You signed in with another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.You signed out in another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.You switched accounts on another tab or window. Reload to refresh your session.Dismiss alert
The issue was caused by the config.toml file inside the .codex folder.
First, completely close the chatgpt app using task manager. then go to the folder where Codex is installed, open the .codex folder, and find the config.toml file.
Rename it to something like: config.toml.old
Then open the chatgpt app again. It will automatically create a new config.toml file, and everything should work.
This is the safest option. Do not delete the entire .codex folder, as you could lose your backups or other saved data.
Reacted by Jacek, Suhas S, あだす, H0mAUnm, samgeter, qpzm02, Tyler Westbrook, Updeus, Franz Badenhorst, Ahmed Hossam and 12 more
Reacted by emitas, Ian Costa and NotoriousPyro
Reacted by Franz Badenhorst, Ahmed Hossam and dvon24
On Sat, 11 Jul 2026, 21:06 Tayyab, ***@***.***> wrote:
*tayyab910629* left a comment (openai/codex#32248)
<#32248 (comment)>
Fixed! 👍
The issue was caused by the config.toml file inside the .codex folder.
First, completely close the chatgpt app using task manager. then go to the
folder where Codex is installed, open the .codex folder, and find the
config.toml file.
Rename it to something like: config.toml.old
Then open the chatgpt app again. It will automatically create a new
config.toml file, and everything should work.
This is the safest option. Do not delete the entire .codex folder, as you
could lose your backups or other saved data.
—
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub
<#32248?email_source=notifications&email_token=AKBIWEHGS7BSRGGML2XEBRT5EJ6ZPA5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTIOJUHAZDCNJUGY42M4TFMFZW63VHMNXW23LFNZ2KKZLWMVXHJLDGN5XXIZLSL5RWY2LDNM#issuecomment-4948215469>,
or unsubscribe
<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AKBIWEHKDQWOYWIQ362XDBD5EJ6ZPAVCNFSNUABFKJSXA33TNF2G64TZHM4TMNJUGE2TMNBZHNEXG43VMU5TIOBVHAYDMMJQGA42C5QC>
.
You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID:
***@***.***>
I've discovered another critical root cause for the "Finish Windows setup" hang (where the UAC prompt never triggers) that is related to authentication rather than Windows privileges or system features.
The Underlying Issue
If your user session has expired or the OAuth refresh token has been revoked, the desktop app fails to fetch the cloud configuration bundle (cloudConfigBundle) during startup:
failed to load configuration: Your access token could not be refreshed because your refresh token was revoked. Please log out and sign in again.
This causes the backend windowsSandbox/setupStart call to fail with a 401 Unauthorized / Auth error. Instead of displaying a prompt to log out and log in again, the Desktop UI incorrectly routes this error to the "Finish Windows setup" gate, making it appear as a permissions/sandbox setup failure.
The Fix / Workaround
To break the loop and force the app to show the login screen:
Close the ChatGPT/Codex Desktop application completely.
Open File Explorer and navigate to your user profile directory: %USERPROFILE%\.codex (usually C:\Users\<username>\.codex).
Locate the file named auth.json.
Rename auth.json to auth.json.bak (or delete it).
Relaunch the ChatGPT/Codex app.
The app will now detect that no login session exists, skip the sandboxing gate, and successfully route you to the Sign In screen. Once you log back in, a fresh OAuth session will be established, and the app will open normally.
Reacted by Tayyab Rasheed
Reacted by Ian Costa, Louis Deur, Jabulani Sangu, HMR and Ruvic
The issue was caused by the config.toml file inside the .codex folder.
First, completely close the chatgpt app using task manager. then go to the folder where Codex is installed, open the .codex folder, and find the config.toml file.
Rename it to something like: config.toml.old
Then open the chatgpt app again. It will automatically create a new config.toml file, and everything should work.
This is the safest option. Do not delete the entire .codex folder, as you could lose your backups or other saved data.
Just had that happen to me. It was a malformed config as others have mentioned.
Possible fix would be to try to reparse it. Workaround could include forcing a new config while backing up the old one (obv done by the app automatically)
I was able to fix this issue with a permissions workaround, with help from ChatGPT.
My symptoms
ChatGPT Desktop was installed from the Microsoft Store.
When I clicked the Windows setup / permission step, the UAC modal eventually appeared and I could approve it.
