Windows elevated sandbox fails with "helper_unknown_error", while unelevated works
Open 💬 1 comment Opened Jul 13, 2026 by cidzanella
What version of Codex CLI is running?
0.144.3
What subscription do you have?
Plus
Which model were you using?
gpt-5.5
What platform is your computer?
Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64
What terminal emulator and version are you using (if applicable)?
PowerShell
Codex doctor report
codex doctor --json
{
"schemaVersion": 1,
"generatedAt": "1783968267s since unix epoch",
"overallStatus": "ok",
"codexVersion": "0.144.3",
"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\\cidza\\.codex\\app-server-control\\app-server-control.sock",
"daemon state dir": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\app-server-daemon",
"mode": "ephemeral",
"pid file": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\app-server.pid (missing)",
"settings": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\settings.json (missing)",
"status": "not running",
"update-loop pid file": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.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\\cidza\\.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\\cidza\\.codex",
"config.toml": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\config.toml",
"config.toml parse": "ok",
"cwd": "C:\\90z\\projects\\maestro-perdonato",
"enabled feature flags": "<redacted>",
"feature flag overrides": "none",
"feature flags enabled": "35",
"log dir": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\log",
"mcp servers": "1",
"model": "gpt-5.5",
"model provider": "openai",
"sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex"
},
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"durationMs": 0
},
"git.environment": {
"id": "git.environment",
"category": "git",
"status": "ok",
"summary": "git version 2.51.0.windows.1",
"details": {
".git entry": "directory",
"PATH git #1": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.exe",
"PATH git entries": "1",
"git branch": "main",
"git build options": "git version 2.51.0.windows.1; cpu: x86_64; built from commit: 4d21a77b98af5cf479d8b6f863c2aa94257cd4e1; sizeof-long: 4; sizeof-size_t: 8; shell-path: D:/git-sdk-64-build-installers/usr/bin/sh; feature: fsmonitor--daemon; libcurl: 8.15.0; OpenSSL: OpenSSL 3.2.4 11 Feb 2025; zlib: 1.3.1; 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 2.51.0.windows.1",
"repo detected": "true",
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"durationMs": 53
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"installation": {
"id": "installation",
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"status": "ok",
"summary": "installation looks consistent",
"details": {
"PATH codex #1": "C:\\nvm4w\\nodejs\\codex",
"PATH codex #2": "C:\\nvm4w\\nodejs\\codex.cmd",
"PATH codex entries": "2",
"current executable": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin\\codex.exe",
"install context": "npm (package C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
"managed by bun": "false",
"managed by npm": "true",
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"managed package root": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex",
"npm update target": "C:\\nvm4w\\nodejs\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex"
},
"remediation": null,
"durationMs": 3086
},
"mcp.config": {
"id": "mcp.config",
"category": "mcp",
"status": "ok",
"summary": "MCP configuration is locally consistent",
"details": {
"configured servers": "1",
"disabled servers": "0",
"stdio servers": "1"
},
"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": 124
},
"network.websocket_reachability": {
"id": "network.websocket_reachability",
"category": "websocket",
"status": "ok",
"summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
"details": {
"DNS": "2 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": 603
},
"runtime.provenance": {
"id": "runtime.provenance",
"category": "runtime",
"status": "ok",
"summary": "running npm on windows-x86_64",
"details": {
"commit": "unknown",
"current executable": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin\\codex.exe",
"install method": "npm (package C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
"platform": "windows-x86_64",
"version": "0.144.3"
},
"remediation": null,
"durationMs": 0
},
"runtime.search": {
"id": "runtime.search",
"category": "search",
"status": "ok",
"summary": "search is OK (bundled)",
"details": {
"search command": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\AppData\\Local\\nvm\\v22.15.0\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path\\rg.exe",
"search command readiness": "file exists",
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},
"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\\cidza\\.codex (dir)",
"active rollout files": "37 files, 118665737 total bytes, 3207182 average bytes",
"archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
"goals DB": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\goals_1.sqlite (file)",
"goals DB integrity": "ok",
"log DB": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\logs_2.sqlite (file)",
"log DB integrity": "ok",
"log dir": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\log (dir)",
