Windows Chrome plugin install leaves Native Messaging Host missing while extension is enabled

Summary

On Windows, the Codex Chrome plugin appears installed in Codex and the Codex Chrome Extension is installed/enabled in Chrome, but the Native Messaging Host is not created. As a result, Codex cannot communicate with Chrome. Reinstalling the Chrome plugin from Codex and reinstalling Codex Desktop did not restore the native host.

Environment

• OS: Windows
• Codex Desktop plugin: Chrome / control-chrome
• Chrome plugin cache version observed: 26.623.101652
• Chrome extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg
• Chrome extension version observed: 1.1.5_0
• Chrome profile: Default

What works

The Chrome extension check reports installed and enabled:

{
  "extensionId": "hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg",
  "selectedProfileDirectory": "Default",
  "installed": true,
  "enabled": true,
  "profiles": [
    {
      "profileDirectory": "Default",
      "installed": true,
      "registered": true,
      "enabled": true,
      "disabled": false,
      "versions": ["1.1.5_0"],
      "selected": true
    }
  ],
  "exitCode": 0
}

What fails

The native host check reports missing registry and manifest:

{
  "manifestPath": "C:\\Users\\Administrator\\AppData\\Local\\OpenAI\\extension\\com.openai.codexextension.json",
  "registryKey": "HKCU\\Software\\Google\\Chrome\\NativeMessagingHosts\\com.openai.codexextension",
  "registryManifestPath": null,
  "expectedHostName": "com.openai.codexextension",
  "expectedExtensionId": "hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg",
  "expectedOrigin": "chrome-extension://hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg/",
  "exists": false,
  "correct": false,
  "problem": "Windows native host registry key does not exist: HKCU\\Software\\Google\\Chrome\\NativeMessagingHosts\\com.openai.codexextension; Native host manifest does not exist: C:\\Users\\Administrator\\AppData\\Local\\OpenAI\\extension\\com.openai.codexextension.json"
}

When trying to use the Chrome plugin from Codex, browser setup / lightweight tab listing fails or times out, and one attempt returned:

Packaged browser documentation directory is missing.

Reproduction / actions attempted

1. Installed Chrome plugin from Codex plugin UI.
2. Confirmed Codex Chrome Extension exists and is enabled in Chrome.
3. Tried uninstalling/reinstalling the Chrome plugin from Codex UI; uninstall showed a Chinese toast equivalent to "plugin uninstall failed".
4. Fully exited Codex and Chrome.
5. Reopened Codex as administrator and reinstalled the Chrome plugin.
6. Reinstalled Codex Desktop.
7. Re-ran the extension and native host checks.

The extension remains installed/enabled, but the native host manifest and registry key are still absent.

Expected behavior

Installing or repairing the Codex Chrome plugin should create:

• C:\\Users\\Administrator\\AppData\\Local\\OpenAI\\extension\\com.openai.codexextension.json
• HKCU\\Software\\Google\\Chrome\\NativeMessagingHosts\\com.openai.codexextension

Then check-native-host-manifest.js --json should return correct: true, and Codex should be able to list/open Chrome tabs.

Actual behavior

Codex reports/behaves as if the Chrome plugin is installed, but Chrome control is unusable because the Native Messaging Host is missing. Reinstalling the plugin and Codex Desktop does not recreate it.

Impact

The user cannot use the Codex Chrome plugin for logged-in browser workflows such as searching Xiaohongshu from an existing Chrome session.