openai / openai/codex

Windows-native agent sandbox fails when workspace is on a WSL UNC path: `setup refresh had errors`

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app bug sandbox windows-os
Dominant language
Rust
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Description

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

26.915.31945

What subscription do you have?

Plus

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26100.0 x64

What issue are you seeing?
Description

Codex Desktop is configured with:

Agent Environment: Native Windows

The project files are stored inside WSL and opened from Windows via:

\\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu-24.04\home\user\project

When resuming or starting a task, the Windows sandbox attempts to apply Windows ACLs to the WSL UNC workspace and fails before the task starts.

The error shown by Codex is:

failed to load AGENTS.md instructions for environment 'local': fs sandbox helper failed with status exit code: 1: windows sandbox failed: helper_unknown_error: setup refresh had errors

Changing:

sandbox = "unelevated"

does not help.

Logs
write ACE check failed on \\?\UNC\wsl$\Ubuntu-24.04\home\user\project:
GetSecurityInfo failed ...: 1

granting write ACE ... for sandbox group and capability SID

write ACE grant failed on \\?\UNC\wsl$\Ubuntu-24.04\home\user\project:
GetSecurityInfo failed ...: 1

setup refresh completed with errors
setup error: setup refresh had errors
What steps can reproduce the bug?
Steps to reproduce
  1. Run Codex Desktop on Windows.
  2. Set Agent Environment to Native Windows.
  3. Open a project whose files are stored inside WSL, for example:
    \\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu-24.04\home\user\project
  4. Start or resume a Codex task.
  5. Sandbox initialization fails before the task starts.
What is the expected behavior?

No response

Additional information

No response

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the failure using the Windows-native agent with a workspace at the reported WSL UNC path, then trace the Windows sandbox setup refresh that emits the ACL and GetSecurityInfo errors. Done means sandbox initialization no longer aborts before a task starts for this workspace configuration, with the relevant behavior covered by a regression test if the project provides one.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
rust
Domain
operating-systems, security
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
42/100

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