However, after approving the UAC prompt, ChatGPT still showed:
Windows setup didn’t finish
Running ChatGPT as Administrator did not fix it.
Renaming config.toml did not fix it.
The usual non-Store folders like %LOCALAPPDATA%\ChatGPT, %APPDATA%\ChatGPT, and %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\ChatGPT did not exist on my system.
What fixed it
I closed ChatGPT completely, then opened PowerShell as Administrator and ran this:
taskkill /IM ChatGPT.exe/F 2>$null
taskkill /IM codex.exe/F 2>$null$me="$env:USERDOMAIN\$env:USERNAME"$codex=Join-Path$env:USERPROFILE".codex"$sandbox=Join-Path$codex".sandbox"$marker=Join-Path$sandbox"setup_marker.json"New-Item-ItemType Directory -Force $codex|Out-Null
icacls $codex/inheritance:e
icacls $codex/grant "${me}:(OI)(CI)F"/T /C
if (Test-Path$marker) {
icacls $marker/grant "${me}:F"Write-Host"setup_marker.json permission fixed"
} else {
Write-Host"setup_marker.json not found yet; retry setup once in ChatGPT, then run this command again if it still fails."
}
In my case the output included something like:
Successfully processed 10184 files; Failed processing 0 files
processed file: C:\Users\USERNAME.codex.sandbox\setup_marker.json
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files
setup_marker.json permission fixed
After that, I opened ChatGPT normally, not as Administrator, approved the Windows permission prompt again, and the setup completed successfully. The error disappeared.
So in my case, the issue seems to have been caused by incorrect permissions on the .codex folder and/or the .codex.sandbox\setup_marker.json file.
Reacted by HMR, Fatih Muhamad Ridho, Yuexiao Ma, Nihal156, AnubhavSikdar, Carl Xu, Tran Tuan Anh and Neoniq
Reacted by Ian Costa
Reacted by Michael Curtis, nol-n, Shariar Hasan Emon, Fatih Muhamad Ridho and Yuexiao Ma
if (Test-Path $marker) {
icacls $marker /grant "${me}:F"
Write-Host "setup_marker.json permission fixed"
} else {
Write-Host "setup_marker.json not found yet; retry setup once in ChatGPT, then run this command again if it still fails."
}
In my case the output included something like: Successfully processed 10184 files; Failed processing 0 files processed file: C:\Users\USERNAME.codex.sandbox\setup_marker.json Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files setup_marker.json permission fixed
After that, I opened ChatGPT normally, not as Administrator, approved the Windows permission prompt again, and the setup completed successfully. The error disappeared.
So in my case, the issue seems to have been caused by incorrect permissions on the .codex folder and/or the .codex.sandbox\setup_marker.json file.
Thanks! Spent an hour trying to fix this. Other fixes do not work - this one did!
Do not manually delete random folders from AppData, Program Files, or .codex.
6. Sign out and sign back in
If you can reach account settings:
Sign out
Close ChatGPT completely
Restart Windows
Open ChatGPT
Sign in again
Retry setup
If you can't reach sign-in, continue.
7. Check Kaspersky reports
Immediately after reproducing the failure:
Open Kaspersky → Timeline / Reports / Security Reports
Look for entries matching:
ChatGPT
Codex
OpenAI
node.exe
sandbox
blocked
denied
restricted
terminated
Record:
Executable path
Detection reason
Kaspersky component
Action taken
Don't create broad exclusions unless Kaspersky identifies the exact legitimate executable being blocked.
8. Briefly test with Kaspersky paused
Only do this if:
ChatGPT was installed from an official source.
Windows identifies the publisher as OpenAI LLC.
Close ChatGPT.
Pause Kaspersky for the shortest available time.
Open ChatGPT.
Retry setup.
Immediately re-enable protection.
Interpretation:
✅ Works only while paused → Kaspersky is likely interfering.
❌ Same failure → Kaspersky probably isn't the cause.
✅ UAC appears only while paused → Kaspersky may be blocking the setup helper.
Don't exclude the entire .codex folder.
9. Check Windows Security Protection History
Open:
Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Protection history
Look for events involving:
ChatGPT
Codex
OpenAI
SmartScreen
Controlled Folder Access
Potentially unwanted apps
Quarantined or blocked files
Verify the publisher before allowing anything.
10. Check Event Viewer
Open:
eventvwr.msc
Retry setup to generate a fresh event.
