---
title: Why did my Brain lose every Codus tool after a restart?
question: Brain tools fail with connection refused after opening or restarting Codus on Windows
area: troubleshooting
surface: desktop
audience: beginner
keywords: ["Brain","tools","ECONNREFUSED","connection refused","6789","6790","port","restart","Windows","inbox","chat_say","MCP"]
related: [keeping-codus-updated,brain-could-not-approve-slack-action,windows-provider-switching]
updated: 2026-09-27
visibility: public
---

# Why did my Brain lose every Codus tool after a restart?

If your Brain suddenly cannot reach any Codus tool, keeps saying a connection was refused, and inbox reminders pile up that it cannot act on, update to Codus 0.2.192 or later. That version fixes the cause we reproduced on Windows. Update through **Settings → Updates**, then fully quit Codus, including from the system tray, and open it again.

## What was happening

Codus talks to your Brain and your project agents through a local connection on your computer, and it writes the address of that connection into each agent's folder when it starts. On Windows, opening Codus a second time while it was already running, for example from the Start menu or the taskbar, started a second copy instead of bringing the first one forward. That second copy could not use the usual address, took the next one, and wrote the new address into every agent's folder. When that second window was closed, the Codus you were actually using was still on the original address, but nothing pointed at it any more. The Brain then failed every tool call until someone repaired the file by hand.

From 0.2.192, opening Codus again simply brings the running window to the front. A restart also keeps the usual address whenever it can, and every Brain's folder is refreshed when Codus starts, so a Brain resumed after a restart always reads the right address.

## If it still happens after updating

1. Check **Settings → Updates** shows 0.2.192 or later.
2. Fully quit Codus, including from the system tray, and open it again. Make sure only one Codus window is open.
3. Restart the Brain from its panel so it reads its refreshed settings.

## Report a repeated failure

Send support the Codus version from **Settings → Updates**, whether more than one Codus window was open, and a screenshot of the Brain's error.