[BUG] Claude Desktop cannot install on Windows - redirects to Microsoft Store during installation

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/28217
2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/28779
3. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/25829

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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

The same problem her - when installing coworker feature I've got a the same popup as above nad installation fails.

Windows 11, latest Cloud version.

Same here, the old app stopped working so uninstalled and tried to re-install and get the same issue

I have the same problem here

Same problem. How could a so popular application be so fragile. :(

Same issue. Tried the above approach of enabling HyperV and running as admin, didn't fix it. No files are getting created anywhere either, so the install seems to do nothing, then fails when trying to open the (non-existent) claude link.

Seems like the waiting game is the best choice.

Same problem. Windows 11 Pro, Hyper-V installed, getting the error that it can't find the file.

Same issue.

Same here - Windows 11 Pro, HyperV installed.

Same problem. Windows 11 Pro, Hyper-V installed, cant find file and suggests download from store

Same issue here, kinda ridiculous that a company with currently infinite resources is making such big mistakes...

Yep, same here ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Same here

same

Potentially try to delete msix binaries in %LOCALAPPDATA%/Temp/ and re-run the installer?

Potentially try to delete msix binaries in %LOCALAPPDATA%/Temp/ and re-run the installer?

Didn't work

Need fix for this please. Nothing listed works. Now Claude-less. Was working great till this update.

Hi there - struggled with this myself but found a fix.

My problem was Windows Services had the 'Claude' service still showing, even after I tried to uninstall and reinstall Claude Desktop, which meant all new install attempts failed. Was really hard to get rid of that service manually cos it kept giving me 'access denied' even after elevated permissions, etc. Eventually solved it this way:

1) Download PsExec tools from here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/psexec
2) Extract tools and run this on Administrator command line: C:\Tools\PsExec.exe -i -s cmd.exe (opens console)
3) Run 'whoami' and should echo back: nt authority\system (means you now have SYSTEM privileges, higher than admin)
4) Delete registry key for the stuck Claude service: reg delete HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CoworkVMService /f
5) Reboot machine and reinstall Claude using Desktop installer

Worked for me, hope it works for you guys too!

Same here,
Installation logs are:

2026/02/27 14:34:49.062361 === Claude Setup started ===
2026/02/27 14:34:49.062361 AllowAllTrustedApps not found (sideloading assumed enabled): Impossibile trovare il file specificato.
2026/02/27 14:34:49.062883 Windows edition: Enterprise
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 Windows version: 10.0.26100
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 Native arch: x64
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 Elevation type: Default
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 Is elevated: true
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 Sideloading enabled: true
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 S Mode: false
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 Conflicting service: false
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 Running in elevated context
2026/02/27 14:34:49.063986 Installing MSIX from C:\Users\GRANAT~1\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-1669227330.msix
2026/02/27 14:34:49.083409 Splash: 400x300, 8 frame(s), animated=true
2026/02/27 14:34:49.083409 System DPI: 144 (scale: 150%)
2026/02/27 14:34:49.120886 Verifying Authenticode signature on C:\Users\GRANAT~1\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-1669227330.msix
2026/02/27 14:34:49.419314 WinVerifyTrust: MSIX signature is valid
2026/02/27 14:34:49.513148 Signature verified: MSIX signer matches bootstrapper
2026/02/27 14:34:49.513148 Squirrel process prefix: c:\users\administrator\appdata\local\anthropicclaude\
2026/02/27 14:34:49.513148 Checking for running Squirrel Claude processes...
2026/02/27 14:34:49.520372 No Squirrel Claude processes found
2026/02/27 14:34:49.520372 Checking for existing Claude MSIX packages...
2026/02/27 14:34:49.558415 Installing MSIX: C:\Users\GRANAT~1\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-1669227330.msix
2026/02/27 14:34:55.809729 MSIX package installed successfully
2026/02/27 14:34:55.809729 No Squirrel installation found, skipping uninstall
2026/02/27 14:34:55.822202 MSIX installation succeeded
2026/02/27 14:34:55.822202 Launching Claude...
2026/02/27 14:34:55.822202 Launching Claude via explorer.exe claude://
2026/02/27 14:34:55.883675 === Claude Setup completed successfully ===
2026/02/27 14:34:55.900527 Elevated process exited with code 0

After the installation i see the explorer.exe "application not found" popup.
is the problem related to the "Launching Claude via explorer.exe claude://**" command?

try install a prev version
I picked 1.1.4173

winget install --id "Anthropic.Claude" --exact --source winget --version 1.1.4173 --accept-source-agreements --accept-package-agreements --force

works for me

``winget show --id "Anthropic.Claude" --versions``

Found Claude [Anthropic.Claude]
Version
--------
1.1.4328
1.1.4173
1.1.4088
1.1.4010
1.1.3963
1.1.3918
1.1.3830
...

try install a prev version I picked 1.1.4173 `` winget install --id "Anthropic.Claude" --exact --source winget --version 1.1.4173 --accept-source-agreements --accept-package-agreements --force ` works for me winget show --id "Anthropic.Claude" --versions ` Found Claude [Anthropic.Claude] Version -------- 1.1.4328 1.1.4173 1.1.4088 1.1.4010 1.1.3963 1.1.3918 1.1.3830 ... ``

That got it installed, but the app does not open up t all. No errors :-(

@james-poulose

try install a prev version I picked 1.1.4173 That got it installed, but the app does not open up t all. No errors :-(

try other versions from the list

1.1.4173 works ok for me

@james-poulose > try install a prev version I picked 1.1.4173 > That got it installed, but the app does not open up t all. No errors :-( try other versions from the list 1.1.4173 works ok for me

I was able to get it installed with a different version, but still when I open it doesn't allow me to access coworking. Anyone else have this issue?