Inspect:
Applications and Services Logs
└─ Microsoft
└─ Windows
├─ AppLocker
│ ├─ EXE and DLL
│ ├─ MSI and Script
│ └─ Packaged app-Execution
└─ CodeIntegrity
└─ Operational
Look for warnings or errors created at the exact failure time.
11. Update Windows
Open:
Settings → Windows Update
Install all available:
Security updates
Cumulative updates
Microsoft Store-related updates
Restart Windows even if not prompted.
Retry setup.
12. Repair Windows system files
Run an elevated Windows Terminal:
sfc /scannow
Then:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Restart Windows.
Run one more time:
sfc /scannow
Retry setup.
13. Reinstall ChatGPT
Back up:
%USERPROFILE%\.codex\config.toml
Uninstall ChatGPT.
Restart Windows.
Run:
wsreset.exe
Install ChatGPT again from the Microsoft Store.
Launch it before restoring the old configuration.
Restore custom settings manually one section at a time.
14. Restore the original configuration (optional)
If the new configuration causes another issue:
Close ChatGPT.
Open:
%USERPROFILE%\.codex
Rename:
config.toml
to:
config.toml.new
Rename:
config.toml.backup
back to:
config.toml
Reopen the app.
Restoring the old file may also restore the original setup loop.
Recommended troubleshooting order
Close all ChatGPT/Codex processes.
Rename config.toml → config.toml.backup.
Retry setup.
Validate the old TOML with:
npx @openai/codex resume
Terminate → Repair → Reset the app.
Run wsreset.exe.
Update Microsoft Store, App Installer, ChatGPT, and Windows.
Clear safe temporary files.
Sign out and back in.
Check Kaspersky reports.
Test briefly with Kaspersky paused.
Check Windows Security Protection History.
Check AppLocker and CodeIntegrity logs.
Run SFC and DISM.
Reinstall ChatGPT.
Result from this case
Renaming:
%USERPROFILE%\.codex\config.toml
to:
config.toml.backup
allowed the app to generate a clean configuration and complete startup.
This suggests that a malformed, stale, or incompatible config.toml can be surfaced by the desktop app as a generic "Finish Windows setup" or sandbox failure rather than a configuration error.
if (Test-Path $marker) {
icacls $marker /grant "${me}:F"
Write-Host "setup_marker.json permission fixed"
} else {
Write-Host "setup_marker.json not found yet; retry setup once in ChatGPT, then run this command again if it still fails."
}
In my case the output included something like: Successfully processed 10184 files; Failed processing 0 files processed file: C:\Users\USERNAME.codex.sandbox\setup_marker.json Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files setup_marker.json permission fixed
After that, I opened ChatGPT normally, not as Administrator, approved the Windows permission prompt again, and the setup completed successfully. The error disappeared.
So in my case, the issue seems to have been caused by incorrect permissions on the .codex folder and/or the .codex.sandbox\setup_marker.json file.
If config.toml rename does not work for you then this will work 100%
Workaround found on Windows 11 build 26200 with Codex 26.721.4979.0:
Codex was stuck on “Finish Windows setup.” Clicking the button immediately failed without displaying the real UAC permission prompt.
Before finding the workaround, I tried:
Restarting Windows
Running Codex as administrator
Uninstalling and reinstalling Codex
Resetting the app
Changing the Windows UAC notification level
Confirming that UAC worked normally with Windows Terminal
Checking the Microsoft Store for updates through Winget
Confirming that I already had the latest Codex version
What finally worked:
I opened the Microsoft Store, navigated directly to the Codex store page, and clicked “Open.” Codex launched from the Store and successfully completed the Windows setup.
I then launched the app normally, without running it as Administrator. The application initialized successfully and the Windows setup loop was gone.
Notes
Reinstalling the Microsoft Store package alone was not sufficient because the two directories above remained.
This workaround does not delete data; it only renames the directories.
Users should back up .codex first.
Old state databases, .codex-global-state.json, *-wal, and *-shm files should not immediately be restored.
Configuration, sessions, rules, skills, and other user data can be restored selectively after confirming that the clean app starts correctly.
It may be useful for the app to detect malformed local state after an unexpected shutdown and automatically fall back to a clean state instead of blocking on the Windows setup screen.
I also encountered this issue after letting codex to manipulate the ~/.codex/config.toml files on windows. I changed the config file from BOM form to non-BOM form and solved it.
The issue was caused by the config.toml file inside the .codex folder.
