codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe not found by CLI setup after clean install due to bin junction

What version of Codex CLI is running?

codex-cli 0.142.5

What subscription do you have?

Enterprise

Which model were you using?

gpt-5.5

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.28000.0 x64

What terminal emulator and version are you using (if applicable)?

_No response_

Codex doctor report

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1782914399s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "ok",
  "codexVersion": "0.142.5",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\app-server-control\\app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\app-server-updater.pid (missing)"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "auth.credentials": {
      "id": "auth.credentials",
      "category": "auth",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "auth is configured",
      "details": {
        "auth file": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\auth.json",
        "auth storage mode": "File",
        "stored API key": "false",
        "stored ChatGPT tokens": "true",
        "stored agent identity": "false",
        "stored auth mode": "chatgpt"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "config.load": {
      "id": "config.load",
      "category": "config",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "config loaded",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex",
        "config.toml": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser",
        "enabled feature flags": "<redacted>",
        "feature flag overrides": "none",
        "feature flags enabled": "33",
        "log dir": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\log",
        "mcp servers": "0",
        "model": "<default>",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "git.environment": {
      "id": "git.environment",
      "category": "git",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "git executable not found",
      "details": {
        "PATH git entries": "0",
        "repo detected": "false",
        "selected git": "not found"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 5
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\OpenAI\\Codex\\bin\\codex.exe",
        "current executable": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\OpenAI\\Codex\\bin\\codex.exe",
        "install context": "standalone (windows, package C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
        "managed by bun": "false",
        "managed by npm": "false",
        "managed package root": "not set"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 75
    },
    "mcp.config": {
      "id": "mcp.config",
      "category": "mcp",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "no MCP servers configured",
      "details": {},
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.env": {
      "id": "network.env",
      "category": "network",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "network-related environment looks readable",
      "details": {
        "proxy env vars": "none"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.provider_reachability": {
      "id": "network.provider_reachability",
      "category": "reachability",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "active provider endpoints are reachable over HTTP",
      "details": {
        "ChatGPT base URL": "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/ reachable (HTTP 403)",
        "reachability mode": "ChatGPT auth"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 102
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "2 IPv4, 2 IPv6, first IPv4",
        "auth mode": "chatgpt",
        "connect timeout": "15000 ms",
        "endpoint": "wss://chatgpt.com/backend-api/<redacted>",
        "handshake result": "HTTP 101 Switching Protocols",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "models etag present": "true",
        "provider name": "OpenAI",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "reasoning header": "false",
        "server model present": "false",
        "supports websockets": "true",
        "wire API": "responses"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 568
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running standalone on windows-x86_64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\OpenAI\\Codex\\bin\\codex.exe",
        "install method": "standalone (windows, package C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
        "platform": "windows-x86_64",
        "version": "0.142.5"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (bundled)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path\\rg.exe",
        "search command readiness": "file exists",
        "search provider": "bundled"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "sandbox.helpers": {
      "id": "sandbox.helpers",
      "category": "sandbox",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sandbox configuration is readable",
      "details": {
        "approval policy": "OnRequest",
        "codex-linux-sandbox helper": "none",
        "execve wrapper helper": "none",
        "filesystem sandbox": "restricted",
        "network sandbox": "restricted"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "state.paths": {
      "id": "state.paths",
      "category": "state",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "state paths and databases are inspectable",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\log (missing)",
        "memories DB": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\memories_1.sqlite (file)",
        "memories DB integrity": "ok",
        "sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex (dir)",
        "standalone release cache": "1 entries in C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases",
        "state DB": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 102
    },
    "state.rollout_db_parity": {
      "id": "state.rollout_db_parity",
      "category": "threads",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "rollout files and state DB thread inventory agree",
      "details": {
        "default model provider": "openai",
        "rollout DB active files": "0",
        "rollout DB active rows": "0",
        "rollout DB archive mismatches": "0",
        "rollout DB archived files": "0",
        "rollout DB archived rows": "0",
        "rollout DB duplicate DB paths": "0",
        "rollout DB duplicate rollout thread ids": "0",
        "rollout DB malformed file names": "0",
        "rollout DB missing active rows": "0",
        "rollout DB missing archived rows": "0",
        "rollout DB model providers": "none",
        "rollout DB rows": "0",
        "rollout DB scan cap reached": "false",
        "rollout DB scan errors": "0",
        "rollout DB sources": "none",
        "rollout DB stale rows": "0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 8
    },
    "system.environment": {
      "id": "system.environment",
      "category": "system",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "OS language en-US",
      "details": {
        "EDITOR": "not set",
        "VISUAL": "not set",
        "os": "Windows 10.0.28000 (Windows 11 Professional) [64-bit]",
        "os language": "en-US",
        "os type": "Windows",
        "os version": "10.0.28000"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "WT_SESSION": "present",
        "color output": "enabled",
        "console input code page": "437",
        "console output code page": "437",
        "stderr console mode": "0x00000007 (VT processing: true)",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout console mode": "0x00000007 (VT processing: true)",
        "stdout is terminal": "true",
        "terminal": "Windows Terminal",
        "terminal size": "120x30"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 2
    },
    "terminal.title": {
      "id": "terminal.title",
      "category": "title",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal title default",
      "details": {
        "terminal title activity": "true",
        "terminal title items": "activity, project-name",
        "terminal title project source": "cwd",
        "terminal title project value": "vboxuser",
        "terminal title source": "default"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
      "id": "updates.status",
      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.142.5",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-07-01T13:59:15.103243600Z",
        "latest version": "0.142.5",
        "latest version status": "current version is not older",
        "update action": "standalone installer",
        "version cache": "C:\\Users\\vboxuser\\.codex\\version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 287
    }
  }
}

