The Codex Desktop application has a defect causing excessive background processes and failures in collecting process snapshots, which blocks normal workflow and
The Codex Desktop application has a defect causing excessive background processes and failures in collecting process snapshots, which blocks normal workflow and requires a full restart to reset the state.
Problem statement normalized from the linked evidence
CANDIDATE VIEW · NOT A PUBLISHED OPPORTUNITY
01
Qualification checklist
Gate decision: Aug 15, 2026
✓
At least 3 independent users4 / 3
MET
✓
At least 2 independent discussions3 / 2
MET
✓
At least 1 supporting signal4 Workarounds · 4 Blocked workflows
MET
02
Observed signals
Users4
Discussions3
Mentions4
Active days4
Source coverageGitHub
TrendUNKNOWN
First seenJul 17, 2026
Last seenJul 23, 2026
Why the gate is holding
No rejection reason is currently recorded.
Qualification passed. Commercial analysis may still recommend REJECT; only non-rejected, evidence-backed analyses can be published as opportunities.
03
Source evidence
4 evidence records
github · MEDIUM · Jul 23, 2026
openai/codex
@crmaris Thanks for the independent reproduction. Your direct parent-chain capture matches what we found on our affected Windows machine. Our investigation narrowed the local amplification path as follows: 1. We confirmed that the accumulated `taskkill.exe` processes were launched directly by the packaged Codex Desktop `ChatGPT.exe`, not by PowerShell, Git, MSBuild, or the user. 2. Desktop logs showed repeated `[electron-sampler] Failed to collect child process snapshot` events while the sampler was querying `Win32…
[Windows] Codex Desktop spawns hundreds of lingering taskkill.exe processes during agent work and freezes the OS
## Summary Codex Desktop on Windows rapidly spawns hundreds of `taskkill.exe /PID /T /F` processes during ordinary agent work. The `taskkill.exe` processes do not exit promptly, accumulate in large batches, and eventually make the entire Windows session effectively unusable. This is not only a Codex UI freeze. During severe incidents, Task Manager cannot be opened, the desktop and other applications stop responding, and the machine must be restarted remotely or forcibly. ## Environment - Codex Desktop: `26.715.8383…
### Additional clean-reboot reproduction on 26.715.3651.0 I reproduced the same failure on another Windows system after a full reboot. This confirms that the process storm is recreated by a new Codex Desktop session rather than being leftover state from the previous boot. #### Environment - Windows build 26200.8875 (25H2), x64 - AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX, 32 logical processors - 64 GB RAM - Codex Desktop MSIX: `OpenAI.Codex_26.715.3651.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0` - Bundled `ChatGPT.exe` / Chromium version: `150.0.7871.124` ####…
[Windows][Desktop 26.707.12708.0] ChatGPT.exe spawns hundreds of taskkill.exe/conhost.exe processes, causing WMI storms and DWM degradation
# [Windows][Desktop 26.707.12708.0] `ChatGPT.exe` spawns hundreds of `taskkill.exe` and `conhost.exe` processes, causing WMI failure storms and DWM degradation ## Summary Codex Desktop on Windows repeatedly leaves `taskkill.exe` and `conhost.exe` processes running. During an affected session, 287 live `taskkill.exe` processes were direct children of the Codex Desktop main process (`ChatGPT.exe`), with 302 associated `conhost.exe` processes. At the same time: - Windows Management Instrumentation recorded 987 failed…