> @james-poulose > > try install a prev version I picked 1.1.4173 > > That got it installed, but the app does not open up t all. No errors :-( > > > try other versions from the list > 1.1.4173 works ok for me I was able to get it installed with a different version, but still when I open it doesn't allow me to access coworking. Anyone else have this issue?

This worked for me, but I had to install version 1.1.4088

> > @james-poulose > > > try install a prev version I picked 1.1.4173 > > > That got it installed, but the app does not open up t all. No errors :-( > > > > > > try other versions from the list > > 1.1.4173 works ok for me > > > I was able to get it installed with a different version, but still when I open it doesn't allow me to access coworking. Anyone else have this issue? This worked for me, but I had to install version 1.1.4088

Odd, thats the version I installed as well, but coworking still wont work.

@drewnunley-tech

it doesn't allow me to access coworking

because cowork is available only in the latest broken version, no?

> > > @james-poulose > > > > try install a prev version I picked 1.1.4173 > > > > That got it installed, but the app does not open up t all. No errors :-( > > > > > > > > > try other versions from the list > > > 1.1.4173 works ok for me > > > > > > I was able to get it installed with a different version, but still when I open it doesn't allow me to access coworking. Anyone else have this issue? > > > This worked for me, but I had to install version 1.1.4088 Odd, thats the version I installed as well, but coworking still wont work.

seems like its hit or miss depending on so many unknown factors sorry!
I made sure Hyper-V was enabled.
Honestly I was working on that for 3 hours and finally worked after finding this thread. I installed via local powershell bc admin level was not allowing me to to winget

@drewnunley-tech > it doesn't allow me to access coworking because cowork is available only in the latest broken version, no?

according to the Google it says it does work but may require pro or max but who knows!

> try install a prev version I picked 1.1.4173 > `` > winget install --id "Anthropic.Claude" --exact --source winget --version 1.1.4173 --accept-source-agreements --accept-package-agreements --force > ` > > > > > > > > > > > > works for me > winget show --id "Anthropic.Claude" --versions > ` > Found Claude [Anthropic.Claude] > Version > -------- > 1.1.4328 > 1.1.4173 > 1.1.4088 > 1.1.4010 > 1.1.3963 > 1.1.3918 > 1.1.3830 > ... > `` That got it installed, but the app does not open up t all. No errors :-(

This worked for me. Thanks @james-poulose , you're a Legend!

> @drewnunley-tech > > it doesn't allow me to access coworking > > > because cowork is available only in the latest broken version, no? according to the Google it says it does work but may require pro or max but who knows!

I actually have the max subscription. Don't have hyper v enabled so I will try that.

I have this same problem. Can't get Claude Desktop to install.

I followed some AI help and got past the store error but now i get

Installation failed: AddPackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CF9 Please share this log with us.

And when I press ok I get "Admin access wasn't granted so cowork won't be available". and something about my temp folder not being accessible. Access is denied.

I've just made the same 5 min ago, looks like while we install using the setup and enter the password on elevated prompt during setup it fails it cannot write logs on the proper way. You can try to execute as admin - and use your full power account to force it install.

Also i've manually grab the msix package file before

Add-AppxPackage -Path "Claude.msix"

Then

Add-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackagePath "Claude.msix" -SkipLicense -Regions "all"

Then running the EXE app from today - the co-work button appears proper and says its enable - remember to install hyper-v on windows features as well.

Somehow like the the "microsoft store issue does not comes on" and install goes well.

[cid:6d341d95-248a-448c-b309-06c7b6eef6f7]

Ygor Almeida
TI – Infraestrutura

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Subject: [EXTERNO]Re: [anthropics/claude-code] [BUG] Claude Desktop cannot install on Windows - redirects to Microsoft Store during installation (Issue #28892)

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I have this same problem. Can't get Claude Desktop to install.

I followed some AI help and got past the store error but now i get

Installation failed: AddPackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CF9 Please share this log with us.

And when I press ok I get "Admin access wasn't granted so cowork won't be available". and something about my temp folder not being accessible. Access is denied.

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I managed to get it working with:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "*Claude*" -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers
Get-Service CoworkVMService -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Stop-Service -Force

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

reboot.
And then I could install again. I lost all my code session memory, though. That sucked.

I managed to get it working with: `` Get-AppxPackage -Name "*Claude*" -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers Get-Service CoworkVMService -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Stop-Service -Force Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Containers -All Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName HypervisorPlatform -All `` reboot. And then I could install again. I lost all my code session memory, though. That sucked.

I can confirm that this worked for me just now. I wonder if making use of Claude agentically is part of what caused the issue. I did this and had to log into my IDE again.

I have this same problem. Can't get Claude Desktop to install. I followed some AI help and got past the store error but now i get Installation failed: AddPackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CF9 Please share this log with us. And when I press ok I get "Admin access wasn't granted so cowork won't be available". and something about my temp folder not being accessible. Access is denied.

How did you get past the store error? That is where I am stuck. :(

Hi folks, we're looking into these install troubles on Windows.

