Claude Desktop (Windows MSIX) repair ladder for 'Modified, NeedsRemediation' - field-tested 2026-08-24; never registers a healthy package (0x80070005 corruption path), lets Windows' own remediation run first, Register only when partially staged, clean-reinstall end state (login survives in %LOCALAPPDATA%)

Fix-ClaudeDesktopMSIX.ps1

# Fix-ClaudeDesktopMSIX.ps1
#
# Diagnose + repair ladder for Claude Desktop (Windows MSIX) stuck in
# "Modified, NeedsRemediation" / refusing to launch.
#
# Field-tested 2026-08-24 on Windows 11 (build 26200) while debugging this class:
#   https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/84333 (and siblings)
#
# Key facts this script encodes (all reproduced live):
#   1. Running `Add-AppxPackage -Register` on a HEALTHY package is a CORRUPTION
#      path: it can fail with 0x80070005 and flip the package Ok -> Modified,
#      NeedsRemediation, silently (no deployment operation logged). This script
#      therefore NEVER registers a healthy package.
#   2. Windows' own activation-time remediation (triggered by launching the app)
#      heals what scripted Register breaks. Launch first, Register last.
#   3. If the package flips back to Modified instantly even after a successful
#      Register, that is StateRepository rot: no repair holds. The only cure is
#      Remove-AppxPackage + clean reinstall from https://claude.com/download.
#      Your login and app config SURVIVE this (they live in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Claude,
#      outside the package container).
#   4. The "Another program is currently using this file" dialog (0x80070020) can
#      lie: the real failure may be AppX *container creation*
#      (Microsoft-Windows-AppModel-Runtime/Admin, events 208/215) - that layer is
#      cured by a reboot, not by killing processes.
#   5. Reinstall hitting 0x80073CF6 means: reboot first, then reinstall.
#
# Usage:  powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\Fix-ClaudeDesktopMSIX.ps1
#         (run from a normal interactive console, NOT via ssh/service - the app
#          window can only be created in your interactive desktop session)
#
# The script is safe by default: it only kills Claude processes and relaunches.
# The destructive step (Remove-AppxPackage) always asks for confirmation.
# No telemetry, no network calls. MIT-do-whatever-you-want.

$ErrorActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'
$AUMID = 'Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc!Claude'

function Get-ClaudePkg { Get-AppxPackage -Name Claude | Select-Object -First 1 }

function Show-Diag {
  Write-Host ''
  Write-Host '--- diagnostics ---------------------------------------------'
  $pkg = Get-ClaudePkg
  if ($pkg) {
    Write-Host ("package : {0}  Status: {1}" -f $pkg.PackageFullName, $pkg.Status)
    $staged = ($pkg.PackageUserInformation | Where-Object { "$($_.InstallState)" -match 'Staged' })
    if ($staged) { Write-Host 'staged  : package is PARTIALLY STAGED for this user' -ForegroundColor Yellow }
  } else {
    Write-Host 'package : NOT INSTALLED (Get-AppxPackage -Name Claude returned nothing)'
  }
  $p = Get-Process claude -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
  if ($p) {
    $sess = ($p | Select-Object -ExpandProperty SessionId -Unique) -join ','
    $win  = ($p | Where-Object { $_.MainWindowHandle -ne 0 }).Count
    Write-Host ("procs   : {0} claude.exe  sessions: {1}  with-window: {2}" -f $p.Count, $sess, $win)
    if ($sess -eq '0') { Write-Host 'warning : all processes in session 0 (no desktop) - zombie state' -ForegroundColor Yellow }
  } else { Write-Host 'procs   : none' }

  # last 24h of the log where the REAL container errors live (often silent elsewhere)
  $since = (Get-Date).AddDays(-1)
  $ev = Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{ LogName='Microsoft-Windows-AppModel-Runtime/Admin'; StartTime=$since } -MaxEvents 5 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
        Where-Object { $_.LevelDisplayName -in 'Error','Warning' -and $_.Message -match 'Claude' }
  if ($ev) {
    Write-Host 'AppModel-Runtime/Admin (last 24h, Claude-related):' -ForegroundColor Yellow
    $ev | ForEach-Object { Write-Host ("  [{0}] id {1}: {2}" -f $_.TimeCreated.ToString('HH:mm'), $_.Id, ($_.Message -split "`n")[0]) }
    if ($ev | Where-Object { $_.Id -in 208,215 }) {
      Write-Host '  events 208/215 = AppX CONTAINER creation failure. Killing processes' -ForegroundColor Yellow
      Write-Host '  will NOT fix this layer - if the ladder below fails, REBOOT.' -ForegroundColor Yellow
    }
  }
  Write-Host '-------------------------------------------------------------'
}

Write-Host ''
Write-Host '=== Claude Desktop MSIX repair ladder ==='
Show-Diag

$mySession = (Get-Process -Id $PID).SessionId
if ($mySession -eq 0) {
  Write-Host ''
  Write-Host 'This console runs in session 0 (ssh/service). The app window cannot be' -ForegroundColor Red
  Write-Host 'created from here - run this script from a normal local console.' -ForegroundColor Red
  exit 1
}

