codex-windows-fast-patch

name

codex-windows-fast-patch

description

Reapply and repair Windows Codex Desktop after Store upgrades, including custom provider models hidden by Statsig available_models filtering, the dependent blue-purple Power slider and its Ultra toggle, Fast Mode request/UI gates, locale i18n, plugin UI gates, Chrome/browser_use gates, Goal command gates, Windows Computer Use availability gates and plugin/runtime repair, phone remote-control pairing under third-party/API-key main app usage, Desktop dynamicTools/inputSchema thread-start schema drift, local conversation visibility recovery after model_provider switches, restored-conversation missing-cwd continuation repair, ASAR integrity repair, signing/installing patched MSIX packages, SDK cleanup, Fast Mode wire verification, local plugin marketplace registration, and optional custom model_instructions_file setup.

Codex Windows Fast Patch

Use this skill when the user says Codex Desktop was upgraded and the Fast Mode / Plugins / Goal patch disappeared, asks to repatch Codex on Windows, asks to verify whether Fast Mode is really being sent, asks to restore/register the local plugin marketplace, asks to enable Chrome browser use or Windows Computer Use in Codex Desktop, or asks to enable/repair phone remote control while keeping third-party/API-key model access. Also use it when a custom provider or /v1/models exposes a new model but Desktop still hides it, when GPT-5.6 Sol/Terra/Luna are missing from the model picker, when the compact blue-purple Power slider falls back to the legacy Model / Reasoning / Speed menu because Statsig available_models filtering removed the required model combinations, or when the "Ultra in model picker slider" setting is visible but disabled because a third-party provider cannot load ChatGPT account user settings. Also use it when the language/locale setting reverts after restart, browser or plugin entries are hidden by availability gates, the Computer Control settings page shows "Any App" / "任意应用" as disabled by organization or unavailable in the current region, a Computer Use task reports native pipe, bundled plugin cache, helper path, package import, or runtime initialization errors, phone remote-control QR pairing spins/fails, post-pairing phone-created turns hit the wrong model API endpoint, Desktop new-chat/thread start fails with missing field inputSchema, local conversations disappear after switching model_provider / API account, restored conversations are visible but cannot continue because the current working directory is missing, or the user explicitly asks to configure the bundled custom model_instructions_file prompt asset.

Platform Compatibility

This skill is Windows-only. It depends on the Windows Store/MSIX package layout, PowerShell, Get-AppxPackage, makeappx.exe, signtool.exe, Windows user environment variables, and Windows Computer Use helper paths.

Do not run this skill on macOS. A macOS adaptation needs a separate workflow for the Codex .app bundle, ASAR extraction and repacking, macOS code signing or quarantine handling, shell scripts, and macOS-specific Computer Use availability.

Skill Root

Every command in this document refers to the skill directory as $SkillRoot. Resolve it once per session before running anything else. This skill does not care which harness loaded it, so the probe matches any agent home that follows the ~/<agent-home>/skills/<skill-name> layout:

$SkillRoot = $env:CODEX_WIN_FAST_PATCH_SKILL_ROOT
if (-not $SkillRoot) {
  $SkillRoot = (Get-ChildItem -Force -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.*\skills\codex-windows-fast-patch\SKILL.md" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
                Select-Object -First 1).Directory.FullName
}
if (-not $SkillRoot) {
  throw 'skill root not found; set CODEX_WIN_FAST_PATCH_SKILL_ROOT to the directory that holds this SKILL.md'
}

If the agent already knows the directory it loaded this SKILL.md from, assign that path directly instead of probing. When more than one harness has the skill installed, set CODEX_WIN_FAST_PATCH_SKILL_ROOT to pick one explicitly; the probe otherwise takes the first match.

Self-Update Preflight

The skill directory is a git working tree, so updating is git pull. Run the cheap check first and skip the rest when nothing changed:

git -C "$SkillRoot" fetch --quiet origin
git -C "$SkillRoot" rev-list --count 'HEAD..@{u}'

Keep 'HEAD..@{u}' single-quoted. PowerShell parses a bare @{u} as a hashtable literal and fails before git runs at all. HEAD..origin/HEAD is equivalent here and needs no quoting.

A count of 0 means the skill is current: skip the update and start the task. For a non-zero count, read what actually changed, then pull, then reload this SKILL.md:

git -C "$SkillRoot" log --oneline 'HEAD..@{u}'
git -C "$SkillRoot" pull --ff-only

If @{u} reports no upstream configured, substitute the tracking ref explicitly, for example HEAD..origin/main.