We might have a couple different issues here and I'm trying to disentangle. On Tuesday we shipped a bad update (1.1.4173) to .exe installs that resulted in the app appearing to never load (though it was stuck running in the background). MSIX updates should've been mostly unaffected. If you were on an .exe install before and then the app suddenly broke and you had to reinstall, the installer might have had trouble migrating you from the .exe version to the MSIX version. If you're in this camp and are still having trouble installing, make sure Claude is not quietly lurking in Task Manager and try to install again.

However, there also seems to be a group of people that are unable to install for the first time via the installer downloaded from https://claude.com/download. I suspect (as some of you have pointed out), this is related to the Cowork service being blocked from install. We are unable to reproduce this issue on our side, so if you're in this camp, additional info would be appreciated. Specifically, install logs from the installer (%TEMP%\ClaudeSetup.log), details about what you see (OS popups or errors), your Windows version, and any hardware details you're willing to share. Thanks for your patience.

However, there also seems to be a group of people that are unable to install for the first time via the installer downloaded from https://claude.com/download. I suspect (as some of you have pointed out), this is related to the Cowork service being blocked from install. We are unable to reproduce this issue on our side, so if you're in this camp, additional info would be appreciated. Specifically, install logs from the installer (%TEMP%\ClaudeSetup.log), details about what you see (OS popups or errors), your Windows version, and any hardware details you're willing to share. Thanks for your patience.

I might be a weird subclass of cases where something went weird with my install where I couldn't get desktop to show up any more, so I uninstalled and reinstalled through claude.com/download.. I checked taskmanager and services for running residuals, but still it would not install after I killed them. For some reason, the powershell stuff I ran as above did work, though I can't tell you the specific line the ended up doing the job.
It was like some new spawned process tried to do something that required admin rights, but didn't fork off the elevated process.

2026/02/27 11:14:04.064618 === Claude Setup started ===
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065118 AllowAllTrustedApps not found (sideloading assumed enabled): The system cannot find the file specified.
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065118 Windows edition: Professional
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 Windows version: 10.0.26200
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 Native arch: x64
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 Elevation type: Full
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 Is elevated: true
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 Sideloading enabled: true
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 S Mode: false
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 Conflicting service: false
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 Running in elevated context
2026/02/27 11:14:04.065618 Installing MSIX from C:\Users\----\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-3448880221.msix
2026/02/27 11:14:04.088619 Splash: 400x300, 8 frame(s), animated=true
2026/02/27 11:14:04.089120 System DPI: 96 (scale: 100%)
2026/02/27 11:14:04.255150 Verifying Authenticode signature on C:\Users\----\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-3448880221.msix
2026/02/27 11:14:04.506166 WinVerifyTrust: MSIX signature is valid
2026/02/27 11:14:04.582179 Signature verified: MSIX signer matches bootstrapper
2026/02/27 11:14:04.582179 Squirrel process prefix: c:\users\----\appdata\local\anthropicclaude\
2026/02/27 11:14:04.582179 Checking for running Squirrel Claude processes...
2026/02/27 11:14:04.598684 No Squirrel Claude processes found
2026/02/27 11:14:04.598684 Checking for existing Claude MSIX packages...
2026/02/27 11:14:04.616525 Installing MSIX: C:\Users\----\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-3448880221.msix
2026/02/27 11:14:13.880797 MSIX installation failed: AddPackage failed: AddPackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CF6
2026/02/27 11:14:13.880797 ERROR dialog (opening log): Installation failed: AddPackage failed: AddPackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CF6

Please share this log with us.
2026/02/27 11:14:15.810350 Elevated process exited with code 1
2026/02/27 11:14:15.810350 Elevation failed: elevated installer exited with code 1
2026/02/27 11:14:15.810350 ERROR dialog (with log path): Administrator access is required to install Claude with full features. You can try again or install without Cowork.

%TEMP%\

Windows 11 Pro - Version 25H2(OS Build 26200.7922)
Dell Precision 7530 Intel Xeon E-2186M 2.9GHz 6 Cores, 64GB RAM
GPU 1: Intel UHD P630
GPU2: Nvidia Quadro P2000 4GB VRAM

After uninstalling Claude, deleting files and removing references in the Registry and rebooting:
1) Downloaded "Claude Setup.exe" (6,550KB) from "https://claude.com/download?open_in_browser=1"
2) Ran the setup as admin
3) Encountered 1st Error window: "Installation failed: AddPackage failed: AddPackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CF9. Please Share this log with us. The log file will be opened in explorer."
Clicked on OK, but the explorer didn't open the log location.
4) 2nd Error window: "Admin access wasn't granted, so Cowork won't be available. You can still install Claude with all other features. Would you like to continue?"

Clicked on OK and Claude install continued successfully.
Logged in via my Google work account successfully.
When hovering over Cowork, still get the error message about needing to reinstall.

!Image
!Image

ClaudeSetup.log

@loc-anthropic

However, there also seems to be a group of people that are unable to install for the first time via the installer downloaded from https://claude.com/download. I suspect (as some of you have pointed out), this is related to the Cowork service being blocked from install. We are unable to reproduce this issue on our side, so if you're in this camp, additional info would be appreciated. Specifically, install logs from the installer (%TEMP%\ClaudeSetup.log), details about what you see (OS popups or errors), your Windows version, and any hardware details you're willing to share. Thanks for your patience.

