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Windows Desktop: node_repl/in-app browser fails with windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh after reinstall #25012
Description
Summary
Codex Desktop on Windows cannot start node_repl, which also prevents the in-app browser automation from connecting. Every node_repl invocation exits immediately with:
node_repl kernel exited unexpectedly
node_repl diagnostics: {"kernel_status":"running","kernel_stderr_tail":"windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh","reason":"stdout_eof","stream_error":null}
This persists after fully uninstalling Codex, rebooting Windows, reinstalling Codex, and resetting ~/.codex/config.toml.
Environment
- OS: Windows
- Codex Desktop package path/version observed:
OpenAI.Codex_26.519.11010.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0 - Browser plugin cache observed:
openai-bundled/browser/26.519.81530 node_repl.exepath observed:%LOCALAPPDATA%/OpenAI/Codex/bin/3c238e29bbc930ff/node_repl.execodex.exepath observed:%LOCALAPPDATA%/OpenAI/Codex/bin/958d608b5e0546a5/codex.exe
Impact
mcp__node_repl__.jsfails even for a minimal script like:
nodeRepl.write(JSON.stringify({ ok: true }));- Because the Browser skill depends on
node_repl, the in-app browser cannot be inspected or controlled. - Ordinary PowerShell/shell commands still work.
Reproduction / observed sequence
- Open Codex Desktop on Windows.
- Open the in-app browser to a simple page such as
https://www.google.com/. - Invoke
node_replthrough the Codex tool layer with a minimal script. - The kernel exits immediately with:
windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh
reason: stdout_eof
Troubleshooting already attempted
- Restarted Windows.
- Fully quit Codex and reopened it.
- Uninstalled Codex, rebooted, reinstalled Codex.
- Renamed/reset
~/.codex/config.toml; Codex regenerated the config. - Confirmed
node_repl.exe --helpruns successfully from PowerShell, so the binary itself is present and executable. - Confirmed normal shell commands run successfully under Codex.
- Confirmed the regenerated config includes:
[windows]
sandbox = "elevated"- Temporarily tested whether adding
--disable-sandboxto[mcp_servers.node_repl].argsinconfig.tomlwould help, but the actualnode_repl.exeprocess command line did not include that argument, so the Desktop app appears not to pass that config value to the managednode_replserver. The change was reverted.
Additional diagnostic notes
- A shell tool call later surfaced another sandbox-related Windows error:
windows sandbox: CreateProcessWithLogonW failed: 5
~/.codex/.sandbox/sandbox.logshows ordinary sandbox setup calls completing successfully for PowerShell commands, so the failure seems specific to thenode_replstartup path rather than all sandboxed commands.
Expected behavior
node_repl should start successfully, and the in-app browser should be accessible through the Browser skill.
Actual behavior
node_repl exits immediately with windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh, making in-app browser automation unavailable.
Activity
LWB-0524 commentedon May 30, 2026
the same issue
dbdavis4484 commentedon May 31, 2026
I am seeing the same failure on Windows Codex Desktop.
Environment:
OpenAI.Codex 26.527.3686.0Profile 6%LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.jsonFailure:
Minimal reproduction:
That fails before any Chrome/browser automation code runs, so this appears to be the Codex local
node_repl/ Windows sandbox startup path rather than Chrome itself.Troubleshooting already tried:
windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refreshImpact:
node_replare unavailableKeesan12 commentedon Jun 5, 2026
ryancom16 commentedon Jun 6, 2026
Adding a cross-reference to a confirmed Windows workaround and pasteable prompt: #25419 (comment)
Summary: this can be a Windows sandbox/setup-refresh problem below Chrome, not a Chrome extension/native-host problem. In one Codex Desktop repro,
node_replfailed before any Chrome code ran because the AppDatacodex-windows-sandbox-setup.exehelper failed withos error 740. Adding a per-user AppCompatRUNASINVOKERentry for the exact failing helper path restorednode_repl, in-app Browser, and Chrome extension backend control while keeping[windows] sandbox = "elevated".The linked comment includes caveats and a prompt users can give Codex so it first verifies the exact
os error 740evidence and asks for explicit approval before making the registry change.djm41534-bot commentedon Jun 8, 2026
Codex Desktop for Windows Browser/node_repl helper fails after cache quarantine and full reinstall.
Main error:
windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh
Fresh log shows:
The requested operation requires elevation. (os error 740)
Main Codex shell works, codex doctor is green, but node_repl/Browser helper fails before code runs.
codex-node-repl-post-quarantine-support-payload.md
iceweasel-oai commentedon Jun 12, 2026
this is now fixed