[BUG] Claude Desktop (Windows/MSIX): GPU process crash on launch corrupts MSIX package into "Modified, NeedsRemediation", requiring reinstall

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?

On Windows 11, Claude Desktop's GPU process crashes on launch. The crash leaves the MSIX package in Modified, NeedsRemediation state, after which the app cannot start at all. Windows' own Repair and Reset both fail. The only recovery is a full uninstall + reinstall — and the corruption recurs on the next launch.

This has happened daily for roughly a week, across two builds.

The failure sequence, from the app's own logs:

Renderer emits a large volume of WebGL errors during startup
GPU process crashes: GPU process gone: { type: 'GPU', reason: 'crashed', exitCode: 101457950 }
Chromium falls back to software rendering and attempts to load vk_swiftshader.dll
Windows Code Integrity blocks that load (Event ID 3033 — "did not meet the Microsoft signing level requirements")
Package is flagged Modified, NeedsRemediation and becomes unlaunchable

Note that no Windows Application error (Event ID 1000/1001) is generated — the process exits without a native fault record, so this is invisible unless you read %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\main.log.

What Should Happen?

Claude desktop should open normally

Error Messages/Logs

main.log — the crash
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [info] GPU process gone: {
  type: 'GPU',
  reason: 'crashed',
  exitCode: 101457950,
  serviceName: 'GPU'
}
claude.ai-web.log — immediately preceding the crash
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] WebGL: INVALID_ENUM: getInternalformatParameter: invalid internalformat
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] WebGL: INVALID_ENUM: getInternalformatParameter: invalid internalformat when EXT_color_buffer_[half_]float is not enabled
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] WebGL: INVALID_ENUM: getInternalformatParameter: invalid internalformat when EXT_color_buffer_float is not enabled
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] The powerPreference option is currently ignored when calling requestAdapter() on Windows. See https://crbug.com/369219127
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] A valid external Instance reference no longer exists.

(The INVALID_ENUM lines repeat dozens of times per launch.)

CodeIntegrity/Operational — Event ID 3033, both builds
06/08/2026 08:25:28
Code Integrity determined that a process
(...\Claude_1.25927.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc\app\claude.exe) attempted to load
...\Claude_1.25927.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc\app\vk_swiftshader.dll
that did not meet the Microsoft signing level requirements.

05/08/2026 20:39:03
(identical, for Claude_1.24012.9.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc)

Steps to Reproduce

Remove any existing Claude package: Get-AppxPackage Claude -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers
Reboot
Install from https://claude.ai/download
Setup.exe auto-launches Claude; the window appears briefly, then closes
Check status:
powershell
Get-AppxPackage Claude | Select-Object Version, Status

Version Status

1.25927.0.0 Modified, NeedsRemediation

Confirm the GPU crash:
powershell
Get-Content "$env:APPDATA\Claude\logs\main.log" -Tail 20 | Select-String "GPU process gone"

Reproduces 100% of the time on this machine.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

1.24012.9.0 1.25927.0.0 (current at time of writing)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

As supplied by Claude Web. complete report:

What's wrong

On Windows 11, Claude Desktop's GPU process crashes on launch. The crash leaves the
MSIX package in Modified, NeedsRemediation state, after which the app cannot start
at all. Windows' own Repair and Reset both fail. The only recovery is a full
uninstall + reinstall — and the corruption recurs on the next launch.

This has happened daily for roughly a week, across two builds.

The failure sequence, from the app's own logs:

1. Renderer emits a large volume of WebGL errors during startup
2. GPU process crashes: GPU process gone: { type: 'GPU', reason: 'crashed', exitCode: 101457950 }
3. Chromium falls back to software rendering and attempts to load vk_swiftshader.dll
4. Windows Code Integrity blocks that load (Event ID 3033 — "did not meet the Microsoft signing level requirements")
5. Package is flagged Modified, NeedsRemediation and becomes unlaunchable

Note that no Windows Application error (Event ID 1000/1001) is generated — the process
exits without a native fault record, so this is invisible unless you read
%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\main.log.

Versions affected

• 1.24012.9.0
• 1.25927.0.0 (current at time of writing)

Environment

| | |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11 |
| Machine | Acer laptop |
| GPU | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| GPU driver | 32.0.101.7088 (17/06/2026) — also reproduced on 30.0.100.9864 (20/08/2021) |
| Install source | Direct download from claude.ai/download (MSIX) |
| Package family | Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc |

Steps to reproduce

1. Remove any existing Claude package: Get-AppxPackage *Claude* -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers
2. Reboot
3. Install from https://claude.ai/download
4. Setup.exe auto-launches Claude; the window appears briefly, then closes
5. Check status:

Get-AppxPackage *Claude* | Select-Object Version, Status
# Version      Status
# 1.25927.0.0  Modified, NeedsRemediation

1. Confirm the GPU crash:

Get-Content "$env:APPDATA\Claude\logs\main.log" -Tail 20 | Select-String "GPU process gone"

Reproduces 100% of the time on this machine.

