claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix Claude Desktop 1.8089.1.0 crashes at startup — exception 0xE0000008, circular binary download dependency

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 closes automatically ~20-25 seconds after opening, every time, with no error dialog. The app has not started successfully since approximately 19:46 on May 20. A full reinstall does not fix it.

What Should Happen?

The app should open normally and remain running. It was working correctly on May 20 (multiple sessions, last one from 11:57 to 19:33).

Error Messages/Logs

From main.log:

Failed to get agents from temporary query — spawn EFTYPE (binary format mismatch)
download:1 reaches 92% (46/49.6 MB) then stops when the app crashes
download:2 (Cowork VM, 2233.9 MB) also never completes
From Crashpad minidump:

Exception code: 0xE0000008 (customer-defined intentional raise)
Exception address: 0x00007FFBDC79FE0A
Crashing module: claude-native-binding.node

Steps to Reproduce

Open Claude Desktop 1.8089.1.0 on Windows 10.0.26200 x64 Wait ~25 seconds App closes silently

The issue is a circular dependency: the app needs to download claude.exe (49.6 MB) to initialize, but crashes at ~25 seconds before the download completes. On the next launch the download restarts from scratch. The download requires an authenticated session so it cannot be completed independently of the app. Attempted fixes with no result: full reinstall, LevelDB cache clear, manual binary placement, .verified marker, disabling Cowork, copying smol-bin.vhdx, creating missing IndexedDB directories.

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

1.8089.1.0

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

I'm reporting a reproducible crash in Claude Desktop (Windows, MSIX version) that has persisted through a full reinstall and is not fixable from the user side.

ENVIRONMENT

• App version: 1.8089.1.0 (Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc)
• Windows: 10.0.26200, x64, Professional
• Install type: MSIX via installer .exe (elevated)

SYMPTOM The app closes ~20-25 seconds after opening, every time, without error dialog. The app was working normally on May 20 (multiple sessions, last one 11:57–19:33). Since approximately 19:46 on May 20 it no longer starts.

CRASH DETAILS (from Crashpad minidump)

• Exception code: 0xE0000008 (customer-defined, intentional raise)
• Exception address: 0x00007FFBDC79FE0A
• Crashing module: app.asar.unpacked/node_modules/@ant/claude-native/claude-native-binding.node
• Dump file attached

ROOT CAUSE IDENTIFIED The app requires a fresh download of claude.exe (~49.6 MB) on each startup when the .verified marker is absent. The download starts, reaches ~92% in ~22 seconds, but the app crashes at ~25 seconds before completion. On the next startup the download restarts. This creates a circular dependency: the binary is needed to initialize, initialization fails without the binary, and the crash prevents the binary from ever being saved.

From main.log:

• 'Failed to get agents from temporary query' — spawn EFTYPE on the existing binary (wrong format from previous version)
• download:1 consistently reaches 92% (46/49.6 MB) before crash
• download:2 (Cowork VM, 2233.9 MB) also never completes

STEPS ALREADY TAKEN (none resolved the issue)

• Full reinstall (MSIX, elevated, after reboot)
• Cleared Local Storage LevelDB, Cache, Code Cache
• Manually placed claude.exe from @anthropic-ai/claude-code-win32-x64 npm package — rejected with EFTYPE (different binary format)
• Created .verified marker in correct UWP LocalCache path — app still re-downloads and crashes
• Disabled coworkScheduledTasksEnabled and ccdScheduledTasksEnabled in claude_desktop_config.json
• Copied smol-bin.x64.vhdx to vm_bundles/claudevm.bundle/smol-bin.vhdx
• Created missing IndexedDB blob directories

SUGGESTED FIX The binary download requires an authenticated session, so it cannot be completed independently of the app. Two possible fixes:

1. Make startup tolerant of a missing or invalid claude.exe binary (defer the fatal error instead of crashing)
2. Provide a way to pre-download the binary independently (unauthenticated or via a separate tool)

Please let me know if you need additional logs or the full crash dump.

Thank you.