Windows unelevated sandbox fails because runtime adds split writable roots for workspace and special temp directories

What version of Codex CLI is running?

codex-cli 0.144.1

What subscription do you have?

Pro Lite

Which model were you using?

gpt-5.6-terra medium

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

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

Windows Terminal (PowerShell)

Codex doctor report

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1783692190s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "ok",
  "codexVersion": "0.144.1",
  "checks": {
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      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\app-server-control\\app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.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 env vars present": "OPENAI_API_KEY",
        "auth file": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.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\\Pello\\.codex",
        "config.toml": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "C:\\data\\javascript\\verzeta\\openai-agents",
        "enabled feature flags": "<redacted>",
        "feature flag overrides": "memories=true, fast_mode=false",
        "feature flags enabled": "35",
        "log dir": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\log",
        "mcp servers": "0",
        "model": "gpt-5.6-terra",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "git.environment": {
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      "category": "git",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "git version 2.54.0.windows.1",
      "details": {
        ".git entry": "directory",
        "PATH git #1": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.exe",
        "PATH git entries": "1",
        "git branch": "master",
        "git build options": "git version 2.54.0.windows.1; cpu: x86_64; built from commit: 2b8a3ab140826ac423c2845ef81d4c6ac4f7bf3c; sizeof-long: 4; sizeof-size_t: 8; shell-path: D:/git-sdk-64-build-installers/usr/bin/sh; rust: disabled; feature: fsmonitor--daemon; gettext: enabled; libcurl: 8.19.0; OpenSSL: OpenSSL 3.5.6 7 Apr 2026; zlib: 1.3.2; SHA-1: SHA1_DC; SHA-256: SHA256_BLK; default-ref-format: files; default-hash: sha1",
        "git exec path": "C:/Program Files/Git/mingw64/libexec/git-core",
        "git version": "git version 2.54.0.windows.1",
        "repo detected": "true",
        "repo root": "C:\\data\\javascript\\verzeta\\openai-agents",
        "selected git": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.exe"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 41
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\OpenAI\\Codex\\bin\\codex.exe",
        "current executable": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\OpenAI\\Codex\\bin\\codex.exe",
        "install context": "standalone (windows, package C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
        "managed by bun": "false",
        "managed by npm": "false",
        "managed by pnpm": "false",
        "managed package root": "not set"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 29
    },
    "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": {
        "openai API base URL": "https://api.openai.com/v1 reachable (HTTP 404)",
        "openai API route probe": "https://api.openai.com/v1/<redacted> route exists (HTTP 401)",
        "reachability mode": "API key auth"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 2069
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "1 IPv4, 0 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": 1324
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running standalone on windows-x86_64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\OpenAI\\Codex\\bin\\codex.exe",
        "install method": "standalone (windows, package C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
        "platform": "windows-x86_64",
        "version": "0.144.1"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (bundled)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases\\0.144.1-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\\Pello\\.codex (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "67 files, 109021207 total bytes, 1627182 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\log (dir)",
        "memories DB": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\memories_1.sqlite (file)",
        "memories DB integrity": "ok",
        "sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex (dir)",
        "standalone release cache": "3 entries in C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\packages\\standalone\\releases",
        "state DB": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 2133
    },
    "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": "67",
        "rollout DB active rows": "67",
        "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": "openai=67",
        "rollout DB rows": "67",
        "rollout DB scan cap reached": "false",
        "rollout DB scan errors": "0",
        "rollout DB sources": "cli=61, subagent:thread_spawn=4, subagent:other=1, subagent:review=1",
        "rollout DB stale rows": "0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 671
    },
    "system.environment": {
      "id": "system.environment",
      "category": "system",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "OS language zh-CN",
      "details": {
        "EDITOR": "not set",
        "VISUAL": "not set",
        "os": "Windows 10.0.26200 (Windows 11 Core) [64-bit]",
        "os language": "zh-CN",
        "os type": "Windows",
        "os version": "10.0.26200"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "terminal.env": {
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      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "color output": "enabled",
        "console input code page": "936",
        "console output code page": "936",
        "stderr console mode": "0x00000007 (VT processing: true)",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout console mode": "0x00000007 (VT processing: true)",
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        "terminal": "unknown",
        "terminal size": "209x51"
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      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
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    "terminal.title": {
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      "category": "title",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal title default",
      "details": {
        "terminal title activity": "true",
        "terminal title items": "activity, project-name",
        "terminal title project source": "git repo root",
        "terminal title project value": "openai-agents",
        "terminal title source": "default"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
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      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.144.1",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-07-10T13:17:59.192452700Z",
        "latest version": "0.144.1",
        "latest version status": "current version is not older",
        "update action": "standalone installer",
        "version cache": "C:\\Users\\Pello\\.codex\\version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 2243
    }
  }
}

What issue are you seeing?

On Codex CLI v0.144.1 for Windows, apply_patch fails in workspace-write mode when using the unelevated Windows sandbox.

The error is:

  failed to prepare fs sandbox:
  failed to prepare windows sandbox wrapper:
  windows unelevated restricted-token sandbox cannot enforce split writable root sets directly;
  refusing to run unsandboxed

There are no user-configured writable_roots. The split writable roots are added automatically by the Codex runtime and include the workspace plus special temporary-directory roots.

Changing TEMP and TMP to a directory inside the workspace does not resolve the issue.

User configuration:

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"

There is no [sandbox_workspace_write] section and no writable_roots setting.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Configure Codex with:

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"

1. Start Codex CLI v0.144.1 in a normal Windows project directory.

1. Ask Codex to modify an existing file using apply_patch.

1. Observe that apply_patch fails before changing the file.

What is the expected behavior?

_No response_

Additional information

Codex reports:

windows unelevated restricted-token sandbox cannot enforce split writable root sets directly

Runtime diagnostics show these writable roots:

C:\data\javascript\verzeta\openai-agents
:special slash_tmp
:special tmpdir

The concrete temporary directory initially resolved as:

C:\Users\Pello\AppData\Local\Temp

The workspace and system temporary directory are not nested.

No writable roots are added by:

• C:\Users\Pello\.codex\config.toml
• a project-level .codex/config.toml
• Git worktrees
• skills
• hooks
• Git configuration

The .agents and .codex directories are additional read-only ranges, not writable roots.