MCP Install Triage

Pick the first useful check for a broken MCP install before rewriting server code or pasting private config into public issue threads.

Use this order

  • 1
    Can the client start the runner?Fix npx, uvx, node, and PATH errors first.
  • 2
    Is the client reading the right config?Check Claude Desktop path mismatch before editing JSON again.
  • 3
    Is the redacted config safe to approve?Review shell wrappers, broad paths, remote URLs, and env-key names.
  • 4
    What tools appeared?Review tools/list metadata before first invocation.
1 runner errors

Command Runner Doctor

Use first for spawn npx ENOENT, uvx ENOENT, node package shims, Windows cmd /c, or GUI PATH drift.

Start with runner
2 no tools appear

Config Path Doctor

Use when the config looks valid but Claude Desktop shows no MCP icon or tools, especially on Windows MSIX installs.

Check config path
3 redacted config

Config Risk Reviewer

Paste only a redacted config to flag shell wrappers, package runners, remote URLs, broad filesystem paths, and sensitive env-key names.

Review config
4 after connection

tools/list Permission Review

After tools appear, review the metadata for allow / ask / deny decisions, schema quality, output schema risk, and changed-tool review.

Review tools/list

When the paid report fits

Buy the scoped MCP report only after the install surface can be described without private data: the runner error, the redacted config shape, or one redacted tools/list export. The report is for one MCP install or one tools/list compatibility review, not a source-code audit, incident response, compliance certification, or private repo review.

Do not send secrets, real customer records, private endpoint values, payment data, private screenshots, full names, private handles, full transaction identifiers, cookies, OAuth grants, or API key values.

Check paid report scope

Source-backed problem set

Runner wrapper failure Public issue for Windows spawn npx ENOENT and cmd /c wrapper behavior. Config path mismatch Public issue for Claude Desktop MSIX path mismatch and silent no-tools behavior. MCP schema surface Official MCP schema reference for tools/list and tool input schema shape.