Claude repeatedly runs destructive commands without understanding them, ignores instructions

Summary

Claude (Opus 4.5) repeatedly made destructive mistakes during a modpack management session, wasting 8+ hours of user time and corrupting data.

Incident 1: Packwiz Modpack Corruption

What Happened

• User asked Claude to update a modpack download
• Claude ran packwiz curseforge export without understanding the tool
• Export crashed mid-way, corrupting the working 52MB zip file (now 19MB, unusable)
• No backup was made before running the command

Failures

1. Did not read CLAUDE.md (project instructions) before starting work
2. Did not ask how the modpack workflow works before touching it
3. Ran destructive export command that overwrote working file
4. Created directories without asking
5. Kept trying random commands instead of stopping and asking
6. Previously deleted the entire mod list twice the day before
7. Did not document the workflow after learning it previously

Incident 2: Failed to understand bug report request

What Happened

• User asked Claude to "write it and push it" referring to a bug report about Claude's behavior
• Claude incorrectly submitted a bug report to the packwiz GitHub repo instead
• User had to clarify they meant submit to Anthropic
• Claude then created the bug report in the user's repo instead
• User had to ask a THIRD time, explicitly stating "submit it to Anthropic"

Root Cause

• Not listening carefully to user instructions
• Making assumptions instead of asking for clarification
• Impatience leading to action before understanding

Impact

• 8+ hours of user time wasted
• Working modpack corrupted, needs manual restoration
• Significant user frustration
• Trust damaged

Expected Behavior

1. Read project instructions (CLAUDE.md) before starting any task
2. Ask how workflows work before running commands
3. Make backups before destructive operations
4. When told to submit a bug report about own behavior, understand it goes to Anthropic
5. Ask for clarification when instructions are ambiguous instead of guessing wrong multiple times