First, completely close the chatgpt app using task manager. then go to the folder where Codex is installed, open the .codex folder, and find the config.toml file.
Rename it to something like: config.toml.old
Then open the chatgpt app again. It will automatically create a new config.toml file, and everything should work.
This is the safest option. Do not delete the entire .codex folder, as you could lose your backups or other saved data.
btw, make sure you turn off the codex app not just the chatgpt vscode extension.
if you leave codex app on background, it wont work.
(AI told me it could be related to ACL thing, which i had experience with in other issue.)
I’m encountering a similar Codex Windows setup blocker, with additional sandbox diagnostics. The app repeatedly shows “Finish Windows setup to continue” → “Windows setup didn’t finish”; clicking Continue/Retry fails immediately without a UAC approval prompt. Sending an agent message fails with “Unable to send message — Update Agent sandbox to continue,” including when no project is selected.
Environment
Windows 10 Pro, build 19045, x64
Codex Windows AppX package OpenAI.Codex, version 26.917.8451.0
Workspace on an NTFS A: drive; failure also occurs without selecting that workspace
Troubleshooting and evidence
Windows app Repair did not resolve it.
Both local accounts CodexSandboxOffline and CodexSandboxOnline exist and are enabled.
%USERPROFILE%\.codex\.sandbox\setup_marker.json exists, version 5; the signed-in account has Full Control. Marker lists empty read_roots and write_roots.
Sandbox logs have shown SetNamedSecurityInfoW failed: 5 (Access denied) when granting workspace write permissions on A:. Adjusting ownership of the affected workspace subdirectory did not resolve the app-wide blocker.
Other log entries repeatedly report junction: failed to create C:\Users\Default\.codex\.sandbox\cwd: Access is denied. (os error 5) and hide users: failed to hide current user profile dir (C:\Users\Default): SetFileAttributesW failed ... 5 (Access is denied.). I have not modified Windows’ Default profile permissions.
Later sandbox-helper log entries report processed 0 write roots (read roots delegated); errors=[], so it is unclear whether the earlier access-denied errors cause the current setup blocker.
After another failed Retry, no matching recent Windows Application Event Log entries or recent .log/.txt files in the app’s package data directory were found.
Expected: Windows sandbox setup completes and agents can execute commands.
Actual: setup stays blocked and agent messages cannot be sent.
Is there a supported way to collect the current setup failure diagnostics or recover the Windows sandbox initialization without resetting Codex data or changing permissions on C:\Users\Default?
Activity
github-actions commentedon Jul 10, 2026
Potential duplicates detected. Please review them and close your issue if it is a duplicate.
Powered by Codex Action
tayyab910629 commentedon Jul 11, 2026
anordroberts commentedon Jul 11, 2026
I have the same issue too
tayyab910629 commentedon Jul 11, 2026
Fixed! 👍
The issue was caused by the
config.tomlfile inside the.codexfolder.First, completely close the chatgpt app using task manager. then go to the folder where Codex is installed, open the
.codexfolder, and find theconfig.tomlfile.Rename it to something like:
config.toml.oldThen open the chatgpt app again. It will automatically create a new
config.tomlfile, and everything should work.This is the safest option. Do not delete the entire .codex folder, as you could lose your backups or other saved data.
anordroberts commentedon Jul 11, 2026
heinerborle commentedon Jul 16, 2026
I've discovered another critical root cause for the "Finish Windows setup" hang (where the UAC prompt never triggers) that is related to authentication rather than Windows privileges or system features.
The Underlying Issue
If your user session has expired or the OAuth refresh token has been revoked, the desktop app fails to fetch the cloud configuration bundle (
cloudConfigBundle) during startup:This causes the backend
windowsSandbox/setupStartcall to fail with a401 Unauthorized/Autherror. Instead of displaying a prompt to log out and log in again, the Desktop UI incorrectly routes this error to the "Finish Windows setup" gate, making it appear as a permissions/sandbox setup failure.The Fix / Workaround
To break the loop and force the app to show the login screen:
%USERPROFILE%\.codex(usuallyC:\Users\<username>\.codex).auth.json.auth.jsontoauth.json.bak(or delete it).The app will now detect that no login session exists, skip the sandboxing gate, and successfully route you to the Sign In screen. Once you log back in, a fresh OAuth session will be established, and the app will open normally.
AhmedHossamFCI commentedon Jul 17, 2026
Thank u u save my life
tajemniktv commentedon Jul 17, 2026
Just had that happen to me. It was a malformed config as others have mentioned.
