Windows App: WSL agent causes severe lag when running threads (agent restart / high resource usage)

[Eternite-0]

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

1.0

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Plus

What platform is your computer?

Windows 11 x64 WSL2 with Ubuntu

What issue are you seeing?

Describe the bug

When using the Codex Windows App with the WSL agent enabled, the system becomes extremely laggy whenever a thread is running.

Normal chat works fine, but as soon as a thread starts executing tasks locally, the machine becomes very slow and unresponsive.

It feels like the agent is repeatedly starting processes inside WSL, causing high CPU / IO usage.

Steps to reproduce

1. Install Codex Windows App from Microsoft Store
2. Enable WSL agent mode
3. Open a project and start a thread
4. Let the thread run any task (analysis / file edits / commands)

Expected behavior

The agent should run inside WSL smoothly without causing significant system lag.

Actual behavior

While the thread is running:

• System becomes very laggy
• CPU / disk usage spikes
• It feels like the agent repeatedly starts processes in WSL
• Codex UI becomes slow

Interestingly:

• Normal chat works fine
• The lag only happens when a thread is actively running

If I switch the agent back to Windows (PowerShell) mode, the lag disappears immediately.

Environment

• OS: Windows 11
• Codex App: Microsoft Store version
• WSL: WSL2 (Ubuntu)
• Project type: WeChat Mini Program project
• Agent mode: WSL

Additional context

Previously I also encountered this error before adjusting permissions:

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Install Codex Windows App from the Microsoft Store
2. Enable the WSL agent in Codex settings
3. Open a local project
4. Create or open a thread
5. Ask Codex to perform any task that runs locally (e.g. analyze the project, modify files, or run commands)
6. Let the thread start executing

Result: As soon as the thread begins running, the system becomes very laggy. CPU and/or disk usage spikes and the Codex UI becomes slow.

Note: Normal chat works fine. The lag only occurs while a thread is actively running.

What is the expected behavior?

No response

Additional information

No response

[github-actions]

Potential duplicates detected. Please review them and close your issue if it is a duplicate.

• Windows desktop in WSL mode uses the Windows CODEX_HOME inside WSL and creates/stores worktrees on /mnt/c instead of the WSL filesystem #13762
• On WSL, Codex is running extremely slow. #11806

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[oliva1337]

same issue here, yesterday was fine

[kendonB]

Also seeing this issue. My general impression of the Windows app is that it was rushed out and seems to not have been tested by any WSL users. Going to uninstall and try again in a few weeks.

[ChenWeihua123]

same issue here, once the startup thread CPU surges, the Windows system will experience severe lag