Prolonged execution and difficulty completing implementation

What version of Codex CLI is running?

codex-cli 0.153.4

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT pro

Which model were you using?

gpt6 astra

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

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

Orca Ide

Codex doctor report

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1788999755s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "warning",
  "codexVersion": "0.153.4",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\app-server-control\\app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\app-server-daemon\\settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.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\\ricar\\.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\\ricar\\.codex",
        "config.toml": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "C:\\Users\\ricar",
        "enabled feature flags": "<redacted>",
        "feature flag overrides": "none",
        "feature flags enabled": "48",
        "log dir": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\log",
        "mcp servers": "1",
        "model": "gpt-6-astra",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "desktop.app.version": {
      "id": "desktop.app.version",
      "category": "desktop",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "the desktop application is installed",
      "details": {
        "log directory": "$HOME\\AppData\\Local\\Codex/Logs",
        "running": "false",
        "version": "26.903.8094.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "desktop.app_server.handshake": {
      "id": "desktop.app_server.handshake",
      "category": "desktop",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "the desktop application is not running",
      "details": {},
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "desktop.security.enforcement": {
      "id": "desktop.security.enforcement",
      "category": "desktop",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "no locally visible recent Codex security enforcement was found",
      "details": {},
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "git.environment": {
      "id": "git.environment",
      "category": "git",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "git version 2.53.0.windows.1",
      "details": {
        "PATH git #1": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.exe",
        "PATH git entries": "1",
        "git build options": "git version 2.53.0.windows.1; cpu: x86_64; built from commit: a5512bdee37ed7142c233d21e2d347ffc4860ff3; 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: 8.18.0; OpenSSL: OpenSSL 3.5.5 27 Jan 2026; 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 2.53.0.windows.1",
        "repo detected": "false",
        "selected git": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\cmd\\git.exe"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 91
    },
    "git.worktree.dev_drive": {
      "id": "git.worktree.dev_drive",
      "category": "git",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "no Git worktree is active",
      "details": {},
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\codex",
        "PATH codex #2": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\codex.cmd",
        "PATH codex entries": "2",
        "current executable": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\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\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
        "managed by Vite+": "false",
        "managed by bun": "false",
        "managed by npm": "true",
        "managed by pnpm": "false",
        "managed package root": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex",
        "npm update target": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 353
    },
    "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": {
        "managed proxy": "not configured",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "respect system proxy": "disabled"
      },
      "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 inference URL": "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/<redacted> reachable (HTTP 405)",
        "desktop assets CDN": "https://persistent.oaistatic.com/codex-app-prod/<redacted> reachable (HTTP 200)",
        "reachability mode": "ChatGPT auth"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 150
    },
    "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",
        "provider name": "OpenAI",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "reasoning header": "false",
        "server model present": "false",
        "supports websockets": "true",
        "wire API": "responses"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 677
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running npm on windows-x86_64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\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\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc, bin C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\bin, resources C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-resources, path C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex-win32-x64\\vendor\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\codex-path)",
        "platform": "windows-x86_64",
        "version": "0.153.4"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (bundled)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\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",
        "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",
        "denied-read restrictions": "false",
        "execve wrapper helper": "none",
        "filesystem sandbox": "restricted",
        "network sandbox": "restricted",
        "sandbox backend": "elevated",
        "sandbox provisioning": "complete"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 2
    },
    "security.endpoint": {
      "id": "security.endpoint",
      "category": "security",
      "status": "warning",
      "summary": "endpoint protection detected; Codex exclusions are unverified",
      "details": {
        "Codex exclusions": "not verified",
        "endpoint products": "Microsoft Defender",
        "exclusion targets": "signed Codex app; codex.exe; codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe; codex-command-runner.exe; codex-code-mode-host.exe"
      },
      "issues": [
        {
          "severity": "warning",
          "cause": "Microsoft Defender can interfere with Codex. Verify Codex exclusions.",
          "measured": "not verified",
          "expected": "Codex application and helper exclusions",
          "remedy": "Microsoft Defender: Add a certificate or executable-path exclusion for Codex and its helpers. If Attack Surface Reduction blocks Codex, add a rule exclusion. If Controlled Folder Access blocks Codex, allow the app.",
          "fields": [
            "Codex exclusions"
          ]
        }
      ],
      "remediation": "ask your security administrator to verify Codex exclusions and required helper allowances",
      "durationMs": 20
    },
    "state.paths": {
      "id": "state.paths",
      "category": "state",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "state paths and databases are inspectable",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "80 files, 302471124 total bytes, 3780889 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\log (missing)",
        "memories DB": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\memories_1.sqlite (file)",
        "memories DB integrity": "ok",
        "queue DB": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\queue_1.sqlite (file)",
        "queue DB integrity": "ok",
        "sqlite home": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex (dir)",
        "state DB": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok",
        "thread history DB": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\thread_history_1.sqlite (file)",
        "thread history DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 759
    },
    "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": "80",
        "rollout DB active rows": "80",
        "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=80",
        "rollout DB rows": "80",
        "rollout DB scan cap reached": "false",
        "rollout DB scan errors": "0",
        "rollout DB sources": "subagent:thread_spawn=35, cli=27, vscode=12, subagent:other=6",
        "rollout DB stale rows": "0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 199
    },
    "system.disk": {
      "id": "system.disk",
      "category": "disk",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sufficient free disk space (438.1 GiB)",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME available": "438.1 GiB",
        "failure threshold": "1.0 GiB",
        "warning threshold": "5.0 GiB",
        "worktree available": "438.1 GiB"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "system.environment": {
      "id": "system.environment",
      "category": "system",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "OS language pt-BR",
      "details": {
        "EDITOR": "not set",
        "VISUAL": "not set",
        "os": "Windows 10.0.26200 (Windows 11 Professional) [64-bit]",
        "os language": "pt-BR",
        "os type": "Windows",
        "os version": "10.0.26200"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "WT_SESSION": "present",
        "color output": "enabled",
        "console input code page": "437",
        "console output code page": "437",
        "stderr console mode": "0x00000007 (VT processing: true)",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout console mode": "0x00000007 (VT processing: true)",
        "stdout is terminal": "true",
        "terminal": "Windows Terminal",
        "terminal size": "112x31"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "terminal.title": {
      "id": "terminal.title",
      "category": "title",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal title default",
      "details": {
        "terminal title activity": "true",
        "terminal title items": "activity, project-name",
        "terminal title project source": "cwd",
        "terminal title project value": "ricar",
        "terminal title source": "default"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
      "id": "updates.status",
      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.153.4",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-09-05T23:57:58.513270Z",
        "latest version": "0.154.0",
        "latest version status": "newer version is available",
        "npm update target": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@openai\\codex",
        "update action": "npm install -g @openai/codex",
        "version cache": "C:\\Users\\ricar\\.codex\\version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 779
    }
  }
}

