Summary

On Windows, openclaw node install registers a Scheduled Task ("OpenClaw Node") that launches node.cmd in a visible console window. Closing that window terminates the node host process, so the node disconnects from the gateway. This makes the "install as a background service" workflow unreliable / non-background.

Environment

• OpenClaw: 2026.2.3-1
• Platform: Windows (node host) + macOS gateway
• Install method: openclaw node install --host <gateway> --port 18789 (run from elevated terminal; non-elevated may fail schtasks create)
• Auth: gateway uses gateway.auth.mode=password

Steps to reproduce

1. On Windows, run openclaw node install --host <gateway-host> --port 18789.
2. A Scheduled Task named OpenClaw Node is created.
3. Run it (schtasks /Run /TN "OpenClaw Node") or log out/in to trigger ONLOGON.

Actual behavior

• A console window pops up (task appears to run in interactive mode).
• If user closes the window, the node process exits and disconnects.
• schtasks /Query /TN "OpenClaw Node" /FO LIST may show logon mode as interactive / interactive+background.

Expected behavior

• The node host should run in the background without spawning a visible console window (or at least not be tied to a window lifetime).
• Closing any UI should not terminate the node host.

Notes / hypothesis

It looks like the Scheduled Task is created with an interactive logon token (or via a .cmd wrapper), which causes a console to appear. A possible fix is to create the task to run non-interactively (no /IT), and/or use a non-console wrapper on Windows (e.g. PowerShell Start-Process -WindowStyle Hidden or a small shim) so the node host can run truly headless.