MSIX registration
  • stale LocalState
  • stale TempState
  • WSL failure
  • VHDX attach issues
  • Documents path issue
  • app install drive redirection
  • outdated Windows build
  • cumulative update regression

Final engineering conclusion

This is now conclusively a Claude Desktop frontend IPC handshake regression on:

Windows 11 Home 25H2 build 26200.8117
Claude Desktop 1.1617.0.0

The backend CoworkVMService remains healthy and waits indefinitely, while the frontend exits before issuing the required configure IPC request.

extent analysis

TL;DR

The most likely fix is to investigate and resolve the issue with the Claude Desktop frontend process exiting before sending the configure IPC request to the CoworkVMService.

Guidance

  1. Verify frontend process exit reason: Investigate why the frontend process is exiting prematurely, potentially by adding logging or debugging statements to the frontend code.
  2. Check IPC handshake implementation: Review the implementation of the IPC handshake between the frontend and CoworkVMService to ensure it is correct and functioning as expected.
  3. Inspect system logs: Examine system logs, such as the Windows Event Viewer, for any errors or warnings related to the Claude Desktop application or its components.
  4. Test with debug logging: Enable debug logging for the CoworkVMService and Claude Desktop frontend to gather more detailed information about the issue.
  5. Compare with working versions: If possible, compare the code and configuration of the current version with a previous working version to identify potential changes that may have introduced the issue.

Example

No specific code example can be provided without more information about the implementation details of the Claude Desktop frontend and CoworkVMService. However, a potential debugging approach could involve adding logging statements to the frontend code to track its execution and identify the point at which it exits.

Notes

The provided information suggests that the issue is specific to the Claude Desktop frontend and its interaction with the CoworkVMService. The backend service appears to be functioning correctly, waiting for the configure IPC request that never arrives due to the frontend's premature exit.

Recommendation

Apply a workaround or fix that addresses the frontend process exit issue, as the root cause of the problem lies in the Claude Desktop frontend's failure to complete the IPC handshake with the CoworkVMService. This may involve updating the frontend code to correctly handle the IPC handshake or resolving any underlying issues that cause the frontend process to exit prematurely.

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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] Claude Desktop fails to launch on Windows 11 Home 25H2 (26200.8117) — frontend never sends configure IPC to healthy CoworkVMService [2 comments, 1 participants]