[Windows Desktop][WSL] Enabling WSL agent environment makes app fail to start with "Operation not permitted (os error 1)"

Summary

Codex Desktop on Windows becomes unable to start after switching the Agent environment from Windows native to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

This is still reproducible on 2026-08-27.

The app shows this startup error:

ChatGPT failed to start.
(code=1, signal=null).
Most recent error: Operation not permitted (os error 1)

This appears very similar to #33212, but I am filing another report to confirm that the issue is still reproducible on a current installation.

Environment

• Product: Codex Desktop for Windows
• Host OS: Windows
• WSL: WSL2
• Linux distro: a normal Linux distro was installed/configured for WSL (not just the docker-desktop internal distro)
• Exact Codex Desktop version: unavailable at the moment because the app no longer starts

What happened

Initially, Codex Settings showed the Agent environment as Windows native. WSL detection also showed that docker-desktop was not a valid environment because /usr/bin/bash was missing.

I then installed/configured a proper WSL2 Linux distro and let Codex configure the WSL environment. After switching the Codex Agent environment to WSL, the desktop app stopped launching.

Steps to reproduce

1. Start Codex Desktop on Windows with Agent environment = Windows native.
2. Install/configure a normal WSL2 Linux distro.
3. In Codex Desktop, go to Settings → General → Agent environment.
4. Switch the environment from Windows native to WSL.
5. Restart Codex Desktop.
6. The app fails during startup with:

ChatGPT failed to start.
(code=1, signal=null).
Most recent error: Operation not permitted (os error 1)

Expected behavior

Codex Desktop should start normally and run the agent inside the selected WSL2 distro.

If the selected WSL environment is incompatible or initialization fails, the app should fall back safely or show an actionable error without making the entire desktop app unlaunchable.

Actual behavior

After enabling WSL mode, Codex Desktop can no longer reach the main UI, which also makes it impossible to switch the Agent environment back through Settings.

Additional notes

This looks identical or closely related to #33212 (Windows Desktop fails to start after enabling WSL ("Operation not permitted (os error 1)")). That issue is still open, and this report confirms the same failure is still occurring on 2026-08-27.

A screenshot of the startup dialog shows exactly:

ChatGPT failed to start.
(code=1, signal=null).
Most recent error: Operation not permitted (os error 1)

I can provide additional logs or WSL diagnostics if maintainers specify what would be most useful.

No source file or test is named. Start by reproducing the Windows Desktop to WSL environment switch from the listed steps, then inspect the startup failure and compare it with issue #33212; request the available logs or WSL diagnostics. Done means the app starts normally after selecting WSL, or safely recovers with an actionable error and a way to change the environment.