ClaudeSetup.log

Windows Version:

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Version: 25H2 OS Build: 10.0.26200 Build 26200

Hardware:

System Model: ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QM_GA401QM Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS with Radeon Graphics, 3301 Mhz, 8 Core(s), 16 Logical Processor(s)

----

Immediately after setup with the progress bar, the only dialogue window that's shown is:

<img width="448" height="194" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b7b15fd1-7678-49ca-8e60-4a2ec50b9982" />

Hi folks, we're looking into these install troubles on Windows. We might have a couple different issues here and I'm trying to disentangle. On Tuesday we shipped a bad update (1.1.4173) to .exe installs that resulted in the app appearing to never load (though it was stuck running in the background). MSIX updates should've been mostly unaffected. If you were on an .exe install before and then the app suddenly broke and you had to reinstall, the installer might have had trouble migrating you from the .exe version to the MSIX version. If you're in this camp and are still having trouble installing, make sure Claude is not quietly lurking in Task Manager and try to install again. However, there also seems to be a group of people that are unable to install for the first time via the installer downloaded from https://claude.com/download. I suspect (as some of you have pointed out), this is related to the Cowork service being blocked from install. We are unable to reproduce this issue on our side, so if you're in this camp, additional info would be appreciated. Specifically, install logs from the installer (%TEMP%\ClaudeSetup.log), details about what you see (OS popups or errors), your Windows version, and any hardware details you're willing to share. Thanks for your patience.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Here is what I tried tonight. I got further and could launch it from PS using start-process "claude:". The first time it opened it was just Chat. Then I ran setup again and the second time it opened it had the Cowork and Code options. Then we tried creating shortcuts and now it's right back to the same thing again.

Windows Version:
Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
Version 24H2 (OS Build 26100.7623)

Hardware:
System Model: Latitude 5520
Processor: 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7 @ 3.00 GHz, 1805 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)

Environment
Windows 11 Professional, version 10.0.26100
User: rebecca.casselman (standard user, elevates via credentials)
x64 architecture
Organization uses OneDrive for folder redirection

Root Problem
The installer completes successfully every time, but the final step — Launching Claude via explorer.exe claude:// — fails because Windows doesn't have a registered handler for the claude:// URL scheme, triggering the "look for app in Microsoft Store" error.
What We Tried

Ran cleanup script to remove all Claude files, registry entries, and services
Enabled Windows Optional Features: Containers, HypervisorPlatform, Microsoft-Hyper-V-All
Removed CoworkVMService via PowerShell
Ran installer as administrator — failed
Ran installer normally (double-click) — installs successfully but claude:// launch fails
Ran installer a second time on top of existing install — got Chat/Cowork/Code options but still no working shortcut
Tried launching directly via Start-Process "claude:" — this actually worked once
Tried launching via shell:AppsFolder\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc!App — opened Explorer instead
Tried launching claude.exe directly — Access Denied (expected for MSIX apps)
Re-registered AppxManifest via Add-AppxPackage -Register — didn't fix handler
Manually registered claude:// protocol handler in registry under HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude — didn't work
Created desktop shortcut using cmd /c start claude: — same Store error
Created desktop shortcut using shell:AppsFolder\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc!App — same Store error
Created desktop shortcut with WindowStyle = 7 to minimize cmd window — same Store error

What Works

Claude is installed but no longer functional
Chat, Cowork, and Code tabs are all present
Running Start-Process "claude:" from a non-admin PowerShell window launched it successfully at one point

What Doesn't Work

Any shortcut method to launch Claude
The claude:// URL handler isn't persisting properly

ClaudeSetup.log

My logs look kind of different. As a side note: I was running claude code in vscode during my installation attempts. May this have failed the removal of the conflicting service?