Possible fix would be to try to reparse it. Workaround could include forcing a new config while backing up the old one (obv done by the app automatically)
mahmood98j commentedon Jul 19, 2026
I was able to fix this issue with a permissions workaround, with help from ChatGPT.
My symptoms
config.tomldid not fix it.%LOCALAPPDATA%\ChatGPT,%APPDATA%\ChatGPT, and%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\ChatGPTdid not exist on my system.What fixed it
I closed ChatGPT completely, then opened PowerShell as Administrator and ran this:
In my case the output included something like:
Successfully processed 10184 files; Failed processing 0 files
processed file: C:\Users\USERNAME.codex.sandbox\setup_marker.json
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files
setup_marker.json permission fixed
After that, I opened ChatGPT normally, not as Administrator, approved the Windows permission prompt again, and the setup completed successfully. The error disappeared.
So in my case, the issue seems to have been caused by incorrect permissions on the .codex folder and/or the .codex.sandbox\setup_marker.json file.
nol-n commentedon Jul 25, 2026
Thanks! Spent an hour trying to fix this. Other fixes do not work - this one did!
ard12 commentedon Jul 27, 2026
ChatGPT/Codex Windows: "Finish Windows setup" Troubleshooting
Symptom
The Windows desktop app is stuck on Finish Windows setup.
Common behavior:
Work through the steps below in order. Stop as soon as the app starts working.
1. Close ChatGPT/Codex completely
Ctrl+Shift+Esc).2. Back up and reset
config.toml(main fix)Press Win + R and open:
Find:
Rename it to:
Reopen ChatGPT/Codex.
Click Try Windows setup again.
If Windows displays a UAC prompt and the publisher is OpenAI LLC, approve it.
The app should generate a fresh
config.toml.If this fixes the problem
Keep
config.toml.backupfor now.Don't immediately copy the old file back.
Instead:
Optional: Diagnose the old file
If you have Node.js installed:
A malformed TOML file may report the exact line and column.
Check for:
[projects.'...']entriesExample:
Correct only the malformed lines whenever possible.
3. Terminate, Repair, and Reset the Windows app
Open:
Settings → Apps → Installed apps → ChatGPT → Advanced options
Test after each step.
After Reset:
4. Clear the Microsoft Store cache
Close ChatGPT and Microsoft Store.
Press Win + R and run:
A blank command window may appear.
When Microsoft Store opens:
Library → Get updates
Update:
Restart Windows and retry setup.
5. Clear safe Windows temporary files
Open:
Settings → System → Storage → Temporary files
Generally safe to remove:
Be careful with:
Restart Windows afterward.
6. Sign out and sign back in
If you can reach account settings:
If you can't reach sign-in, continue.
7. Check Kaspersky reports
Immediately after reproducing the failure:
Open Kaspersky → Timeline / Reports / Security Reports
Look for entries matching:
Record:
8. Briefly test with Kaspersky paused
Only do this if:
Interpretation:
9. Check Windows Security Protection History
Open:
Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Protection history
Look for events involving:
Verify the publisher before allowing anything.
10. Check Event Viewer
Open:
Retry setup to generate a fresh event.
Inspect:
Look for warnings or errors created at the exact failure time.
11. Update Windows
Open:
Settings → Windows Update
Install all available:
Restart Windows even if not prompted.
Retry setup.
12. Repair Windows system files
Run an elevated Windows Terminal:
sfc /scannowThen:
Restart Windows.
Run one more time:
sfc /scannowRetry setup.
13. Reinstall ChatGPT
Back up:
Uninstall ChatGPT.
Restart Windows.
Run:
Install ChatGPT again from the Microsoft Store.
Launch it before restoring the old configuration.
Restore custom settings manually one section at a time.
14. Restore the original configuration (optional)
If the new configuration causes another issue:
Close ChatGPT.
Open:
Rename:
to:
Rename:
back to:
Reopen the app.
Recommended troubleshooting order
Close all ChatGPT/Codex processes.
Rename
config.toml→config.toml.backup.Retry setup.
Validate the old TOML with:
Terminate → Repair → Reset the app.
Run
wsreset.exe.Update Microsoft Store, App Installer, ChatGPT, and Windows.
Clear safe temporary files.
Sign out and back in.
Check Kaspersky reports.
Test briefly with Kaspersky paused.