What issue are you seeing?

The agent gets stuck in prolonged execution loops, opening new work fronts without stabilizing deliverables. It repeatedly reports an arbitrary ~60% progress without verifiable metrics, leaves pending validations and a compilation error upon halting, and makes it impossible to determine if actual progress is being made.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

During a pre-planned implementation, the agent entered successive cycles of changes and testing, opening new fronts without stabilizing a final deliverable.

I requested progress updates multiple times. The agent repeatedly provided a rough estimate of ~60%, without offering any verifiable metrics or clearly defining the remaining scope of work.

After my explicit request to halt, an inspection revealed changes made after the last tested version, pending validations, and a compilation error in the codebase.

This behavior made it difficult to determine whether execution was actually progressing or how much work remained, creating the impression of a hang or an indefinite loop.

Please investigate the handling of long-running tasks, loop detection, status request responses, and task completion criteria. Expected behavior includes reporting verifiable progress, explicitly communicating scope changes, and stabilizing intermediate steps before expanding the scope of work.

What is the expected behavior?

No response

Additional information

No response

Start by reproducing the prolonged execution on Windows with Codex CLI 0.153.4 in Orca IDE, then inspect the Codex doctor report, especially the Microsoft Defender exclusion warning. The issue names no source files or tests; done requires identifying reproducible steps and confirming that implementation can complete normally.