2026/03/01 12:10:39.050800 Log file: C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Temp\ClaudeSetup.log
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073107 === Claude Setup started ===
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073107 AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense found with value: 1
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073107 Windows edition: Professional
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 WARNING: CoworkVMService already exists (potential conflict)
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 Windows version: 10.0.26200
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 Native arch: x64
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 Elevation type: Default
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 Is elevated: false
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 Sideloading enabled: true
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 S Mode: false
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 Conflicting service: true
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 Running in non-elevated context
2026/03/01 12:10:39.073627 Standard user — attempting MSIX install with credential prompt
2026/03/01 12:10:39.091218 Splash: 400x300, 8 frame(s), animated=true
2026/03/01 12:10:39.091218 System DPI: 96 (scale: 100%)
2026/03/01 12:10:39.113370 MSIX URL: https://api.anthropic.com/api/desktop/win32/x64/msix/latest/redirect
2026/03/01 12:10:39.113370 Downloading MSIX to C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-3784581473.msix
2026/03/01 12:10:41.698771 Download progress: 10% (16924544 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:43.063495 Download progress: 20% (33832704 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:44.431997 Download progress: 30% (50724480 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:45.917439 Download progress: 40% (67632640 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:47.287837 Download progress: 50% (84540800 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:48.654451 Download progress: 60% (101448960 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:50.021374 Download progress: 70% (118340736 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:51.509880 Download progress: 80% (135248896 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:52.877299 Download progress: 90% (152140096 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:54.276897 Download progress: 100% (169031635 / 169031635 bytes)
2026/03/01 12:10:54.277402 Download complete: 169031635 bytes, SHA256: b91082737cd7eccd68f99776ccd5a6d81989cb45668b864ba6d8438ec44a1c5d
2026/03/01 12:10:54.277920 Download complete
2026/03/01 12:10:54.292021 Self-elevating: C:\Users\XXXXX\Downloads\Claude Setup(2).exe --elevated --msix-path "C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-3784581473.msix" --log-path "C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Temp\ClaudeSetup.log"
2026/03/01 12:11:00.974758 Waiting for elevated process to complete...
2026/03/01 12:11:00.981234 Log file: C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Temp\ClaudeSetup.log
2026/03/01 12:11:01.001875 === Claude Setup started ===
2026/03/01 12:11:01.001875 AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense found with value: 1
2026/03/01 12:11:01.001875 Windows edition: Professional
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 WARNING: CoworkVMService already exists (potential conflict)
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 Windows version: 10.0.26200
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 Native arch: x64
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 Elevation type: Full
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 Is elevated: true
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 Sideloading enabled: true
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 S Mode: false
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 Conflicting service: true
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 Running in elevated context
2026/03/01 12:11:01.002398 Installing MSIX from C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-3784581473.msix
2026/03/01 12:11:01.021815 Splash: 400x300, 8 frame(s), animated=true
2026/03/01 12:11:01.021815 System DPI: 96 (scale: 100%)
2026/03/01 12:11:01.062298 Verifying Authenticode signature on C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-3784581473.msix
2026/03/01 12:11:01.310495 WinVerifyTrust: MSIX signature is valid
2026/03/01 12:11:01.380484 Signature verified: MSIX signer matches bootstrapper
2026/03/01 12:11:01.380484 Squirrel process prefix: c:\users\YYYYYY\appdata\local\anthropicclaude\
2026/03/01 12:11:01.380484 Checking for running Squirrel Claude processes...
2026/03/01 12:11:01.442212 No Squirrel Claude processes found
2026/03/01 12:11:01.442212 Removing conflicting CoworkVMService...
2026/03/01 12:11:01.442760 WARNING: failed to remove conflicting service: could not open CoworkVMService: Zugriff verweigert
2026/03/01 12:11:01.442760 Checking for existing Claude MSIX packages...
2026/03/01 12:11:01.449481 Removing: Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc
2026/03/01 12:11:01.452049 WARNING: Remove failed for Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc: RemovePackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CFA
2026/03/01 12:11:01.456695 Removing (user): Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc
2026/03/01 12:11:01.458244 WARNING: Remove failed for Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc: RemovePackage failed with HRESULT 0x80073CFA
2026/03/01 12:11:01.458244 Installing MSIX: C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-3784581473.msix
2026/03/01 12:11:01.709246 MSIX package installed successfully
2026/03/01 12:11:01.709246 No Squirrel installation found, skipping uninstall
2026/03/01 12:11:01.723884 MSIX installation succeeded
2026/03/01 12:11:01.723884 Launching Claude...
2026/03/01 12:11:01.723884 Launching Claude via explorer.exe claude://
2026/03/01 12:11:01.729001 === Claude Setup completed successfully ===
2026/03/01 12:11:01.737307 Elevated process exited with code 0

Hello,
Opus solved it for me that way:
Confirmed workaround for split-account (standard user + separate admin for UAC) environments:

Root cause: ClaudeSetup.exe installs the MSIX package for the elevating admin user, not the calling standard user.
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers confirms the package is only registered for the admin SID. The standard user sees no installation and gets the "find app in Microsoft Store" error.

Fix:

1. Remove ghost package (Admin PowerShell):

powershellGet-AppxPackage -Name "Claude" -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers

1. Download MSIX directly (normal user PowerShell):

powershellInvoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://claude.ai/api/desktop/win32/x64/msix/latest/redirect" -OutFile "$env:TEMP\Claude.msix" -MaximumRedirection 5

1. Provision for all users (Admin PowerShell):

powershellAdd-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackagePath "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude.msix" -SkipLicense -Regions "all"

1. Verify and launch (normal user PowerShell):

powershellGet-AppxPackage -Name "Claude"
Start-Process "claude:"
Environment: Windows 11 Pro 24H2 (Build 26200), standard user with separate admin account for elevation.

Related: #25055, #25136, #25162

I can verify @UniversalCoder2026 solution fixed it for me!

@UniversalCoder2026's solution resolved my issue as well. Thank you!!

I work for an MSP and see this issue in multiple environments with different specs. Different builds of Win11 across different browsers.

I use a browser to download https://claude.ai/api/desktop/win32/x64/msix/latest/redirect
I then run terminal as admin and run: Add-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackagePath "<path>\Claude.msix" -SkipLicense -Regions "all"

@UniversalCoder2026 's solution not working for me I'm afraid. the package installs just fine, but the desktop app won't launch. tons of "Incorrect function" errors in the windows Application Event Log under CoworkVMService. Powershell>start-process "Claude:" fails with "Package could not be registered".

@UniversalCoder2026's solution resolved my issue too. Thank you!!!!!

Today I ran @UniversalCoder2026 's solution and was still unable to launch Cowork when opening as a regular user, but I then ran Claude as administrator, and got the error in the screenshot.
I have not yet been able to run Cowork.

!Image

same issue for me

I followed the installation method mentioned by @UniversalCoder2026. However, when installing and running the application from a standard user account, it throws the following error during the initial startup:

<img width="556" height="391" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a8efce55-3cbe-42ea-a2b7-98482191eb25" />

Workaround / Resolution

It appears the installer isn't automatically creating the required log directories for standard users. You can resolve this by manually creating the folder path:

• Navigate to %APPDATA% (or C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming).

• Create a folder named Claude, and inside it, create a folder named logs (Full path: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Claude\logs).

• Restart the Claude application.

After creating this directory, the application starts up normally without any errors.

