[BUG] Claude Desktop GPU crash exit code 101457950 on Surface Pro 11 Snapdragon X Plus - MSIX ignores chromiumFlags

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?

Claude Desktop crashes immediately on launch on a brand new Surface Pro 11.
The app window appears briefly then disappears. GPU process crashes with
exit code 101457950 every launch. The issue persists across fresh Windows
installs, driver updates, and reinstalls of Claude Desktop.

Additionally, the MSIX package ignores chromiumFlags set in claude.json,
making it impossible to pass --disable-gpu or other Chromium flags as a
workaround.

This appears related to issues #25929, #28779, #45031, and #40198.

What Should Happen?

Claude Desktop launches and remains open.

Error Messages/Logs

2026-06-22 [info] GPU process gone: {
  type: 'GPU',
  reason: 'crashed',
  exitCode: 101457950,
  serviceName: 'GPU'
}

[HCS] Warning: Failed to load vmcompute.dll: The specified module could not be found.

[HCS] vmcompute.dll loaded successfully
[HCS] computecore.dll loaded successfully
[HCS] Procs initialized, HCS ready
Service ready. Listening on \\.\pipe\cowork-vm-service

Faulting application name: TabTip.exe, version: 10.0.26100.8521
Faulting module name: Windows.Internal.Shell.XamlInputViewHost.dll
Exception code: 0xc0000409

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Desktop on Surface Pro 11 Snapdragon X Plus
2. Launch from Start menu
3. Window appears briefly then closes
4. Check main.log — GPU process gone, exit code 101457950

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

1.14271.0.0

Claude Code Version

2.1.185

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

• Device: Microsoft Surface Pro 11
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (ARM64)
• GPU: Qualcomm Adreno X1-85, driver 31.0.137.0 (January 8, 2026)
• OS: Windows 11 Home 25H2 (Build 26200.8521)
• Claude Desktop version: 1.14271.0.0
• Installation method: MSIX via official installer from claude.ai/download
• HDR: Disabled
• VirtualMachinePlatform: Enabled
• vmcompute.dll: Present and loading successfully

GPU process crashes immediately on launch:
"GPU process gone: { type: 'GPU', reason: 'crashed', exitCode: 101457950 }"

Simultaneously, Windows core components crash with same exception code 0xc0000409:

• TabTip.exe (touch keyboard — breaks Windows search bar)
• Widgets.exe

These crashes appear related to Windows update build 26200.8521 on ARM64.

• Clean Windows reinstall (twice)
• Enabled VirtualMachinePlatform and HypervisorPlatform via DISM
• Set chromiumFlags in claude.json — ignored by MSIX build
• Set ELECTRON_DISABLE_GPU environment variable — no effect
• Updated all Windows components via winget
• Verified Adreno driver is January 2026 version (not September 2024)
• Disabled HDR
• Deleted and reinstalled Claude Desktop multiple times
• Stopped conflicting CoworkVMService before install

The MSIX build does not read chromiumFlags from claude.json. Attempted:
{"chromiumFlags": ["--disable-gpu"]}
{"chromiumFlags": "--disable-gpu --disable-software-rasterizer --in-process-gpu"}
{"chromiumFlags": ["--disable-gpu", "--disable-software-rasterizer", "--in-process-gpu", "--disable-gpu-compositing"]}

None took effect. GPU crash persisted through all attempts. This is
consistent with issue #45031 which notes MSIX ignores ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS.
This makes it impossible for users to apply workarounds independently.