What issue are you seeing?

During setup of Codex CLI on a clean Windows virtual machine, the elevated sandbox setup fails with the following error dialog:

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
Windows cannot find 'codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe

What steps can reproduce the bug?

On a clean virtual computer with only Windows 11 installed:

1. Open a Terminal window with a PowerShell session
2. Run $env:CODEX_NON_INTERACTIVE=1; irm https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.ps1 | iex

==> Installing Codex CLI
==> Detected platform: Windows (x64)
==> Resolved version: 0.142.5
==> Downloading Codex CLI
==> PATH updated for future PowerShell sessions.
==> Current PowerShell session: codex
==> Future PowerShell windows: open a new PowerShell window and run: codex
Codex CLI 0.142.5 installed successfully.

1. Run codex, sign in with ChatGPT, and trust the current directory. It asks about setting up the Codex agent sandbox:

  Set up the Codex agent sandbox to protect your files and control network access. Learn more
  <https://developers.openai.com/codex/windows>

› 1. Set up default sandbox (requires Administrator permissions)
  2. Use non-admin sandbox (higher risk if prompt injected)
  3. Quit

1. Choose the first option to run the elevated sandbox setup.
2. Note that you get an error dialog:

<img width="418" height="100" alt="codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
Windows cannot find 'codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again." src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/f34749b6-f361-4ac7-b387-b3665a47c181" />

1. Retrying shows the same error. Instead choose Quit and reset the virtual machine.
2. Perform steps 1–4 again but this time launch & "$env:userprofile\.codex\packages\standalone\releases\0.142.5-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\bin\codex" instead of plain codex.
3. Note that now you correctly get a UAC prompt and the elevated sandbox is set up.

What is the expected behavior?

The elevated sandbox should be set up correctly when running the Codex CLI through the codex binary on the PATH.

Additional information

It seems like the issue is related to the junction at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\OpenAI\Codex\bin (which is on the PATH) and to how codex tries to look up and/or run the codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe file. Possibly a regression from 9d1bf00 that introduced the junction or 61aae56 that centralized the lookup for executables.

Either way, the helper_materialization.bundled_executable_path_for_exe function seems to assume that the executable can be found as a sibling to the current executable or inside a codex-resources directory next to the current executable or its bin parent. This is not true when the path to codex.exe is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\OpenAI\Codex\bin\codex.exe.

A possible fix would be make the junction point to the whole package instead of just bin, either making Codex the junction (to keep the path the same) or creating a new package junction instead of bin and put ...\package\bin on the PATH instead.