Rules:

• Never block the repair on the update. When fetch fails because the network is unavailable, GitHub is unreachable, or a proxy is down, continue with the installed version and state in the conclusion that the update was skipped.
• Local edits are preserved by git, not silently discarded. Inspect with git -C "$SkillRoot" status --short and git -C "$SkillRoot" diff before pulling. Uncommitted edits to files the update does not touch survive git pull --ff-only untouched. Uncommitted edits to a file the update also changes make git refuse the pull, name the blocking file, and leave the edit on disk; recover with git stash, git pull --ff-only, git stash pop, and expect stash pop to leave conflict markers when the local edit and the upstream change touch the same lines. Local commits make --ff-only refuse because the branches diverged; git pull --rebase replays them on top of the update. Never use git reset --hard or git checkout -- . to force a pull through, because local helper profiles and repair guards live in those edits.
• A fork is just a different remote. git -C "$SkillRoot" remote set-url origin <fork-url> pins the update source, and no extra configuration file is involved.
• Roll back with git. git -C "$SkillRoot" log --oneline -10, then git -C "$SkillRoot" checkout <sha> returns to any earlier version.
• When a patch step fails, check for updates again before concluding. A missing helper profile, a pattern that no longer matches, or an unrecognized Desktop build is exactly the case where upstream may already carry the fix, so repeat the fetch and log check at that point even if it already ran at the start of the task.
• If $SkillRoot has no .git directory, the copy was installed by copying files or through a harness plugin mechanism and can never self-update. Report that, keep working with the installed version, and suggest reinstalling with git clone so future updates work.

If the normal workflow does not explain a restriction, plugin gate, Computer Use failure, browser_use failure, or Fast Mode failure, read references/restriction-debug-cases.md before editing scripts or repatching. If the task is phone remote control, QR pairing, mobile setup, isolated remote OAuth, remote-control WebSocket, or post-pairing API endpoint diagnosis, read references/remote-control-debug-cases.md before editing scripts or repatching.

Config Backup Rule

Before any action that can modify, regenerate, or overwrite $env:USERPROFILE\.codex\config.toml, create one timestamped backup of the current file for the task. This applies whether the agent uses bundled scripts, writes TOML manually, runs another helper, registers a marketplace, changes MCP servers, or repairs Computer Use.

The bundled scripts already back up an existing config.toml once per script run before their first write. If not using those scripts, do the backup explicitly before touching the file:

$config = Join-Path $env:USERPROFILE '.codex\config.toml'
if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $config -PathType Leaf) {
  $backupDir = Join-Path (Split-Path -Parent $config) 'backups\config'
  New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $backupDir | Out-Null
  $backup = Join-Path $backupDir ('config.toml.' + (Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss-fff') + '.manual.bak')
  Copy-Item -LiteralPath $config -Destination $backup -Force
  Write-Host "config.toml backup before overwrite: $backup"
}

Do not proceed with a config write if the backup of an existing config fails. After writing, validate TOML syntax with tomllib when Python is available.

Workflow Selection

Before choosing the full MSIX repack path, identify whether the current failure is a Desktop bundle gate or a local plugin/runtime repair. Do not treat a vague "Chrome/Computer Use is unavailable" report as enough evidence to run the full repatch.

• Use the Model Experience workflow for Fast Mode request/UI failures, new models hidden from the Desktop picker, the compact Power slider falling back to the legacy picker, or its Ultra setting being disabled under a custom provider. These symptoms share the same service-tier/model-picker area. Run scripts\patch_codex_fast_mode_windows_msix.ps1 -OnlyModelExperience -DryRun first; it checks the Fast request gate, Fast UI gate, model visibility filter, Electron Power slider harborEnabled gate, and Ultra setting persistence independently, then repairs only the broken parts in one MSIX repack. The Ultra fallback preserves the normal ChatGPT account API path and uses local show-ultra-in-model-picker-slider config only when ChatGPT user settings cannot load. -OnlyCustomModels remains a compatibility alias. Merge missing model metadata into models_cache.json only when read-only inspection proves the cache entry is absent; back up the cache first.
• Use the full repatch workflow for locale, plugin UI gates, browser_use Desktop gates, Goal gates, ASAR integrity, settings/UI availability gates, or when Model Experience repair is required together with those features.
• Before a full repatch after a Store update, compare the current-user and Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers results. The patcher selects the highest-version valid current-user or SYSTEM-Staged package, plus running-process candidates; it uses WindowsApps-directory candidates only if the all-user query is unavailable. This prevents an older user-installed package from hiding a newer SYSTEM-Staged build without selecting a package registered only to another user. Check the selected Codex app log before proceeding. Use -AppPath only when an explicit source override is required.
• Use the Computer Use Only workflow first when evidence points to a local plugin/runtime problem: codex plugin list marketplace errors, missing .agents\plugins\marketplace.json, missing or partial openai-bundled plugin files, bundled_plugins_marketplace_resolve_failed, EBUSY on bundled plugin files, native pipe unavailable, missing-helper-path, stale Chrome native messaging host paths, bundled plugin cache drift, Chrome/browser cache link drift, stale SKY_CUA_NATIVE_PIPE config, @oai/sky import errors, or setupComputerUseRuntime import failure. This class does not require an MSIX uninstall/reinstall unless a later check also proves a Desktop gate is still closed.
• If a Store update breaks an already-configured MCP because its command points into a removed directory, use the retired CUA Node MCP case in . This is a targeted repair, not evidence for a broad MSIX repatch or permission to install additional MCP servers.

The normal scripts\repatch-codex-windows.ps1 preflight recognizes one package-gated Computer Use case: installed app.asar does not preserve external NODE_REPL_TRUSTED_CODE_PATHS across Desktop config regeneration. This means the installed app must be repatched before external D: marketplace/cache roots can survive Desktop config regeneration. For this exact message only, the wrapper records the fallback and continues into its MSIX dry run or install; unrelated Computer Use failures still stop the workflow. After installation, the wrapper runs the normal Computer Use refresh and strict verification. During a dry run, post-dry-run local verification is skipped only for this recognized case because the currently installed package is intentionally still unpatched.

External Executor For Desktop-Restarting Repairs

If a repair can stop, uninstall, reinstall, repackage, or relaunch Codex Desktop, do not run it from the Codex Desktop session being repaired. Use an external Windows PowerShell session, the VS Code Codex extension, or another agent environment that will survive the Desktop restart.

The target state is the Desktop Codex home: normally $env:USERPROFILE\.codex. Do not use an isolated CLI entrypoint for Desktop repair decisions; if that wrapper sets CODEX_HOME to $env:USERPROFILE\.codex-cli or another isolated directory, it is not the Desktop plugin, marketplace, MCP, remote-control, or login state.

Before starting from VS Code Codex or external PowerShell, confirm no User-level or Machine-level CODEX_HOME is set. Do not set global CODEX_HOME, do not copy .codex into .codex-cli, and do not expose or commit auth.json, API keys, OAuth tokens, MCP credentials, browser profiles, or local credential stores. Start with a Desktop-state backup, run read-only package/config/log checks, then run the relevant -DryRun. Only use -Install, full repatch-codex-windows.ps1, or targeted *-windows-msix.ps1 -Install -Launch -InstallPrerequisites after the dry run finds and validates the intended targets.

An external executor has no Desktop node_repl JavaScript kernel, so the normal real-acceptance path for Computer Use and Chrome is unavailable. Do not downgrade acceptance to -StrictVerifyOnly output alone, and do not claim an end-to-end result the environment cannot produce. Drive the official CUA runtime from separate short-lived node.exe processes for Computer Use acceptance, and report the Chrome/browser layer as gate-and-configuration verified with the tab-read smoke test explicitly not run. The external-executor Computer Use acceptance case in references/restriction-debug-cases.md gives the required load order, object shapes, and approval stub.

Default Workflow

1. If the task may modify config.toml, skills, marketplaces, or MCP server settings, create a state snapshot first:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\manage-codex-backups.ps1" -Action Backup

2. Inspect current-user and all-user package status so a newer SYSTEM-Staged Store build is visible:

Get-AppxPackage -Name OpenAI.Codex | Select-Object Name,PackageFullName,Version,SignatureKind,InstallLocation
Get-AppxPackage -Name OpenAI.Codex -AllUsers |
  Select-Object Name,PackageFullName,Version,SignatureKind,InstallLocation,PackageUserInformation

The MSIX patcher automatically chooses the highest-version candidate whose app layout is complete, even when the current-user query returns an older installed build. Confirm its selected Codex app and source package log lines before installation. An explicit -AppPath remains authoritative.

3. Run read-only feature triage before any package reinstall. Capture the decision evidence, especially for Chrome/Computer Use:

codex plugin list
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1" -StrictVerifyOnly

If -StrictVerifyOnly fails on a missing marketplace manifest, missing plugin files, stale latest link, stale Chrome native messaging manifest path, allowed_origins, registry value, or extension-host-config.json runtime path, missing helper path, or @oai/sky import/runtime issue, run the Computer Use Only repair first:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1" -VerifyOnly