I downloaded Claude Setup today 28 Feb, 2026 at 11am from https://claude.com/download
Upon executing file, i get this error:

<img width="407" height="237" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7324231b-ead2-4921-8412-8548ed02947c" />

Upon clicking OK, i'm taken to settings where i follow the instructions to "Turn on Developer Mode."
I then get this:

<img width="1090" height="394" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d3bee4d6-8096-4198-9bc2-4bc17933de50" />

Next, I become immediately anxious and write to our head of IT to ask if i'm allowed to do this and whether this poses any risk.
I'm immediately shot down, asked what I'm thinking and told I shouldn't do this. I'm then told that downloading Claude for Cowork shouldn't require Developer mode turned on and that I must have done something wrong.

I don't know what my next steps should be.

Claude Desktop Installation Fix on Windows (MSIX / CoworkVMService Issue)

Problem Summary

When installing Claude Desktop on Windows, the installer:

1. Downloads successfully (~169MB MSIX package)
2. Fails to launch after installation with: "Get an app to open this 'claude' link" or "Application not found"
3. Sometimes fails with HRESULT 0x80073CF9 or 0x80073CFA on reinstall

Root causes:

• The installer launches Claude via explorer.exe claude:// — but the claude:// protocol handler is not registered in Windows registry
• A service called CoworkVMService conflicts with installation and cannot be removed automatically (Access is denied even as admin)
• Old Claude MSIX package (Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc) cannot be uninstalled by the new installer if it's already present

---

Prerequisites

• You must run PowerShell as Administrator (right-click → Run as administrator)
• The installer (Claude Setup.exe) is typically in C:\Users\<YourName>\Downloads\

---

Step-by-Step Fix

Step 1 — Check the install log to confirm the issue

Get-Content "$env:TEMP\ClaudeSetup.log" -Tail 50

Look for lines like:

• WARNING: CoworkVMService already exists (potential conflict)
• WARNING: failed to remove conflicting service: could not open CoworkVMService: Access is denied
• Launching Claude via explorer.exe claude://

---

Step 2 — Remove CoworkVMService from the registry

The service cannot be stopped via sc.exe (Access is denied), but can be deleted directly from the registry:

Remove-Item "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CoworkVMService" -Recurse -Force

No output = success. Then restart your PC.

---

Step 3 — Remove the old Claude MSIX package (if present)

# Check if old package exists
Get-AppxPackage -Name "*Claude*" -AllUsers | Select-Object PackageFullName

If you see Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc (or any version), remove it:

Remove-AppxPackage -Package "Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc" -AllUsers

If you get "Access denied", try without -AllUsers:

Remove-AppxPackage -Package "Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc"

---

Step 4 — Run the installer again

Start-Process "C:\Users\<YourUsername>\Downloads\Claude Setup.exe" -Verb RunAs

Replace <YourUsername> with your actual Windows username. The installer will download a fresh MSIX (~169MB) and install it.

Check the log again to confirm success:

Get-Content "$env:TEMP\ClaudeSetup.log" -Tail 20

You should see:

MSIX package installed successfully
MSIX installation succeeded
=== Claude Setup completed successfully ===

---

Step 5 — Fix the claude:// protocol handler (if Claude still doesn't launch)

Even after successful install, Claude may fail to open because Windows doesn't know how to handle claude:// links. Fix it manually:

$claudePath = (Get-AppxPackage -Name "*Claude*").InstallLocation + "\app\claude.exe"

New-Item -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude" -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude" -Name "(Default)" -Value "URL:Claude Protocol"
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude" -Name "URL Protocol" -Value ""
New-Item -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude\shell\open\command" -Force
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude\shell\open\command" -Name "(Default)" -Value "`"$claudePath`" `"%1`""

---

Step 6 — Find and launch Claude manually

After installation, Claude's executable is here:

# Find the install location
Get-AppxPackage -Name "*Claude*" | Select-Object Name, InstallLocation

It will be something like:

C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Claude_1.1.4498.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc\app\claude.exe

⚠️ You CANNOT run this .exe directly — Windows blocks execution from WindowsApps folder.

Instead, launch via Start Menu or via PowerShell:

# Try launching via shell
explorer.exe "claude://"

Or search for "Claude" in the Windows Start Menu — it should appear after successful installation.

---

Key Notes

• The installer IS only a bootstrapper — it downloads the real 169MB MSIX from Anthropic servers at runtime. Make sure you have internet access.
• WindowsApps folder is protected by Windows — you cannot run .exe files from it directly, even as admin. This is by design for MSIX apps.
• The claude:// protocol is how Windows knows to open Claude when the installer calls explorer.exe claude://. Without this registry key, the launch silently fails even though installation succeeded.
• CoworkVMService is installed by a separate Anthropic product (Cowork). If it gets stuck, it blocks Claude reinstallation. Deleting it from registry and rebooting is the reliable fix.
• User context matters — if you install as one user (e.g., Agent) but run PowerShell as another (e.g., avenk), the package may not be visible with Get-AppxPackage without -AllUsers.

---

Quick Diagnostic Commands

# View last install log
Get-Content "$env:TEMP\ClaudeSetup.log" -Tail 50

# Check if Claude is installed
Get-AppxPackage -Name "*Claude*" -AllUsers | Select-Object Name, PackageFullName, InstallLocation

# Check if CoworkVMService exists in registry
Get-Item "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CoworkVMService" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Check installer file location
Get-ChildItem "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads" -Filter "*Claude*"

Here is how I got it working. I had some corrupted installations (that I admittedly made worse...) but was able to recover by doing the following. My primary limitation was split domains on a work computer (personal non-admin account and separate admin account):

Claude Desktop Installation Fix for Windows (Domain/Work Computers)

TL;DR: On work computers where you log in as a standard user but install software with a separate admin account, Claude's installer gets stuck. The fix: clean up leftover files, let the installer download the package, then install it manually with one PowerShell command.