Check Windows Security Protection History.
Check AppLocker and CodeIntegrity logs.
Run
SFCandDISM.Reinstall ChatGPT.
Result from this case
Renaming:
to:
allowed the app to generate a clean configuration and complete startup.
This suggests that a malformed, stale, or incompatible
config.tomlcan be surfaced by the desktop app as a generic "Finish Windows setup" or sandbox failure rather than a configuration error.hasemon commentedon Jul 27, 2026
If config.toml rename does not work for you then this will work 100%
mikedunlap1 commentedon Jul 28, 2026
Workaround found on Windows 11 build 26200 with Codex 26.721.4979.0:
Codex was stuck on “Finish Windows setup.” Clicking the button immediately failed without displaying the real UAC permission prompt.
Before finding the workaround, I tried:
What finally worked:
I opened the Microsoft Store, navigated directly to the Codex store page, and clicked “Open.” Codex launched from the Store and successfully completed the Windows setup.
Well good luck y'all.
Ornn8 commentedon Jul 30, 2026
I encountered the same “Complete Windows setup” loop on Windows x64.
Environment
OpenAI.Codex 26.721.11231.0What happened
Codex was working normally shortly before the issue. My PC then had an unexpected restart while the app was running.
After that:
EnableLUA=1,ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin=5,PromptOnSecureDesktop=1).%USERPROFILE%\.codex\.codex-global-state.jsonwas malformed and could not be parsed as JSON.config.toml, rebuilding only.codex-global-state.json, and switching between elevated/unelevated sandbox modes did not fix my case.Workaround that fixed it
First, I backed up
%USERPROFILE%\.codex.Then I completely closed ChatGPT/Codex and isolated both the Codex user-state directory and the old local runtime directory:
After that I went to:
Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps → ChatGPT → Advanced options → ResetI then launched the app normally, without running it as Administrator. The application initialized successfully and the Windows setup loop was gone.
Notes
.codexfirst..codex-global-state.json,*-wal, and*-shmfiles should not immediately be restored.It may be useful for the app to detect malformed local state after an unexpected shutdown and automatically fall back to a clean state instead of blocking on the Windows setup screen.
t04dJ14n9 commentedon Aug 4, 2026
I also encountered this issue after letting codex to manipulate the ~/.codex/config.toml files on windows. I changed the config file from BOM form to non-BOM form and solved it.
soaringonline-dev commentedon Aug 17, 2026
删掉config文件
Norlandz commentedon Sep 11, 2026
btw, make sure you turn off the codex app not just the chatgpt vscode extension.
if you leave codex app on background, it wont work.
(AI told me it could be related to ACL thing, which i had experience with in other issue.)
bartisvibin commentedon Sep 23, 2026
I’m encountering a similar Codex Windows setup blocker, with additional sandbox diagnostics. The app repeatedly shows “Finish Windows setup to continue” → “Windows setup didn’t finish”; clicking Continue/Retry fails immediately without a UAC approval prompt. Sending an agent message fails with “Unable to send message — Update Agent sandbox to continue,” including when no project is selected.
Environment
OpenAI.Codex, version26.917.8451.0Troubleshooting and evidence
CodexSandboxOfflineandCodexSandboxOnlineexist and are enabled.%USERPROFILE%\.codex\.sandbox\setup_marker.jsonexists, version 5; the signed-in account has Full Control. Marker lists emptyread_rootsandwrite_roots.SetNamedSecurityInfoW failed: 5 (Access denied)when granting workspace write permissions on A:. Adjusting ownership of the affected workspace subdirectory did not resolve the app-wide blocker.junction: failed to create C:\Users\Default\.codex\.sandbox\cwd: Access is denied. (os error 5)andhide users: failed to hide current user profile dir (C:\Users\Default): SetFileAttributesW failed ... 5 (Access is denied.). I have not modified Windows’ Default profile permissions.processed 0 write roots (read roots delegated); errors=[], so it is unclear whether the earlier access-denied errors cause the current setup blocker.Expected: Windows sandbox setup completes and agents can execute commands.
Actual: setup stays blocked and agent messages cannot be sent.
Is there a supported way to collect the current setup failure diagnostics or recover the Windows sandbox initialization without resetting Codex data or changing permissions on
C:\Users\Default?NotoriousPyro commentedon Oct 9, 2026
I fixed mine, codex couldn't connect to any browser tabs or anything after an update today.
To fix it I did this: