codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Windows elevated sandbox setup helper shows “The parameter is incorrect” even with clean CODEX_HOME and short ASCII npm path; unelevated works

codex2026-05-25 21:40:21

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Error Message

Observed console error: and the same console error: and the same console error: 2. return a clear actionable error explaining which Windows policy, argument, path, or setup precondition is invalid.

Fix Action

Workaround

Use:

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"

unelevated mode works. I am not using danger-full-access.

Code Example

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe

---

参数错误。

---

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

---

OS: Windows 11 x64
Codex CLI: 0.133.0
Codex App: 26.519.5221.0
Node/npm install method: npm global install

---

npm uninstall -g @openai/codex

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force C:\npm-global | Out-Null
npm config set prefix C:\npm-global

$oldUserPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User")
if ($oldUserPath -notlike "*C:\npm-global*") {
  [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "$oldUserPath;C:\npm-global", "User")
}

$env:Path = "$env:Path;C:\npm-global"

npm install -g @openai/codex@latest
C:\npm-global\codex.cmd --version

---

codex-cli 0.133.0

---

C:\npm-global\codex.cmd -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo SHORT_PATH_UNELEVATED_OK

---

SHORT_PATH_UNELEVATED_OK

---

C:\npm-global\codex.cmd -c windows.sandbox="elevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo SHORT_PATH_ELEVATED_OK

---

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
参数错误。

---

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

---

$oldHome = $env:CODEX_HOME
$env:CODEX_HOME = "C:\CodexHomeDiag"

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "C:\CodexHomeDiag" | Out-Null
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "C:\CodexDiag" | Out-Null
Set-Location "C:\CodexDiag"

@'
model = "gpt-5.5"
sandbox_mode = "workspace-write"
approval_policy = "on-request"

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"
'@ | Set-Content -Encoding UTF8 "C:\CodexHomeDiag\config.toml"

codex -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo FORCED_UNELEVATED_OK
codex -c windows.sandbox="elevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo FORCED_ELEVATED_OK

if ($oldHome) {
  $env:CODEX_HOME = $oldHome
} else {
  Remove-Item Env:CODEX_HOME -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}

---

FORCED_UNELEVATED_OK

---

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
参数错误。

---

orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

---

codex -c windows.sandbox="elevated" -c windows.sandbox_private_desktop=false sandbox windows cmd /c echo ELEVATED_NO_PRIVATE_DESKTOP_OK

---

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
参数错误。

---

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

---

Start-Process powershell.exe -Verb RunAs -ArgumentList '-NoProfile -Command "Write-Host UAC_OK; pause"'

---

reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v EnableLUA
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v ValidateAdminCodeSignatures

---

EnableLUA = 0x1
ValidateAdminCodeSignatures = 0x0

---

npm uninstall -g @openai/codex

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force C:\npm-global | Out-Null
npm config set prefix C:\npm-global

$oldUserPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User")
if ($oldUserPath -notlike "*C:\npm-global*") {
  [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "$oldUserPath;C:\npm-global", "User")
}

$env:Path = "$env:Path;C:\npm-global"

npm install -g @openai/codex@latest
C:\npm-global\codex.cmd --version

---

codex-cli 0.133.0

---

C:\npm-global\codex.cmd -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo SHORT_PATH_UNELEVATED_OK

---

SHORT_PATH_UNELEVATED_OK

---

C:\npm-global\codex.cmd -c windows.sandbox="elevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo SHORT_PATH_ELEVATED_OK

---

C:\npm-global\node_modules\@openai\codex\...\codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe

---

参数错误。

---

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

---

$oldHome = $env:CODEX_HOME
$env:CODEX_HOME = "C:\CodexHomeDiag"

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "C:\CodexHomeDiag" | Out-Null
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "C:\CodexDiag" | Out-Null
Set-Location "C:\CodexDiag"

@'
model = "gpt-5.5"
sandbox_mode = "workspace-write"
approval_policy = "on-request"

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"
'@ | Set-Content -Encoding UTF8 "C:\CodexHomeDiag\config.toml"

codex -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo FORCED_UNELEVATED_OK
codex -c windows.sandbox="elevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo FORCED_ELEVATED_OK

if ($oldHome) {
  $env:CODEX_HOME = $oldHome
} else {
  Remove-Item Env:CODEX_HOME -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}

---

FORCED_UNELEVATED_OK

---

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
参数错误。

---

orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

---

codex -c windows.sandbox="elevated" -c windows.sandbox_private_desktop=false sandbox windows cmd /c echo ELEVATED_NO_PRIVATE_DESKTOP_OK

---

参数错误。

---

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

---

Start-Process powershell.exe -Verb RunAs -ArgumentList '-NoProfile -Command "Write-Host UAC_OK; pause"'

---

reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v EnableLUA
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v ValidateAdminCodeSignatures

---

EnableLUA = 0x1
ValidateAdminCodeSignatures = 0x0

---

SHORT_PATH_ELEVATED_OK

---

参数错误。

---

ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

---

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"

RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

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

26.519.41501

What subscription do you have?

Plus

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

What issue are you seeing?

On native Windows 11, Codex Windows sandbox works in unelevated mode but fails in elevated mode before the requested command runs.

The elevated failure opens a Windows dialog from:

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe

The visible dialog message is:

参数错误。

English equivalent: “The parameter is incorrect.”

The console then reports:

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

This happens even with:

a clean short CODEX_HOME
a clean short working directory
a short ASCII npm global prefix (C:\npm-global)
UAC working normally
ValidateAdminCodeSignatures=0
windows.sandbox_private_desktop=false

unelevated mode succeeds from the same environment.

Versions

OS: Windows 11 x64
Codex CLI: 0.133.0
Codex App: 26.519.5221.0
Node/npm install method: npm global install

Related issues

This appears related to:

Windows sandbox setup helper launch fails with ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223
Windows elevated sandbox fails while unelevated succeeds on Codex CLI 0.133.0

Reproduction steps

1. Verify short ASCII npm global prefix

npm uninstall -g @openai/codex

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force C:\npm-global | Out-Null
npm config set prefix C:\npm-global

$oldUserPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User")
if ($oldUserPath -notlike "*C:\npm-global*") {
  [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "$oldUserPath;C:\npm-global", "User")
}

$env:Path = "$env:Path;C:\npm-global"

npm install -g @openai/codex@latest
C:\npm-global\codex.cmd --version

Observed:

codex-cli 0.133.0

2. Unelevated sandbox succeeds

C:\npm-global\codex.cmd -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo SHORT_PATH_UNELEVATED_OK

Observed:

SHORT_PATH_UNELEVATED_OK

3. Elevated sandbox fails

C:\npm-global\codex.cmd -c windows.sandbox="elevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo SHORT_PATH_ELEVATED_OK

Observed visible Windows dialog:

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
参数错误。

Observed console error:

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

4. Clean CODEX_HOME also reproduces elevated failure

$oldHome = $env:CODEX_HOME
$env:CODEX_HOME = "C:\CodexHomeDiag"

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "C:\CodexHomeDiag" | Out-Null
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "C:\CodexDiag" | Out-Null
Set-Location "C:\CodexDiag"

@'
model = "gpt-5.5"
sandbox_mode = "workspace-write"
approval_policy = "on-request"

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"
'@ | Set-Content -Encoding UTF8 "C:\CodexHomeDiag\config.toml"

codex -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo FORCED_UNELEVATED_OK
codex -c windows.sandbox="elevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo FORCED_ELEVATED_OK

if ($oldHome) {
  $env:CODEX_HOME = $oldHome
} else {
  Remove-Item Env:CODEX_HOME -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}

Observed:

FORCED_UNELEVATED_OK

Then elevated fails with the same visible dialog:

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
参数错误。

and the same console error:

orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

5. `sandbox_private_desktop=false` also fails

codex -c windows.sandbox="elevated" -c windows.sandbox_private_desktop=false sandbox windows cmd /c echo ELEVATED_NO_PRIVATE_DESKTOP_OK

Observed:

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
参数错误。

and:

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

UAC / Windows policy checks

Start-Process -Verb RunAs works and successfully opens an elevated PowerShell:

Start-Process powershell.exe -Verb RunAs -ArgumentList '-NoProfile -Command "Write-Host UAC_OK; pause"'

Registry checks:

reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v EnableLUA
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v ValidateAdminCodeSignatures

Observed:

EnableLUA = 0x1
ValidateAdminCodeSignatures = 0x0

ValidateAdminCodeSignatures=0 rules out the UAC policy that requires interactive elevation executables to pass PKI signature validation.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

On Windows 11 x64, install Codex CLI 0.133.0 with npm.
Move the npm global prefix to a short ASCII-only path to rule out long path or non-ASCII username issues:

npm uninstall -g @openai/codex

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force C:\npm-global | Out-Null
npm config set prefix C:\npm-global

$oldUserPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User")
if ($oldUserPath -notlike "*C:\npm-global*") {
  [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "$oldUserPath;C:\npm-global", "User")
}

$env:Path = "$env:Path;C:\npm-global"

npm install -g @openai/codex@latest
C:\npm-global\codex.cmd --version

Observed version:

codex-cli 0.133.0

Run the same trivial command in unelevated Windows sandbox mode:

C:\npm-global\codex.cmd -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo SHORT_PATH_UNELEVATED_OK

Observed result:

SHORT_PATH_UNELEVATED_OK

Run the same trivial command in elevated Windows sandbox mode:

C:\npm-global\codex.cmd -c windows.sandbox="elevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo SHORT_PATH_ELEVATED_OK

Observed result:

A Windows dialog appears from:

C:\npm-global\node_modules\@openai\codex\...\codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe

The dialog message is:

参数错误。

English equivalent: “The parameter is incorrect.”

The console then reports:

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

Also tested with a clean short CODEX_HOME and clean working directory:

$oldHome = $env:CODEX_HOME
$env:CODEX_HOME = "C:\CodexHomeDiag"

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "C:\CodexHomeDiag" | Out-Null
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "C:\CodexDiag" | Out-Null
Set-Location "C:\CodexDiag"

@'
model = "gpt-5.5"
sandbox_mode = "workspace-write"
approval_policy = "on-request"

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"
'@ | Set-Content -Encoding UTF8 "C:\CodexHomeDiag\config.toml"

codex -c windows.sandbox="unelevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo FORCED_UNELEVATED_OK
codex -c windows.sandbox="elevated" sandbox windows cmd /c echo FORCED_ELEVATED_OK

if ($oldHome) {
  $env:CODEX_HOME = $oldHome
} else {
  Remove-Item Env:CODEX_HOME -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}

Observed result:

FORCED_UNELEVATED_OK

Then elevated mode fails with the same visible dialog:

codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe
参数错误。

and the same console error:

orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

Also tested with private desktop disabled:

codex -c windows.sandbox="elevated" -c windows.sandbox_private_desktop=false sandbox windows cmd /c echo ELEVATED_NO_PRIVATE_DESKTOP_OK

Observed result:

The same codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe dialog appears:

参数错误。

and the console reports:

windows sandbox failed: orchestrator_helper_launch_canceled: ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

UAC itself appears to work. This command successfully opens an elevated PowerShell:

Start-Process powershell.exe -Verb RunAs -ArgumentList '-NoProfile -Command "Write-Host UAC_OK; pause"'

Registry checks:

reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v EnableLUA
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v ValidateAdminCodeSignatures

Observed:

EnableLUA = 0x1
ValidateAdminCodeSignatures = 0x0

What is the expected behavior?

The elevated Windows sandbox should either:

successfully launch codex-windows-sandbox-setup.exe and run the command, printing:

SHORT_PATH_ELEVATED_OK

return a clear actionable error explaining which Windows policy, argument, path, or setup precondition is invalid.

Actual behavior

Elevated mode fails before executing even a trivial command. The setup helper dialog says:

参数错误。

Then Codex reports:

ShellExecuteExW failed to launch setup helper: 1223

Workaround

Use:

[windows]
sandbox = "unelevated"

unelevated mode works. I am not using danger-full-access.

Additional information

No response

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codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Windows elevated sandbox setup helper shows “The parameter is incorrect” even with clean CODEX_HOME and short ASCII npm path; unelevated works

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GitHub issue graph ai analysis

Error Message

Fix Action

Workaround

Code Example

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

What subscription do you have?

What platform is your computer?

What issue are you seeing?

Versions

Related issues

Reproduction steps

1. Verify short ASCII npm global prefix

2. Unelevated sandbox succeeds

3. Elevated sandbox fails

4. Clean CODEX_HOME also reproduces elevated failure

5. `sandbox_private_desktop=false` also fails

UAC / Windows policy checks

What steps can reproduce the bug?

What is the expected behavior?

Actual behavior

Workaround

Additional information

Still need to ship something?

TRENDING

codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Windows elevated sandbox setup helper shows “The parameter is incorrect” even with clean CODEX_HOME and short ASCII npm path; unelevated works

Recommended Tools

GitHub issue graph ai analysis

Error Message

Fix Action

Workaround

Code Example

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

What subscription do you have?

What platform is your computer?

What issue are you seeing?

Versions

Related issues

Reproduction steps

1. Verify short ASCII npm global prefix

2. Unelevated sandbox succeeds

3. Elevated sandbox fails

4. Clean CODEX_HOME also reproduces elevated failure

5. sandbox_private_desktop=false also fails

UAC / Windows policy checks

What steps can reproduce the bug?

What is the expected behavior?

Actual behavior

Workaround

Additional information

Still need to ship something?

TRENDING

5. `sandbox_private_desktop=false` also fails