[BUG] Claude Code process crashes with exit code 3221225477 (0xC0000005) on every spawn from Desktop app on Windows 11

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

The Claude Desktop app (Windows) cannot launch Claude Code sessions. Every spawn of the embedded claude.exe (v2.1.92) crashes within ~2 seconds with exit code 3221225477 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION / 0xC0000005). This is 100% reproducible on cold start.

Running claude.exe directly from a terminal (CLI v2.1.85) works perfectly — the crash is specific to how the Electron app spawns the child process.

Environment:

• OS: Windows 11 Education 10.0.26200
• - Desktop app: v1.2773.0 (previously v1.1617.0 — same crash)
• - - Embedded Claude Code binary: 2.1.92
• - - - Node version (Electron): 24.14.0
• - - - - CLI Claude Code (works fine): 2.1.85
• - - - - - Git: 2.53.0.2

Error from %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\main.log:

[error] Session query error: Claude Code process exited with code 3221225477
Error: Claude Code process exited with code 3221225477
    at uon.getProcessExitError (app://\.vite\build\index.js:345:7111)
    at ChildProcess.n (app://\.vite\build\index.js:345:10068)
    at Object.onceWrapper (node:events:623:26)
    at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:520:35)
    at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:294:12)

Ruled out:

• Disabling all MCP servers (including gdrive)
• - Different working directories (including fresh empty folders)
• - - Session state / transcript corruption
• - - - Git for Windows version (upgraded to 2.53.0.2)
• - - - - Swapping the embedded binary to 2.1.85 (desktop re-downloads 2.1.92 on launch)
• - - - - - No ANTHROPIC_API_KEY env var set
• - - - - - - Updating desktop app from v1.1617.0 to v1.2773.0 (same crash)

Key observation: The CLI binary runs fine from any terminal. The crash only occurs when the Electron app spawns claude.exe as a child process, pointing to something in the spawn configuration (stdio pipes, env, or spawn flags) interacting badly with the 2.1.92 binary on this Windows build.

Possibly related: #43547, #18772, #30165, #40052

What Should Happen?

The Desktop app should successfully spawn the embedded Claude Code binary and start an interactive session, the same way the CLI binary works when launched directly from a terminal.

Error Messages/Logs

From %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\main.log:

[error] Session local_2b030343-58cb-4de0-ac80-74c0861cff5d query error: Claude Code process exited with code 3221225477
[error] Sentry caught: {
  eventId: '9ed156817cbf4d609876da778bda0ba8',
  type: 'Error',
  value: 'Claude Code process exited with code 3221225477',
  stack: 'Error: Claude Code process exited with code 3221225477\n' +
    '    at uon.getProcessExitError (app://\\.vite\\build\\index.js:345:7111)\n' +
    '    at ChildProcess.n (app://\\.vite\\build\\index.js:345:10068)\n' +
    '    at Object.onceWrapper (node:events:623:26)\n' +
    '    at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:520:35)\n' +
    '    at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:294:12)'
}
[info] [CCD CycleHealth] unhealthy cycle (2s, hadFirstResponse=false, reason=no_response)

Steps to Reproduce

a1. Install Claude Desktop app on Windows 11 Education (10.0.26200)

1. Open the app (any working directory, including a fresh empty folder)
2. 3. Start a new Claude Code session (type any message)
3. 4. The embedded claude.exe (2.1.92) spawns and crashes within ~2 seconds with exit code 3221225477
4. 5. This happens 100% of the time on cold start

Contrast: Running claude from a terminal (CLI v2.1.85) in the same directory works perfectly every time.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.92 (embedded in Desktop app v1.2773.0) / CLI 2.1.85 works fine

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

_No response_