[Windows][Desktop] Local Work fix is invalidated by app/plugin updates because cua_repl cwd is stored in versioned plugin cache #48534

Summary

Local Work inside an existing ChatGPT Project fails on Windows with:

Could not use this project for a local chat

and desktop logs show:

ChatGPT project context sync failed ... stage=filesystem ... projectSaveCount=0

The underlying helper-working-directory lock is already documented in #44736. This report adds a repeated longitudinal observation: the known working-directory workaround restores Local Work successfully, but subsequent Codex/ChatGPT Desktop updates recreate the versioned unified-computer-use plugin cache without the custom cua_repl.cwd. The same filesystem failure then returns.

In this environment, the workaround has restored Local Work approximately four separate times, and the bug has returned after updating the desktop app/plugin.

Related:

• Windows: ChatGPT project prewarming locks local mirrors; startup erases node_repl cwd workaround #44736 — diagnosed project-mirror lock and working workaround
• Windows ChatGPT Work: “Could not use this project for a local chat” — project context sync repeatedly fails at filesystem stage #42215 — project context sync repeatedly fails at filesystem stage
• Recurring Windows desktop folder locks prevent local Work chats #48471 — recent report of recurring Windows desktop folder locks

Environment

• Windows x64
• ChatGPT / Codex Windows Desktop
• Initial captured package while diagnosing: OpenAI.Codex_26.915.4065.0
• Captured unified-computer-use plugin version at that time: 26.915.31945
• Local project mirrors:
  C:\Users\<user>\.codex\.chatgpt-projects\<project-id>

The same symptom has recurred after multiple later desktop/plugin updates.

Reproduction

1. Use a ChatGPT Project with Work → Local on Windows.
2. Attempt to create a new local Work chat.
3. The UI reports:
   Could not use this project for a local chat.
4. Desktop logs contain:
   ChatGPT project context sync failed ... stage=filesystem ... projectSaveCount=0.
5. Process inspection shows node_repl.exe and the computer-use/CUA helper running.
6. Apply stable working directories for both helpers as described below.
7. Restart the app and create a new Local Work chat.
8. The workflow works again.
9. Install a later ChatGPT/Codex Desktop update.
10. A new versioned directory appears under:
    %USERPROFILE%\.codex\plugins\cache\openai-bundled\unified-computer-use\<new-version>\
11. The new .mcp.json has no cwd for mcpServers.cua_repl.
12. The original Local Work failure returns.
13. Reapplying the cua_repl.cwd patch to the newest plugin manifest restores the workflow again.

This cycle has been observed repeatedly.

Confirmed working workaround

1. Keep node_repl outside the synchronized project mirror

Create a stable directory such as:

C:\Users\<user>\Documents\Codex\mcp\server-workdirs\node_repl

Use a shared project config at:

C:\Users\<user>\.codex\.chatgpt-projects\.codex\config.toml

with:

[mcp_servers.node_repl]
cwd = 'C:\Users\<user>\Documents\Codex\mcp\server-workdirs\node_repl'

Create:

C:\Users\<user>\.codex\.chatgpt-projects\.chatgpt-projects-root

and make the shared project config discoverable/trusted in the user's global config:

project_root_markers = [".git", ".chatgpt-projects-root"]

[projects.'c:\users\<user>\.codex\.chatgpt-projects']
trust_level = 'trusted'

This is required because the desktop may regenerate/replace the normal global mcp_servers.node_repl table.

2. Keep cua_repl outside the synchronized project mirror

Create a stable directory such as:

C:\Users\<user>\Documents\Codex\mcp\server-workdirs\cua_repl

Patch the newest:

%USERPROFILE%\.codex\plugins\cache\openai-bundled\unified-computer-use\<version>\.mcp.json

so that:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cua_repl": {
      "...": "...",
      "cwd": "C:\\Users\\<user>\\Documents\\Codex\\mcp\\server-workdirs\\cua_repl"
    }
  }
}

After terminating stale helper processes and restarting the desktop app, new Local Work chats can be created normally again.

Evidence from the failing state

A captured failing session repeatedly logged:

2026-09-21T14:42:04.922Z error [electron-message-handler]
ChatGPT project context sync failed
fileOrdinal=null
projectSaveCount=0
sourceCount=0
stage=filesystem
status=null
syncFileCount=0

At the same time, the active process tree included:

codex.exe
codex-computer-use-swift.exe
node_repl.exe
node_repl.exe

The plugin manifest before applying the workaround contained a configured cua_repl server but no cwd.

After adding the stable CUA working directory, verification showed:

cwd     : C:\Users\<user>\Documents\Codex\mcp\server-workdirs\cua_repl
enabled : True

and the user confirmed that Local Work started working again.

Update-specific regression

The key additional observation is that the CUA workaround is not durable across app/plugin updates.

unified-computer-use is stored under a versioned cache directory. A desktop update installs a new versioned directory with a newly generated .mcp.json. The previous patched manifest remains in the old version directory, while the newly active manifest again lacks cua_repl.cwd.

Therefore a desktop update can reliably recreate the original project-mirror lock even though the user had already repaired the configuration.

Expected behavior

• Built-in helpers should never use a synchronized ChatGPT Project mirror as their current working directory when the desktop needs to rename/replace that mirror.
• The app should assign safe stable working directories to node_repl, cua_repl, and other built-in helpers itself.
• Supported helper working-directory settings should survive app startup and plugin/app updates.
• Updating the desktop app should not reintroduce a previously repaired Local Work failure.
• Project synchronization should tolerate or avoid its own background helper processes on Windows.

Suggested permanent fix

Prefer an application-owned solution rather than requiring user config surgery:

1. Give all built-in helper processes a stable app-managed cwd outside .chatgpt-projects.
2. Do not regenerate node_repl / CUA configuration in a way that loses a valid supported cwd override.
3. When installing a new unified-computer-use version, preserve or regenerate the safe cwd automatically.
4. Add Windows regression coverage:
   • new Local Work chat in an existing ChatGPT Project;
   • node_repl and CUA active;
   • successive Local Work chats;
   • app restart;
   • desktop/plugin update to a new versioned cache directory.

The current workaround is effective, but it should not need to be re-applied after every update.