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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] Windows Desktop App: MSIX stuck in "Servicing" status, CoworkVMService blocks reinstall (HRESULT 0x80073D28 / 0x80073CFA)

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Error Message

Claude Desktop stopped launching entirely on 2026-04-20. No window appears, no error message, no Claude process visible in Task Manager.

  1. CoworkVMService cannot be removed — "Access is denied" even when running as Administrator. sc.exe delete CoworkVMService fails with OpenService ERROR 5.
  • Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *claude* | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers → no error output, but package remains

Error Messages/Logs

Root Cause

Diagnosis The MSIX package is permanently stuck in "Servicing" / "Staged" status and cannot be removed or updated. The Setup log reveals two root causes:

Code Example

WARNING: CoworkVMService already exists (potential conflict)
Removing conflicting CoworkVMService...
WARNING: failed to remove conflicting service: could not open CoworkVMService: Access is denied.
Removing (user): Claude_1.3109.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc
WARNING: Remove failed for Claude_1.3109.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc: RemovePackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CFA
MSIX installation failed: AddPackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073D28

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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?

Environment

  • OS: Windows 11 Professional, Build 10.0.26200 (25H2), x64
  • Claude Desktop version: Claude_1.3109.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc (MSIX)
  • Date issue started: 2026-04-20

Problem Claude Desktop stopped launching entirely on 2026-04-20. No window appears, no error message, no Claude process visible in Task Manager.

Diagnosis The MSIX package is permanently stuck in "Servicing" / "Staged" status and cannot be removed or updated. The Setup log reveals two root causes:

  1. CoworkVMService cannot be removed — "Access is denied" even when running as Administrator. sc.exe delete CoworkVMService fails with OpenService ERROR 5.
  2. Existing MSIX package cannot be unregistered — RemovePackage fails with HRESULT 0x80073CFA, which in turn causes the reinstall to fail with HRESULT 0x80073D28.

All troubleshooting steps attempted (none successful)

  • Killed all Claude processes via Task Manager
  • Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *claude* | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers → no error output, but package remains
  • Remove-AppxPackage -Package "Claude_1.3109.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc" -AllUsers → silent, package remains
  • sc.exe stop CoworkVMService → service was not running
  • sc.exe delete CoworkVMService → Access denied (even as Admin)
  • Deleted CoworkVMService registry key via Remove-Item HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CoworkVMService
  • Stop-Service AppXSvc -Force + Start-Service AppXSvc
  • wsreset.exe
  • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  • Add-AppxPackage -Register "...\AppxManifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode → fails with 0x80073D28
  • takeown + icacls + Remove-Item on the WindowsApps folder → access denied
  • Full system reboot (multiple times)

Current state Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *claude* still shows the package with Status: Servicing and PackageUserInformation: {S-1-5-18 [S-1-5-18]: Staged}. The system is in a deadlock: reinstall fails because the old package exists, the old package cannot be removed because of the Servicing status, and the Servicing status cannot be reset.

Setup log excerpt (key lines)

WARNING: CoworkVMService already exists (potential conflict)
Removing conflicting CoworkVMService...
WARNING: failed to remove conflicting service: could not open CoworkVMService: Access is denied.
Removing (user): Claude_1.3109.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc
WARNING: Remove failed for Claude_1.3109.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc: RemovePackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CFA
MSIX installation failed: AddPackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073D28

Full log attached.

Request Please provide a recovery tool or manual procedure to resolve the Servicing deadlock, and consider offering a traditional EXE-based installer as an alternative to MSIX to avoid these kinds of unresolvable packaging conflicts.

ClaudeSetup.log

What Should Happen?

Claude Desktop should launch normally, or the installer should be able to cleanly remove and reinstall the MSIX package without getting stuck in a "Servicing" deadlock.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Install Claude Desktop on Windows 11 via the official installer from claude.ai/download
  2. Let the app run and update automatically
  3. At some point the app stops launching (no window, no process visible in Task Manager)
  4. Try to reinstall via the official installer → fails with HRESULT 0x80073D28
  5. Check installed packages: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers claude → package shows Status: Servicing / Staged
  6. All removal attempts fail: Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers, sc.exe delete CoworkVMService, wsreset, DISM, takeown/icacls — none work
  7. System is in a permanent deadlock: old package cannot be removed, new package cannot be installed

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

1.3109.0.0 (Desktop App / MSIX)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

No response

extent analysis

TL;DR

Manually removing the stuck MSIX package and its associated service may resolve the Servicing deadlock, allowing for a clean reinstall of Claude Desktop.

Guidance

  1. Manually remove the CoworkVMService: Use the Windows Registry Editor to delete the service key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CoworkVMService) and then attempt to delete the service using sc.exe delete CoworkVMService in an elevated command prompt.
  2. Remove the MSIX package: Use the Remove-AppxPackage cmdlet with the -AllUsers flag to attempt removal of the package, and if that fails, try manually deleting the package files from the WindowsApps folder after taking ownership and granting permissions.
  3. Reset the Windows AppX service: Stop and restart the AppXSvc service using Stop-Service AppXSvc -Force followed by Start-Service AppXSvc to potentially reset the service's state.
  4. Reinstall Claude Desktop: After removing the stuck package and service, attempt to reinstall Claude Desktop using the official installer to see if the issue is resolved.

Example

No specific code example is provided due to the complexity of the issue, but the commands mentioned in the guidance section can be used in an elevated PowerShell or command prompt.

Notes

The provided steps are based on the information given and may not work in all cases. The issue seems to be related to a stuck MSIX package and an inability to remove a service, which can be challenging to resolve without direct system access. Proceed with caution when modifying system settings and registry entries.

Recommendation

Apply the workaround by manually removing the stuck package and service, as described in the guidance section, to attempt to resolve the Servicing deadlock and allow for a clean reinstall of Claude Desktop. This approach is recommended due to the specific nature of the issue and the lack of a straightforward solution provided by the system's built-in tools.

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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [BUG] Windows Desktop App: MSIX stuck in "Servicing" status, CoworkVMService blocks reinstall (HRESULT 0x80073D28 / 0x80073CFA)