Desktop app crashes with "Codex app-server websocket closed (code=3221225501)" while CLI works normally on Windows 11 25H2

[pooopi1943]

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

Codex App version: 26.623.70822

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Plus

What platform is your computer?

Windows 11 Home 25H2 (Build 26200.8655) Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX x64

What issue are you seeing?

Summary

The Codex Desktop application consistently crashes immediately after startup with:

```
Codex app-server websocket closed (code=3221225501)

The issue is **100% reproducible**.

Interestingly, the bundled **Codex CLI works normally** on the same machine, so the problem appears to be isolated to the Desktop application (or its internal app-server).

---

## Environment

| Item | Value |
|------|------|
| Codex Desktop | 26.623.70822 |
| OS | Windows 11 Home 25H2 |
| Build | 26200.8655 |
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX |
| WSL | Ubuntu (WSL2, stopped) |
| VPN | Astrill installed (OpenWeb) |

---

## Expected behavior

Desktop launches normally and allows ChatGPT sign-in.

---

## Actual behavior

Immediately after launching Desktop:

Codex app-server websocket closed
(code=3221225501)

Desktop cannot be used.

---

## Reproduction

1. Launch Codex Desktop.
2. Desktop immediately displays:

Codex app-server websocket closed
(code=3221225501)

This happens every time.

---

## What works

The bundled CLI works correctly.

Running:

```powershell
C:\Users\ALIENWARE\AppData\Local\OpenAI\Codex\bin\<version>\codex.exe

opens the normal login screen:

Welcome to Codex
Sign in with ChatGPT

The bundled Node runtime also works:

node.exe --version

returns

v24.14.0

---

Troubleshooting already performed

I spent several hours troubleshooting before opening this issue.

Confirmed:

• Rebooted Windows
• Completely exited Astrill (not only disconnected)
• Rebooted without Astrill running
• Verified config.toml (default configuration)
• Verified WSL (Ubuntu WSL2 installed but stopped)
• Deleted all local Codex SQLite databases

Removed:

• state_5.sqlite
• logs_2.sqlite
• goals_1.sqlite
• memories_1.sqlite
• all corresponding -wal and -shm files

Desktop recreated the database but the crash still occurs.

Also verified:

• Bundled Node runtime works
• Bundled CLI works
• No configuration corruption found

---

Event Viewer

No corresponding crash entry appears under:

• Application Error
• Windows Error Reporting

No CrashDump is generated.

---

Additional observations

The Desktop error specifically reports:

Codex app-server websocket closed

This suggests that the Desktop process starts but its internal app-server exits unexpectedly before a normal crash report is generated.

Since:

• CLI works
• bundled Node works
• configuration is valid
• deleting the local databases has no effect

the issue appears to be isolated to the Desktop application's app-server rather than authentication, networking, or the runtime.

---

Related issue

This may be related to:

#23672

However, in my case the CLI works perfectly while only the Desktop application fails.

---

Attachments

Attached:

• Screenshot of the Desktop error
• Screenshot showing the CLI launching successfully

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Steps to reproduce

1. Install and launch Codex Desktop on Windows 11 25H2.

2. Sign in with ChatGPT / or start the app normally.

3. The Desktop app immediately shows:

   Codex app-server websocket closed
   (code=3221225501)
   
   

What is the expected behavior?

No response

Additional information

If the development team needs any additional logs, environment information, or testing on this machine, I'm happy to provide them.

[pooopi1943]

Additional troubleshooting information:

After further investigation, I confirmed the following:

• The bundled Codex CLI launches normally:

  C:\Users\ALIENWARE\AppData\Local\OpenAI\Codex\bin\<version>\codex.exe
  

  It reaches the ChatGPT sign-in screen successfully.

• The bundled Node runtime also works correctly:

  node.exe --version
  

  returns:

  v24.14.0
  

• Removing all SQLite databases under %USERPROFILE%\.codex had no effect.

• WSL2 is installed but not running.

• Completely exiting Astrill VPN and rebooting Windows does not change the behavior.

This seems to indicate that the issue is isolated to the Desktop application's internal app-server rather than the CLI, Node runtime, authentication, or local configuration.

[github-actions]

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

• Windows Desktop App fails to start: app-server websocket closed (code=3221225501) — plugin marketplace sync + invalid internal config key #30339

Powered by Codex Action

[pooopi1943]

No log files are generated under the local Codex directory.

No Windows Application Error or Windows Error Reporting events are generated either.

[pooopi1943]

Additional information after more testing:

I have confirmed that this issue is Desktop-specific.

The bundled CLI works normally and can reach the ChatGPT sign-in page.

The bundled Node runtime also works correctly (v24.14.0).

The issue persists after:

• Completely exiting Astrill VPN
• Rebooting Windows
• Removing all SQLite databases under %USERPROFILE%.codex
• Recreating the databases
• Verifying config.toml
• Verifying WSL

No Windows Application Error event is generated.
No CrashDump is generated.

If there is a debug build or any additional diagnostic tool that I can run, I'd be happy to help test it.

[pooopi1943]

If there is a debug build or any additional diagnostic tool that I can run, I'd be happy to help test it.