---

What Went Wrong

Claude's installer kept failing with errors like 0x80073CF9, 0x80073CFA, or 0x80073D19. Three things were blocking it:

| Blocker | What It Means |
|---------|---------------|
| Old installer temp files | Leftover files from a previous attempt trick the new installer into thinking Claude is already partially installed |
| Stuck service registry entry | A service called CoworkVMService is stuck in the Windows registry and the installer can't remove it on its own |
| Admin elevation failure | On domain-joined machines, the installer's "elevate to admin" step fails silently, so it can never finish |

---

The Fix

Prerequisites: - Open PowerShell as your admin account (right-click → Run as administrator) - Replace <your-username> with your actual Windows login name in all commands below

Step 1 — Delete leftover installer files

These are temp files from Claude's old installer (called "Squirrel") that interfere with the new one.

Remove-Item "C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\SquirrelTemp" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item "C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\SquirrelClowdTemp" -Recurse -Force

Step 2 — Remove the stuck service entry

This removes an orphaned service that the installer chokes on. If you get "does not exist" — that's fine, skip to the next step.

Remove-Item "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CoworkVMService" -Recurse -Force

Step 3 — Run the installer to download the package

The installer will download a ~169 MB package file. It will probably fail to finish installing — that's expected. We just need the downloaded file.

Start-Process "C:\Users\<your-username>\Downloads\Claude Setup.exe"

Step 4 — Find the downloaded package

Get-ChildItem "$env:TEMP" -Filter "Claude*.msix" | Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending | Select-Object -First 1

This shows you the most recently downloaded file. Note the full path — you'll need it in the next step.

Step 5 — Install the package directly

This bypasses the broken installer and registers Claude straight into Windows.

Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\Temp\Claude-<id>.msix"

Replace Claude-<id>.msix with the actual filename from Step 4.

No output = success. Claude should now appear in your Start Menu.

---

Getting Cowork to Work

If the Cowork tab shows this error:

RPC error -1: failed to ensure virtiofs mount: Plan9 mount failed: bad address

You need to enable three Windows virtualization features. Run these in admin PowerShell:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All -NoRestart
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName VirtualMachinePlatform -NoRestart
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName HypervisorPlatform -NoRestart

Reboot after running these. Cowork should work after restart.

---

Known Limitation

Cowork can only access folders inside your home directory (C:\Users\<your-username>\). If you pick a folder outside of that, you'll see an "Invalid Folder Selection" error. Move or copy your project files into your home directory as a workaround.

---

Reference

• GitHub Issue #28892 — Claude Desktop Installation Fix
• GitHub Issue #26554 — Plan9 Mount / Cowork Error

I work for an MSP and see this issue in multiple environments with different specs. Different builds of Win11 across different browsers. I use a browser to download https://claude.ai/api/desktop/win32/x64/msix/latest/redirect I then run terminal as admin and run: Add-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackagePath "\Claude.msix" -SkipLicense -Regions "all"

worked for me with the additional step in the powershell as admin

Add-AppxPackage -Path "D:\[PATH]\Claude.msix"

Here is what worked for me (credits to Gemini 3.1 Pro who helped me install Claude Desktop 🥇 )

[Solution] Automated Install for Standard Users (Bypasses 0x80073CF9 / 0x80073D19 Errors)

If you are a Standard User but use a separate Administrator account for installations, the Anthropic .exe installer will fail. It gets tangled in profile permissions, gets blocked by newer PowerShell (pwsh 7) versions, and fails to create required log directories.

Here is a fully automated, zero-edit workaround. It uses a universal temp folder (C:\ClaudeTemp) so you don't have to edit any usernames, and it uses dism.exe to guarantee compatibility across all terminal versions.

Phase 1: Download & Stage the App (Run as ADMINISTRATOR)

First, we force Windows to download and accept the package into the system image using the Admin account.

1. Open PowerShell or Terminal as Administrator (Right-click -> Run as Administrator).
2. Copy, paste, and run this entire block at once:

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Continue'
$TempPath = "C:\ClaudeTemp"

Write-Host "1. Creating universal temp directory..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
New-Item -Path $TempPath -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null

Write-Host "2. Downloading Claude MSIX (This may take a minute)..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://claude.ai/api/desktop/win32/x64/msix/latest/redirect" -OutFile "$TempPath\Claude.msix" -UseBasicParsing
Unblock-File -Path "$TempPath\Claude.msix"

Write-Host "3. Cleaning up stuck registry services..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Remove-Item "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CoworkVMService" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Write-Host "4. Staging package into the Windows image..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
dism.exe /Online /Add-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackagePath:"$TempPath\Claude.msix" /SkipLicense

Write-Host "5. Enabling Virtualization features for Cowork VM..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
dism.exe /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:VirtualMachinePlatform /All /NoRestart
dism.exe /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:HypervisorPlatform /All /NoRestart

Write-Host "Phase 1 Complete! You can now close this Admin window and restart your computer." -ForegroundColor Green

---

Phase 2: Register & Fix (Run as your STANDARD User)

Now that the Admin has staged the files globally, your standard user just needs to register the app, apply the bug fixes, and clean up.

