[BUG] updating claude on Windows does not work

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?

I am trying to use claude code's internal update mechanism on Windows and it is reporting success but it is not successful.

What Should Happen?

Claude code should successfully update on Windows.

Error Messages/Logs

Method 1:
C:\temp>claude update
Current version: 2.1.229
Checking for updates to latest version...
Successfully updated from 2.1.229 to version 2.1.231

C:\temp>claude --version
2.1.229 (Claude Code)

Method 2:
C:\temp>claude install latest

✔ Claude Code successfully installed!

  Version: 2.1.231

  Location: C:\Users\u267316\.local\bin\claude.exe


  Next: Run claude --help to get started

C:\temp>claude --version
2.1.229 (Claude Code)

Steps to Reproduce

On Windows, open a regular user command prompt or an administrator enabled command prompt and enter the claude update or claude install latest command.

Claude Model

_No response_

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

2.1.224

Claude Code Version

2.1.229

Platform

Other

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

There were previous issues:

1. [BUG] update to 2.1.25 don't work on windows [anthropics/claude-code/issues/21815] - Closed as not planned
2. [BUG] claude update and install script report success without actually updating on Windows [anthropics/claude-code/issues/21979] - Closed and locked as resolved
3. [Bug] Windows update mechanism fails to update launcher executable

[anthropics/claude-code/issues/21805] - Closed as duplicate

1. claude install reports installing v2.1.25 but actually keeps v2.1.23 [anthropics/claude-code/issues/21870] - Closed as not planned

This issue is not resolved. The issues cannot be closed as not planned if the feature exists in claude code and is expected to work but does not.