Expected behaviour

A GPU process crash should not corrupt the MSIX package. Chromium normally survives
GPU process loss by falling back to software rendering; here the fallback is itself
blocked, and the resulting failure damages the installed package rather than
degrading gracefully.

Log evidence

main.log — the crash

2026-08-06 11:30:45 [info] GPU process gone: {
  type: 'GPU',
  reason: 'crashed',
  exitCode: 101457950,
  serviceName: 'GPU'
}

claude.ai-web.log — immediately preceding the crash

2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] WebGL: INVALID_ENUM: getInternalformatParameter: invalid internalformat
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] WebGL: INVALID_ENUM: getInternalformatParameter: invalid internalformat when EXT_color_buffer_[half_]float is not enabled
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] WebGL: INVALID_ENUM: getInternalformatParameter: invalid internalformat when EXT_color_buffer_float is not enabled
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] The powerPreference option is currently ignored when calling requestAdapter() on Windows. See https://crbug.com/369219127
2026-08-06 11:30:45 [warn] A valid external Instance reference no longer exists.

(The INVALID_ENUM lines repeat dozens of times per launch.)

CodeIntegrity/Operational — Event ID 3033, both builds

06/08/2026 08:25:28
Code Integrity determined that a process
(...\Claude_1.25927.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc\app\claude.exe) attempted to load
...\Claude_1.25927.0.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc\app\vk_swiftshader.dll
that did not meet the Microsoft signing level requirements.

05/08/2026 20:39:03
(identical, for Claude_1.24012.9.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc)

Environmental causes ruled out

Each of these was checked and eliminated:

| Hypothesis | Result |
|---|---|
| Smart App Control blocking the DLL | Off. citool -lp shows VerifiedAndReputableDesktop with Is Currently Enforced: false |
| Defender quarantining package files | No detections since 2022 (Get-MpThreatDetection); no exclusions configured |
| Code Integrity Guard / exploit protection | Get-ProcessMitigation -Name claude.exe returns nothing; no system-wide signing policy set |
| Corrupted Windows component store | sfc /scannow found and repaired corrupt files; DISM /RestoreHealth run. No change |
| Outdated GPU driver | Updated Intel Iris Xe from 30.0.100.9864 (2021) to 32.0.101.7088 (2026) via Intel DSA. No change |
| Failed/partial deployment | AppXDeploymentServer/Operational shows zero errors — installs succeed; corruption occurs at launch |
| Stale package state | Full removal with -AllUsers, reboot, clean reinstall. Recurs on first launch |

Workarounds attempted

Launching with GPU flags via Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage:

$pkg = Get-AppxPackage -Name Claude
$exe = Join-Path $pkg.InstallLocation 'app\claude.exe'
Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage -PackageFamilyName Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc `
                               -AppId Claude -Command $exe -Args '--disable-gpu'

Tried with --disable-gpu, then --disable-software-rasterizer. The app launches,
but the GPU process still crashes and the package is still corrupted. This is
consistent with #77857, which reports that MSIX builds ignore standard Electron GPU
flag mechanisms — so these flags appear never to take effect regardless of how they
are passed.

Windows' built-in recovery paths also fail once the package is in this state:

• Settings > Apps > Claude > Advanced options > Repair → "We couldn't repair this app"
• Reset → "We couldn't reset this app"
• Add-AppxPackage -Register ...\AppxManifest.xml → completes silently, status unchanged

Related issues

• #77857 — MSIX ignores Electron GPU flag mechanisms; no way to disable hardware acceleration
• #26302 — Windows UI lag/stutter; documents MSIX flag handling
• #45127 — Cursor stutter, non-zero idle GPU usage

Suggested fixes

1. Don't let a GPU process crash corrupt the package. This is the severe part —

a recoverable rendering failure is escalating into an unlaunchable install.

1. Expose a hardware-acceleration toggle in Settings. There is currently no

in-app way to disable it, and the MSIX packaging blocks the command-line route.

1. **Preload vk_swiftshader.dll before the GPU process sandbox applies the

Microsoft-signed-only mitigation**, so the software fallback remains available.

1. Offer a non-MSIX installer for the direct download, as requested in #77857.

Happy to provide further logs or test fixes.