Windows desktop app fails to open after Store updates because cua_node staging is missing node_repl.exe

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

26.901.5003.0

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Pro 5x ($100/month)

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows 10.0.26200.9168, x64

What issue are you seeing?

The ChatGPT/Codex Windows desktop app repeatedly fails to display its window after Microsoft Store updates.

Multiple ChatGPT.exe processes start and report Responding: True, but every process has an empty MainWindowTitle and no visible application window appears.

Each failed launch creates a new directory under:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenAI\Codex\runtimes\cua_node.staging--

The staging directory is incomplete because the following file is consistently missing:

bin\node_repl.exe

The packaged source file does exist under the installed MSIX package:

C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex__x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0\app\resources\cua_node\bin\node_repl.exe

The desktop log stops immediately after the application starts:

info Launching app agentRunId=null allowDebugMenu=false allowDevtools=false allowInspectElement=false buildFlavor=prod enableSparkle=false enableUpdater=false nodeEnv=undefined packaged=true platform=win32

info Appshot hotkey inactive configured=true enabled=false platform=win32

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Feedback ID: no-active-thread-01a0721e-011f-7312-bcf4-5c3d003cda74

What is the expected behavior?

The Windows desktop app should successfully extract or copy the complete cua_node runtime after installation or an update.

The final runtime directory should be created automatically with bin\node_repl.exe present, and the application window should open normally without requiring manual file copying or staging-directory renaming.

Additional information

Feedback ID: no-active-thread-01a0721e-011f-7312-bcf4-5c3d003cda74

1. Install or receive an update to the ChatGPT/Codex Windows desktop app through Microsoft Store.

2. Launch ChatGPT from the Windows Start menu.

3. Several ChatGPT.exe processes start, but no application window appears.

4. Each launch creates a new .staging-* directory under:
   %LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenAI\Codex\runtimes\cua_node

5. The new staging directory is missing:
   bin\node_repl.exe

6. Restarting Windows or terminating and relaunching ChatGPT does not resolve the issue.

7. Copying the complete packaged resources\cua_node directory into the latest staging directory with xcopy /G, then renaming it to the final runtime ID, allows the app to open.

The problem has reproduced across multiple desktop versions:

• 26.825.6671.0
• 26.901.2854.0
• 26.901.5003.0

It has also reproduced with multiple cua_node runtime IDs:

• 415ffebf3d576e9b
• 8e7585fc8f35ed57
• 6a86821985684e13

Current Codex CLI version: 0.153.2

The configured CODEX_CLI_PATH points to an existing and working codex.exe. Get-AppxPackage OpenAI.Codex reports package status Ok.

CODEX_SPARKLE_ENABLED is set to false, but Microsoft Store can still update the MSIX package. The failure returns whenever a desktop update introduces a new cua_node runtime ID.

The workaround requires the /G option of xcopy. This may indicate that the MSIX-packaged executable is encrypted or protected in a way that the application's runtime extraction code is not handling correctly.

No user conversations, authentication files, or configuration files were deleted during troubleshooting.

Start by reproducing a Microsoft Store update and inspecting the runtime directories under %LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenAI\Codex\runtimes, comparing the incomplete cua_node.staging-* directory with the packaged app\resources\cua_node directory. Trace the Windows runtime extraction or copy path using the launch log as the starting point. Done means the final runtime contains bin\node_repl.exe and the desktop window opens after an update without manual copying or renaming.