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codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix VS Code Codex extension frequently fails to resume conversations with stale path on Windows

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Error Message

When switching between Codex conversations in VS Code, resume often fails with a stale path error. Example error: Codex reports a stale path error and refuses to resume the conversation.

Code Example

cannot resume running thread 019e1ea4-8d87-7283-af06-3b68701929a9 with stale path: requested `C:\Users\zack\.codex\sessions\2026\05\13\rollout-2026-05-13T08-02-41-019e1ea4-8d87-7283-af06-3b68701929a9.jsonl`, active `\\?\C:\Users\zack\.codex\sessions\2026\05\13\rollout-2026-05-13T08-02-41-019e1ea4-8d87-7283-af06-3b68701929a9.jsonl`

---

C:\Users\zack\.codex\sessions\...

---

\\?\C:\Users\zack\.codex\sessions\...
RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

Environment

  • OS: Windows
  • IDE: VS Code
  • Codex extension: latest version
  • Workspace path: C:\Users\zack\Documents\Project1
  • Session directory: C:\Users\zack.codex\sessions\2026\05\13\

Problem

When switching between Codex conversations in VS Code, resume often fails with a stale path error.

Example error:

cannot resume running thread 019e1ea4-8d87-7283-af06-3b68701929a9 with stale path: requested `C:\Users\zack\.codex\sessions\2026\05\13\rollout-2026-05-13T08-02-41-019e1ea4-8d87-7283-af06-3b68701929a9.jsonl`, active `\\?\C:\Users\zack\.codex\sessions\2026\05\13\rollout-2026-05-13T08-02-41-019e1ea4-8d87-7283-af06-3b68701929a9.jsonl`

The requested path uses a normal Windows path:

C:\Users\zack\.codex\sessions\...

The active path uses an extended Windows path:

\\?\C:\Users\zack\.codex\sessions\...

Both paths point to the same .jsonl session file.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open a workspace in VS Code on Windows.
  2. Open the Codex extension.
  3. Use multiple Codex conversations in the same workspace.
  4. Switch back and forth between conversations.
  5. Sometimes Codex fails to resume the selected conversation.

Expected behavior

Codex should recognize that C:\... and \\?\C:\... refer to the same Windows path and resume the conversation normally.

Actual behavior

Codex reports a stale path error and refuses to resume the conversation.

Notes

  • The project folder was not moved or renamed.
  • The Codex extension is already updated to the latest version.
  • The session .jsonl file still exists on disk.
  • This happens frequently when switching between conversations inside VS Code.

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FAQ

Expected behavior

Codex should recognize that C:\... and \\?\C:\... refer to the same Windows path and resume the conversation normally.

#authentication setup#request error#file not found#serialization error#model compatibility

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