Windows desktop: node_repl MCP gets stuck with Transport closed after sandbox setup refresh failures

Summary

On Windows Codex desktop, node_repl MCP repeatedly becomes unusable. Calls to node_repl/js either fail with Transport closed or the kernel exits with windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh / stdout_eof. This blocks Chrome plugin and Computer Use plugin because both require node_repl bootstrap.

Environment

• OS: Windows
• Codex desktop package path observed: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_26.527.7698.0_x64__...
• Workspace path: redacted local Windows workspace
• Plugins involved: node_repl, chrome@openai-bundled, computer-use@openai-bundled

Impact

• node_repl cannot execute even a minimal JS snippet.
• Chrome plugin cannot bootstrap browser-client.
• Computer Use cannot bootstrap computer-use-client.mjs or call sky.list_apps().
• The user spent substantial time/tokens trying to diagnose and repair this from within Codex.

Reproduction / observed behavior

1. Call node_repl/js with minimal code:

``js
nodeRepl.write(JSON.stringify({ ok: true, cwd: nodeRepl.cwd }, null, 2));
``

1. Observed failure modes:

``text
node_repl kernel exited unexpectedly
node_repl diagnostics: {"kernel_status":"running","kernel_stderr_tail":"windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh","reason":"stdout_eof"}
`
or:
`text
tool call failed for node_repl/js
Caused by: Transport closed
``

1. Computer Use bootstrap fails immediately because it also runs through node_repl:

``js
const { setupComputerUseRuntime } = await import(".../computer-use-client.mjs");
await setupComputerUseRuntime({ globals: globalThis });
globalThis.apps = await sky.list_apps();
``

Local diagnostics

Sandbox log repeatedly shows AppData helper requiring elevation:

setup refresh: failed to spawn C:\Users\<redacted>\AppData\Local\OpenAI\Codex\bin\716dda49c14d31a0\codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe: requested operation requires elevation (os error 740)

When using the WindowsApps bundled helper, sandbox setup entries appear to complete, but the current MCP transport remains closed and does not recover in the same thread.

Related Chrome issue that was also observed

A Chrome launch error showed Electron trying to launch ...\resources\google-chrome as an app/module. Chrome itself was installed at:

C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

After creating/confirming the Chrome profile and native host, Chrome dry-run correctly resolved to chrome.exe, extension installed/enabled, native host manifest correct. However node_repl remained broken, still blocking Chrome/Computer Use plugin automation.

Expected behavior

• node_repl should recover or respawn cleanly after config/path corrections or after its child process exits.
• Sandbox setup should not use a helper path that requires UAC elevation in normal desktop plugin operation.
• Chrome and Computer Use plugins should surface a clearer actionable error if node_repl transport is dead.

Request

Please investigate the Windows desktop node_repl MCP lifecycle and sandbox setup helper path selection. This failure consumes user tokens/time because plugin recovery attempts cannot proceed once the transport is closed.