1. Open a normal, non-elevated PowerShell window (logged in as your Standard User).
2. Copy, paste, and run this entire block at once:

$ErrorActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'

Write-Host "1. Cleaning old installer temp files..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Remove-Item "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\SquirrelTemp", "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\SquirrelClowdTemp" -Recurse -Force

Write-Host "2. Registering Claude for your Standard User profile..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\ClaudeTemp\Claude.msix"

Write-Host "3. Applying Standard User crash fix (creating log folders)..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
New-Item -Path "$env:APPDATA\Claude\logs" -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null

Write-Host "4. Fixing Claude:// protocol registry keys..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
$claudePath = (Get-AppxPackage -Name "*Claude*").InstallLocation + "\app\claude.exe"
if ($claudePath) {
    New-Item -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude\shell\open\command" -Force | Out-Null
    Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude" -Name "(Default)" -Value "URL:Claude Protocol"
    Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude" -Name "URL Protocol" -Value ""
    Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Classes\claude\shell\open\command" -Name "(Default)" -Value "`"$claudePath`" `"%1`""
}

Write-Host "5. Cleaning up temp files..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Remove-Item "C:\ClaudeTemp" -Recurse -Force

Write-Host "Phase 2 Complete! Please restart your computer, then launch Claude." -ForegroundColor Green

Note: If step 2 throws a red 0x80073CF9 or 0x80070002 error in the terminal, ignore it! This is a false negative caused by a missing shortcut link. As long as the script finishes, the app is registered.

---

Phase 3: Reboot

1. Restart your computer.
2. Log in as your Standard User.
3. Open PowerShell and run explorer.exe "claude://" (or just find Claude in your Start Menu).

Cowork VM Warning: The local Cowork VM can only access folders inside your standard user's home directory (C:\Users\YourName\). Pointing it to external drives or the root C:\ drive will throw an "Invalid Folder Selection" error.

Hi folks, sorry for the delay here. We think this should be fixed with the latest download for the folks that were hitting the OPs case which presented as a Microsoft Store dialog that said "Get an app to open this 'claude' link". Will keep this issue open for a couple days in case this doesn't fix it for all classes of bug.

Hi folks, sorry for the delay here. We think this should be fixed with the latest download for the folks that were hitting the OPs case which presented as a Microsoft Store dialog that said "Get an app to open this 'claude' link". Will keep this issue open for a couple days in case this doesn't fix it for all classes of bug.

This is now working for me. Just installed successfully on a clients device. Thanks Anthropic! :)

Uninstall the application, then download and install it again. It works now. Thanks a lot!

Hi, I would kindly suggest adding version information to the installer file at https://downloads.claude.ai/releases/win32/ClaudeSetup.exe, so we can verify whether a new version is available. I encountered the same error described in this issue on several machines two days ago. Has the file been updated since then? Thanks in advance.

Hi folks, sorry for the delay here. We think this should be fixed with the latest download for the folks that were hitting the OPs case which presented as a Microsoft Store dialog that said "Get an app to open this 'claude' link". Will keep this issue open for a couple days in case this doesn't fix it for all classes of bug.

The new installer file is working. Thanks

Finally fixed! However the solution was simpler than expected. I repeated kept getting this exact same error and I could not resolve. The ONLY difference I made, is that every time I install the program, I was defaulting to installing as Administrator (in my case, as Domain Admin). Execute the installer, and when you are prompted for the Administrator credentials, CANCEL it, you will get a warning from the Claude installer, in the effect of, "...this won't be installed for all users", click continue and the install completes successfully! This would be the first time I've ever installed an application and works fine under just the USER context, instead of Administrator or Domain Admin. Hope this helps someone.

@joseortizjr this is how I installed first time the application, but every time I tried opening it, it showed running in the task manager, but wasn't showing a UI, then I tried uninstalling it then reinstalling then I reached this ticket

The new installer file is working

I can confirm that the new installer works, and with the elevation to admin user, Cowork is installed successfully. However, it doesn't auto-launch Claude afterwards; I had to manually start the program.

The version installed is 1.1.6041

Still having problems, trying to run a full cleanup and reinstall to document the issues.

Suggested fix for the silent install failure + Microsoft Store redirect

After reproducing this on a Dell machine with two conflicting Claude installations visible in Intune Discovered Apps, I traced the root cause:

The Squirrel installer fires a claude:// deep link during setup to trigger auto-launch. If no handler for that protocol is registered yet (e.g. first install, or after a failed install left a corrupted state), Windows intercepts it and opens the "Get an app from Microsoft Store" dialog — the installer then exits silently without creating a Start Menu entry.

A secondary issue on some machines: Claude's workspace requires Virtual Machine Platform (VMP), which may not be enabled by default on OEM builds.

Fix script — run in PowerShell as Administrator, then re-run the Claude installer:

# Run as Administrator
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process Bypass
.\Fix-ClaudeInstall.ps1

The script does 6 things:

1. Kills any running Claude processes
2. Removes all existing Claude installs (Squirrel/Win32) across all user profiles
3. Removes residual AppX/MSIX packages
4. Cleans leftover registry keys
5. Enables Virtual Machine Platform via DISM
6. Pre-registers the claude:// protocol handler so the installer doesn't redirect to the Store

After the script completes: re-download from claude.ai/download, run the installer normally, then reboot (required for VMP).

Fix-ClaudeInstall.txt

Now I can solve my problem by download new version of installation.
I think it because bug was solved.

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.