anthropics / anthropics/claude-code

[BUG] Missing HCS services: vfpext — corrupt component manifest (CSI) blocks driver deployment, manual load fails with ERROR 193

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area:desktop bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

### Preflight Checklist

- [x] I have searched [existing issues](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20state%3Aopen%20label%3Abug) 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?

Note: this is a Claude Desktop / Cowork bug, not the Claude Code CLI.

Cowork shows "Missing HCS services: vfpext" and the tab remains disabled.

Diagnosis performed:
- vmcompute and hns services: Running (Get-Service)
- vfpext: not installed as a service (sc.exe query vfpext -> error 1060)
- C:\Windows\System32\drivers\vfpext.sys: does not exist (Test-Path -> False)
- Full Hyper-V feature disable/enable cycle: does not restore the driver
- DISM /RestoreHealth + sfc /scannow: completed without fixing the issue

Root cause found in CBS.log:
CSI Scavenge: Skipping content retention check due to missing component
manifest: amd64_microsoft-windows-hyper-v-vfpext_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.26100.8521_none_9c6e9b959bce5329

The manifest file for this component IS physically present under
WinSxS\Manifests\, but CSI treats it as missing/unreadable, which
prevents the servicing transaction from ever completing and copying
vfpext.sys into System32\drivers. WinSxS also contains several stale
InFlight transactions for this same component (versions 7309, 7920,
8115, 8457, 7705), suggesting a Windows Update that never completed
cleanly for this driver.

Manual workaround attempted (unsuccessful):
1. Copied vfpext.sys from WinSxS (version 10.0.26100.8875) to
System32\drivers manually
2. Registered it as a kernel driver service:
sc.exe create vfpext type= kernel start= demand binPath= C:\Windows\System32\drivers\vfpext.sys
3. sc.exe start vfpext -> fails with ERROR 193 (ERROR_BAD_EXE_FORMAT)

This suggests vfpext is an NDIS filter driver that cannot be started
via a plain sc start — it likely requires proper NDIS binding via its
.inf (wnetvsc_vfpp.inf, also present in WinSxS) processed through the
normal feature installer, which is blocked by the corrupt manifest
described above.

### What Should Happen?

Either the Hyper-V feature installer successfully repairs/redeploys
the vfpext component despite the CSI manifest issue, or Cowork's
troubleshooting docs cover this specific failure mode (corrupt CSI
manifest + NDIS filter driver that can't be manually registered), so
Cowork can start normally.

### Error Messages/Logs

```shell
sc.exe query vfpext:
[SC] EnumQueryServicesStatus:OpenService ERROR 1060:
El servicio especificado no existe como servicio instalado.

CBS.log:
CSI Scavenge: Skipping content retention check due to missing component
manifest: amd64_microsoft-windows-hyper-v-vfpext_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.26100.8521_none_9c6e9b959bce5329

sc.exe start vfpext (after manual registration):
[SC] StartService con error 193.
```

### Steps to Reproduce

1. Open Claude Desktop on Windows 11 Pro (build 10.0.26100)
2. Click the Cowork tab
3. Observe "Missing HCS services: vfpext" and the tab stays disabled

### Claude Model

Opus

### Is this a regression?

I don't know

### Last Working Version

_No response_

### Claude Code Version

Claude 1.24012.9 (03c61d) 2026-07-24T04:59:17.000Z

### Platform

Other

### Operating System

Windows

### Terminal/Shell

Other

### Additional Information

N/A — this is Claude Desktop (the consumer app), not the Claude Code CLI.
N/A — consumer Claude Desktop app (Pro/Max/Team plan), not using the API directly.
N/A — bug occurs in the Claude Desktop GUI (Cowork tab), not in a terminal.
PowerShell was used only for diagnostics, shown in the Error message/logs section.

Contributor guide

No contributing guide indexed for this repository

Research direction

No Claude Code files or tests are identified; the report concerns Claude Desktop/Cowork on Windows. Reproduce the disabled Cowork tab on Windows 11, then inspect CBS.log, the WinSxS vfpext manifest, vfpext.sys, and wnetvsc_vfpp.inf. Done means either the vfpext service is correctly deployed and Cowork starts, or troubleshooting documentation covers this failure.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
powershell
Domain
desktop, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
18/100

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