CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR in the registry. Claude treated set-but-empty as a real-but-missing config dir, so it fell to "API Usage Billing" and /login never stuck. Removed from HKCU + profile guard; confirmed not in secrets.env, so it survives reboots.exedus/xen → M4 xen-up → tmux 'xen' window 0 = ssh into Nitro, claude --continue on E:\.claude. Bypass comes from settings defaultMode; --continue is the saved/immortal session.C:\Users\selfe\.claude junction, so settings would not load and bypass kept warning. Pointing CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR straight at E:\.claude reads it directly: Claude Team, no warning.com.xen.exedus launch agent (rooted on the banned qi_/X31 volumes) was disabled — it was auto-spawning a duplicate brain and splitting the inject socket.