# Step 1: kill Claude processes (safe, always).
Write-Host ''
Write-Host 'Step 1: stopping claude/cowork processes...'
Stop-Process -Name claude -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.Name -like 'cowork*' } | Stop-Process -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Start-Sleep -Seconds 4

$pkg = Get-ClaudePkg
if (-not $pkg) {
  Write-Host 'Package is not installed. Install from https://claude.com/download and re-run.' -ForegroundColor Yellow
  exit 1
}

# Step 2: if the package is HEALTHY - do NOT touch registration. Just relaunch.
if ("$($pkg.Status)" -eq 'Ok') {
  Write-Host 'Step 2: package Status=Ok - NOT touching registration (re-registering a'
  Write-Host '        healthy package can corrupt it: 0x80070005 -> Modified). Relaunching...'
  Start-Process 'explorer.exe' "shell:AppsFolder\$AUMID"
  Start-Sleep -Seconds 15
  Show-Diag
  $after = Get-Process claude -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
  if ($after -and ($after | Where-Object { $_.MainWindowHandle -ne 0 })) {
    Write-Host 'DONE: app is up with a window.' -ForegroundColor Green; exit 0
  }
  Write-Host 'App did not come up despite Status=Ok. Likely the container layer' -ForegroundColor Yellow
  Write-Host '(see 208/215 note above) - REBOOT, then try again.' -ForegroundColor Yellow
  exit 1
}

# Step 3: package is Modified/NeedsRemediation. Let WINDOWS heal it first:
# activation triggers Windows' own RepairAppRegistrationOption, which (unlike
# scripted Register) actually works.
Write-Host ("Step 3: package Status={0}. Launching the app so Windows' own" -f $pkg.Status)
Write-Host '        activation-time remediation can run (this heals more often than'
Write-Host '        any manual Register)...'
Start-Process 'explorer.exe' "shell:AppsFolder\$AUMID"
Start-Sleep -Seconds 20
$pkg = Get-ClaudePkg
Write-Host ("        after launch attempt: Status={0}" -f $pkg.Status)
$after = Get-Process claude -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ("$($pkg.Status)" -eq 'Ok' -and $after) {
  Write-Host 'DONE: Windows remediation healed the package and the app is up.' -ForegroundColor Green
  exit 0
}

# Step 4: Register - ONLY if partially staged (the one case where it belongs).
$staged = ($pkg.PackageUserInformation | Where-Object { "$($_.InstallState)" -match 'Staged' })
if ($staged) {
  Write-Host 'Step 4: package is partially staged - this IS the legitimate Register case...'
  Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($pkg.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml" -ForceApplicationShutdown
  Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
  $pkg = Get-ClaudePkg
  Write-Host ("        after Register: Status={0}" -f $pkg.Status)
  if ("$($pkg.Status)" -eq 'Ok') {
    Start-Process 'explorer.exe' "shell:AppsFolder\$AUMID"
    Write-Host 'DONE: registered and relaunched.' -ForegroundColor Green
    exit 0
  }
} else {
  Write-Host 'Step 4: package is NOT partially staged - skipping Register on purpose'
  Write-Host '        (registering here is the corruption path, not the cure).'
}

# Step 5: nothing held -> StateRepository rot. Clean reinstall is the only cure.
Write-Host ''
Write-Host 'Step 5: repair does not hold. This is the StateRepository-rot end state:' -ForegroundColor Yellow
Write-Host '        the package files are fine, the registration DB is rotten, and only'
Write-Host '        a clean reinstall cures it. Good news: your LOGIN AND SETTINGS'
Write-Host '        SURVIVE (they live in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Claude, not in the package).'
Write-Host ''
$ans = Read-Host 'Remove the package now? Afterwards reinstall from https://claude.com/download [y/N]'
if ($ans -match '^[yY]') {
  Get-AppxPackage -Name Claude | Remove-AppxPackage
  Start-Sleep -Seconds 3
  if (Get-ClaudePkg) {
    Write-Host 'Removal did not complete - reboot, then remove again / reinstall.' -ForegroundColor Red
    exit 1
  }
  Write-Host ''
  Write-Host 'Package removed. Now:' -ForegroundColor Green
  Write-Host '  1. Download the installer from https://claude.com/download'
  Write-Host '     (optionally verify: Get-AuthenticodeSignature should show Anthropic, PBC / Valid)'
  Write-Host '  2. If install fails with 0x80073CF6 - REBOOT first, then install.'
  Write-Host '  3. Your login will still be there after reinstall.'
  Write-Host '  4. If it corrupts again: audit ANYTHING that re-registers the package on a'
  Write-Host '     schedule (recovery scripts, forum one-liners in scheduled tasks, IT tooling).'
  Write-Host '     In our case our own nightly "repair" script was the disease.'
} else {
  Write-Host 'Skipped removal. Manual path: Get-AppxPackage -Name Claude | Remove-AppxPackage'
  Write-Host 'then reinstall from https://claude.com/download (reboot if 0x80073CF6).'
}
exit 0