codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Windows Codex Desktop: Browser control / node_repl fails with "windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh"; config changes are overwritten on restart

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

codex-cli 0.133.0

What subscription do you have?

pro5x

What platform is your computer?

No response

What issue are you seeing?

Environment:

• Windows
• Codex Desktop
• codex-cli 0.133.0
• Browser plugin: openai-bundled browser / chrome plugin installed
• In-app browser can open pages, but agent cannot control it

Problem: Browser control fails before navigation. Even a minimal node_repl test crashes.

Error: node_repl kernel exited unexpectedly windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh reason: stdout_eof

What I tried:

1. Restarted Codex Desktop.
2. Reinstalled / re-enabled Browser plugin.
3. Installed Codex browser extension in Edge.
4. Verified node_repl.exe, node.exe, and codex.exe exist and run:
   • node_repl.exe --help works
   • node.exe --version returns v24.14.0
   • codex.exe --version returns codex-cli 0.133.0
5. Edited C:\Users\50530.codex\config.toml: js_repl = true args = ["--disable-sandbox"]

Observed: After restarting Codex, config.toml is automatically rewritten back to: js_repl = false args = []

Also:

• Native messaging manifest exists: C:\Users\50530\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json
• But Chrome/Edge NativeMessagingHosts registry entries are missing.

Expected: Codex Browser plugin should be able to control the in-app browser, or node_repl should start successfully with --disable-sandbox if Windows sandbox startup fails.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Environment:

• Windows
• Codex Desktop
• codex-cli 0.133.0
• Browser plugin: openai-bundled browser / chrome plugin installed
• In-app browser can open pages, but agent cannot control it

Problem: Browser control fails before navigation. Even a minimal node_repl test crashes.

Error: node_repl kernel exited unexpectedly windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh reason: stdout_eof

What I tried:

1. Restarted Codex Desktop.
2. Reinstalled / re-enabled Browser plugin.
3. Installed Codex browser extension in Edge.
4. Verified node_repl.exe, node.exe, and codex.exe exist and run:
   • node_repl.exe --help works
   • node.exe --version returns v24.14.0
   • codex.exe --version returns codex-cli 0.133.0
5. Edited C:\Users\50530.codex\config.toml: js_repl = true args = ["--disable-sandbox"]

Observed: After restarting Codex, config.toml is automatically rewritten back to: js_repl = false args = []

Also:

• Native messaging manifest exists: C:\Users\50530\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json
• But Chrome/Edge NativeMessagingHosts registry entries are missing.

Expected: Codex Browser plugin should be able to control the in-app browser, or node_repl should start successfully with --disable-sandbox if Windows sandbox startup fails.

What is the expected behavior?

No response

Additional information

No response