"memories DB": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\memories_1.sqlite (file)",
"memories DB integrity": "ok",
"sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex (dir)",
"state DB": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\state_5.sqlite (file)",
"state DB integrity": "ok"
},
"remediation": null,
"durationMs": 571
},
"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",
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"rollout DB active rows": "37",
"rollout DB archive mismatches": "0",
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"rollout DB malformed file names": "0",
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"rollout DB model providers": "openai=37",
"rollout DB rows": "37",
"rollout DB scan cap reached": "false",
"rollout DB scan errors": "0",
"rollout DB sources": "cli=33, vscode=4",
"rollout DB stale rows": "0"
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"remediation": null,
"durationMs": 1187
},
"system.environment": {
"id": "system.environment",
"category": "system",
"status": "ok",
"summary": "OS language en-US",
"details": {
"EDITOR": "not set",
"VISUAL": "not set",
"os": "Windows 10.0.26200 (Windows 11 Core) [64-bit]",
"os language": "en-US",
"os type": "Windows",
"os version": "10.0.26200"
},
"remediation": null,
"durationMs": 0
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"terminal.env": {
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"details": {
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"terminal title project source": "git repo root",
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"remediation": null,
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"updates.status": {
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"summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
"details": {
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"check for update on startup": "true",
"last checked at": "2026-07-13T16:43:37.781577200Z",
"latest version": "0.144.3",
"latest version status": "current version is not older",
"npm update target": "C:\\nvm4w\\nodejs\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex",
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"version cache": "C:\\Users\\cidza\\.codex\\version.json"
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"remediation": null,
"durationMs": 1231
}
}
}What issue are you seeing?
Environment
- OS: Windows 11
- Codex CLI: 0.144.3
- Installed via npm
Problem
After upgrading to Codex CLI 0.144.3, the default Windows sandbox is no longer able to perform write operations inside my workspace.
The problem is reproducible and happens before the command is actually executed.
Reproduction
Start Codex with:
codex --sandbox workspace-write --ask-for-approval neverThen ask it to perform any simple write operation, for example:
Create file codex-write-test.txt in the repository root with the content "hello".Actual behavior
The operation fails immediately with:
windows sandbox: helper_unknown_error: setup refresh had errorsDuring previous attempts I also received:
missing field sandboxPolicyNo file is created.
The same happens when Codex tries to:
- apply_patch
- create files
- edit files
- delete files
Reading files and running git status still work normally.
Expected behavior
Codex should be able to create and modify files inside the workspace when using:
codex --sandbox workspace-write --ask-for-approval neverWorkaround
Starting Codex with:
codex -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" --sandbox workspace-write --ask-for-approval nevercompletely fixes the issue.
Using the unelevated sandbox I can:
- create files
- modify files
- delete files
- run builds
- continue normal development
Additional information
I initially suspected my repository, but I was able to isolate the issue.
The same repository:
- fails with the default elevated Windows sandbox;
- works correctly with the unelevated Windows sandbox.
I also verified that creating and modifying files outside the repository works, so the problem appears to be specific to the elevated Windows sandbox initialization.
This looks like a regression, because the same repository worked correctly before updating to Codex CLI 0.144.3.
What steps can reproduce the bug?
- On Windows 11, install Codex CLI 0.144.3.
- Open a PowerShell terminal.
- Navigate to any existing project directory.
cd C:\path\to\your\project- Start Codex:
codex --sandbox workspace-write --ask-for-approval never- Ask Codex to create a simple file:
Create file test.txt containing hello- The write operation fails before execution with:
windows sandbox: helper_unknown_error: setup refresh had errorsIn some attempts I also received:
missing field sandboxPolicy- Repeat the exact same test using:
codex -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" --sandbox workspace-write --ask-for-approval never- Ask again:
Create file test.txt containing helloThe operation succeeds normally.
This demonstrates that the problem is specific to the default elevated Windows sandbox, since the same workspace and the same write operation work correctly with windows.sandbox="unelevated".
What is the expected behavior?
_No response_
Additional information
_No response_
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