Windows: chat fails with "UNC paths are not supported. Defaulting to Windows directory." when using WSL paths #716

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1. Shivam8584 commented on Mar 12, 2026

   

   Shivam8584

   on Mar 12, 2026

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   Another +1 from Windows + WSL with the Codex provider specifically.

   Repro details from my setup:

   • Project opened from a WSL path like \\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\home\ubuntu\Projects
   • Codex CLI installed inside WSL and works there
   • The desktop app appears to launch the provider/version check through Windows cmd.exe instead of inside WSL

   Observed errors in the app:

   • Codex CLI is installed but failed to run. 'codex' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.\n- Codex CLI version check failed. \\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\home\ubuntu\Projects CMD.EXE was started with the above path as the current directory. UNC paths are not supported. Defaulting to Windows directory. The system cannot find the path specified.\n\nThis makes the current Windows app path/provider flow incompatible with WSL-hosted workspaces even when Codex itself is correctly installed in Linux.\n\nA robust fix would be first-class WSL execution support, or at minimum detecting WSL UNC workspaces and failing with a clear actionable message instead of attempting a Windows-side launch in a UNC cwd.
2. shivamhwp commented on Mar 24, 2026

   

   shivamhwp

   on Mar 24, 2026

   Collaborator

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   @Shivam8584 @MansGullberg , try the latest version of both codex and t3code and tell me if it's still happening. !!

   👀React with 👀1Reacted by Måns Gullberg
3. MansGullberg commented on Mar 28, 2026

   

   MansGullberg

   on Mar 28, 2026

   Last edited by MansGullberg

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   @shivamhwp @MansGullberg , try the latest version of both codex and t3code and tell me if it's still happening. !!

   Still happening. Codex app works fine, not T3 Code v 0.14
4. MansGullberg commented on Mar 29, 2026

   

   MansGullberg

   on Mar 29, 2026

   Author

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   @shivamhwp Found a hackable workaround for now in v 0.15:

   this file on desktop: codex-wsl.cmd:

   @echo off
   setlocal
   
   set "WSL_EXE=%SystemRoot%\System32\wsl.exe"
   set "WSL_DISTRO=Ubuntu"
   set "WSL_USER=redacted"
   set "CODEX_WSL_PATH=/mnt/c/Users/redacted/.codex/bin/wsl/codex"
   
   if not exist "%WSL_EXE%" (
       echo Failed to find wsl.exe at "%WSL_EXE%".
       exit /b 1
   )
   
   "%WSL_EXE%" -d %WSL_DISTRO% -u %WSL_USER% --shell-type login "%CODEX_WSL_PATH%" %*
   exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
   

   ---

   Codex binary path set in t3 code: C:\Users\redacted\Desktop\codex-wsl.cmd

   ---

   CODEX_HOME path set in t3 code: \wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\home\redacted.codex

   --

   Now the desktop app can authenticate and talk to Codex. However, checkpoint capture fails because the app appears to use Windows Git on the WSL UNC repo path, and Windows Git does not trust that repo by default. So I ran: git config --global --add safe.directory "*" in powershell and now all warnings are gone. 👍

   --

   Last problem, toggling terminal drawer fails because of UNC path and defaults back into windows as cmd. Would be nice to be able to select terminal preferences in the settings.
5. unwarlikepoodle

   added a commit that references this issue on Apr 23, 2026

   chore: save WSL research progress and update plan

   ...

   bd09db1
6. juliusmarminge

   closed this as completedon Jun 27, 2026