[Bug] Windows native installation PATH and character encoding instability

Bug Description

Windows Native Installation Stability Issues

Environment

• OS: Windows 11
• Terminal: Windows Terminal (PowerShell 7.5)
• Claude Code: v2.1.19 (native)
• Previously: npm installation

Issues Encountered

1. Character corruption after native install

• Box-drawing characters and Japanese text displayed as garbled/mojibake
• Fixed temporarily by running claude uninstall (auto-reinstalls)

1. Repeated breakage during npm-to-native migration

• After claude install, prompted to uninstall npm version
• After npm uninstall, Claude Code broke again
• Required another claude uninstall cycle to fix

1. PATH not recognized in Python venv

• .local\bin exists in PATH and claude.exe exists
• But claude command not found after activating venv
• Workaround: Added .local\bin check in PowerShell profile

1. General instability

• Had to run claude uninstall multiple times in single session
• Each system PATH edit seemed to break Claude Code
• No clear error messages - just "not recognized as command"

Expected Behavior

Native installation should be stable without requiring repeated uninstall/reinstall cycles.

Workaround

Running claude uninstall (which triggers auto-reinstall) fixes issues temporarily, but they recur after system changes or venv activation.

Environment Info

• Platform: win32
• Terminal: windows-terminal
• Version: 2.1.19
• Feedback ID: 9d9f2cec-540c-436e-a535-7b15ae022ad1

Errors

[{"error":"Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, scandir 'C:\\ProgramData\\ClaudeCode\\.claude\\skills'\n    at readdirSync (unknown)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:12:1903)\n    at cX (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:11:35427)\n    at readdirSync (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:12:1864)\n    at VJ$ (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:2213:380)\n    at VJ$ (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:2213:1350)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:2213:4440)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:2213:5171)\n    at A (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:11:7251)\n    at CTE (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:4860:4342)","timestamp":"2026-01-24T12:47:35.466Z"},{"error":"Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, scandir 'C:\\Users\\metral\\.claude\\skills'\n    at readdirSync (unknown)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:12:1903)\n    at cX (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:11:35427)\n    at readdirSync (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:12:1864)\n    at VJ$ (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:2213:380)\n    at VJ$ (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:2213:1350)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:2213:4483)\n    at <anonymous> (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:2213:5171)\n    at A (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:11:7251)\n    at CTE (B:/~BUN/root/claude.exe:4860:4342)","timestamp":"2026-01-24T12:47:35.467Z"}]