Windows Codex Computer Use fails during startup with helper_unknown_error: apply deny-read ACLs

What version of the Codex App are you using (From “About Codex” dialog)?

26.901.31953

What subscription do you have?

Pro Lite

What platform is your computer?

No response

What issue are you seeing?

Environment:

• Windows desktop
• ChatGPT desktop app with Codex
• Computer Use enabled
• Microsoft Edge installed
• ChatGPT browser extension installed
• The extension is allowed to access the target website
• The target is a normal HTTPS web application

Problem:
Codex Computer Use cannot initialize on Windows. The helper process exits before any browser or desktop action is executed.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app.
2. Enable Computer Use.
3. Open the target web page in Microsoft Edge.
4. Allow the ChatGPT extension to access the current website.
5. Ask Codex to inspect or control the browser.
6. Try to initialize the Computer Use or Node runtime.

Expected behavior:
The helper starts successfully and returns the current browser/window state, allowing Codex to inspect the page and perform approved clicks or text input.

Actual behavior:
The helper exits immediately during Windows sandbox initialization. No browser state is returned, and no click, typing, or page inspection is performed.

Observed errors:
helper_unknown_error: apply deny-read ACLs

windows sandbox failed:
helper_unknown_error: apply deny-read ACLs

trusted Node process exited unexpectedly
node_repl kernel exited unexpectedly

The same failure also prevents command execution from starting in the task environment.

Additional observations:

• Browser site permission is already enabled.
• The ChatGPT browser extension is installed and allowed on the target site.
• Reauthorizing the website does not change the error.
• Restarting the computer or task environment does not reliably resolve it.
• This does not appear to be a YouTube OAuth problem or an application code problem.
• The failure occurs before the actual browser action begins.
• No source files were modified because the execution helper failed before repository inspection.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Steps to reproduce

1. On Windows, open the ChatGPT desktop app with Codex enabled.
2. Use ChatGPT desktop app version 26.901.31953.
3. Enable Computer Use.
4. Open a normal HTTPS test page in Microsoft Edge.
5. Install and enable the ChatGPT browser extension.
6. Allow the extension to access the current website.
7. Ask Codex to inspect or control the current browser page.
8. The Computer Use helper exits before returning any browser or window state.
9. Trying to initialize the Node runtime or execute a command in the same task produces the same failure.

Expected behavior

The Computer Use helper should start successfully and return the current browser or window state, allowing Codex to inspect the page and perform approved actions.

Actual behavior

The helper exits during Windows sandbox initialization, before any browser action is executed. No page inspection, click, typing, or window state is returned.

Observed errors

helper_unknown_error: apply deny-read ACLs

windows sandbox failed:
helper_unknown_error: apply deny-read ACLs

trusted Node process exited unexpectedly

node_repl kernel exited unexpectedly

Environment

• OS: Windows (please add the exact Windows version)
• ChatGPT desktop app / Codex & OWL version: 26.901.31953
• Computer Use: enabled
• Microsoft Edge: ChatGPT extension installed
• Website permission: allowed for the current site
• Codex CLI installed separately: 0.153.2
• Restarting the computer and retrying did not resolve the issue
• Token/context usage: no per-task context-window value was available; the account usage dashboard showed approximately 29% weekly Codex usage when tested
• Session ID: omitted from this public issue for privacy

Impact

This prevents Codex from reliably inspecting or controlling the browser and also prevents repository commands from starting in the affected task environment. The failure occurs before the actual website or application code is accessed.

What is the expected behavior?

No response

Additional information

No response

Start by reproducing the Windows sandbox initialization failure described in the issue, focusing on the apply deny-read ACLs error before browser or repository actions begin. The payload names no source files or tests; done means identifying the Windows-specific cause and confirming that the helper, Node runtime, and command execution start successfully.