This local repair may update config, plugin cache, Chrome native host paths and origins, user environment, and helper runtime files, but it does not uninstall or reinstall the Codex MSIX package. It invokes the current Chrome plugin's official scripts\installManifest.mjs with a user-local Codex CLI whose hash matches the installed package and with matching current cua_node node.exe / node_repl.exe paths. That official installer writes the outer native-host manifest, registry value, and required extension-host-config.json. The repair also synchronizes the current schema-2 app-server entry into both %LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenAI\Codex\chrome-native-hosts-v2.json and $env:USERPROFILE\.codex\chrome-native-hosts-v2.json using the current plugin's NUL-separated SHA-256 identity contract. Strict verification requires the exact current origin set from scripts\extension-ids.json, a stable current-version Chrome cache, existing current runtime paths in the host config, and a valid current entry in both v2 state files. On 26.814-style builds, that entry must include both browserClientPath and browserServicePath in the same stable cache; omitting the service path passes byte checks but fails the trusted RPC dependency gate. When the stable cache resolves through a junction outside CODEX_HOME, the repair also writes its physical marketplace/cache roots to the user-level NODE_REPL_TRUSTED_CODE_PATHS. A full MSIX patch is still required so Desktop appends that parent environment value when regenerating the Node REPL config; strict verification requires CODEX_NODE_REPL_TRUSTED_PATHS_V1 in the installed ASAR for this external-root layout.

The repair must preserve the installed package's plugins\chrome\scripts\browser-client.mjs bytes exactly. Earlier Node REPL builds expose privileged browser capabilities only when the imported browser-client SHA-256 matches the trust list embedded in the installed app.asar; rewriting a node:process import or process shim changes the hash and causes Browser use requires privileged node_repl capabilities before Chrome discovery. Codex Desktop 26.814 instead delivers browserClientPath through the official native-host configuration and no longer embeds the client hash as ASCII in app.asar. Normal repair restores the packaged bytes to both the stable marketplace and versioned cache. Strict verification requires both copies to match the packaged SHA-256 and then requires either the legacy ASAR hash or the complete native-host path contract; an unknown or partial shape remains unsupported.

4. Before choosing a full MSIX repack, check whether this is the bundled marketplace fast path. Compare the package's .agents\plugins\marketplace.json names with the Desktop reconcile log. If descriptors are missing, or not_in_bundled_marketplace_plugin_names removes a plugin the user had already installed, run only the targeted bundled marketplace patch on a large local drive:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch_codex_fast_mode_windows_msix.ps1" -OnlyBundledMarketplaceCopy -DryRun -OutputRoot "<large-local-build-root>"
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch_codex_fast_mode_windows_msix.ps1" -OnlyBundledMarketplaceCopy -Install -Launch -InstallPrerequisites -CleanupAfter -CleanupWindowsSdkAfterInstall -OutputRoot "<large-local-build-root>"

After relaunch, run scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1 -VerifyOnly and scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1 -StrictVerifyOnly -VerifyAllBundledPluginsAvailable. The local repair preserves each unrelated optional plugin's installed/enabled state and refreshes an optional cache only when that plugin was already installed. The availability check requires every current descriptor name and version to match the installed package and to appear with that version in the CLI's installed-or-available JSON without calling plugin add.

5. Escalate to MSIX only when the evidence points to package-gated Desktop code: Fast Mode request/UI gates, locale gate, Goal/plugin UI gate, browser_use availability with reason=statsig-disabled, Computer Use/Any App disabled by settings/UI availability gates after local repair, ASAR integrity failure, a stable Browser cache junction whose physical target is rejected by the trusted RPC dependency gate after local repair, or Phone Remote Control package patches. For the junction case, require the full patcher's Node REPL trusted-paths patch result, restart Desktop, and confirm the regenerated config retains the resolved external roots. Otherwise do not run the full repatch just because a plugin is unavailable.

Run a dry run first after every Codex upgrade when MSIX escalation is justified:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\repatch-codex-windows.ps1" -DryRun

6. If the dry run finds all patch targets, run the full repatch:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\repatch-codex-windows.ps1"

The wrapper calls the bundled patch script at scripts\patch_codex_fast_mode_windows_msix.ps1 with these defaults:

• -InstallPrerequisites
• -Install
• -Launch
• -CleanupWindowsSdkAfterInstall
• -CleanupAfter
• -VerifyFastModeRequest

It also verifies and writes the local marketplace config at $env:USERPROFILE\.codex\marketplaces\openai-curated-local, including source_type = "local" and the exact source path. It also syncs the installed openai-bundled marketplace from the current Codex package into a stable local root, overlays a local computer-use@openai-bundled compatibility plugin, writes that marketplace into config, and registers browser@openai-bundled through the user-accessible Codex CLI. Pass -VerifyAllBundledPluginsAvailable to add an availability assertion for every complete descriptor currently offered by the installed package, including version-dependent plugins such as deep-research and visualize. The assertion itself uses plugin list --available --json; it does not download from the network, call plugin add, or change unrelated optional plugin state. The surrounding wrapper still performs its requested repair or DryRun behavior. When .codex\.tmp is a junction, the stable root is created beside the junction target so an existing non-system-drive layout stays off C:; otherwise it uses .codex\marketplaces\openai-bundled-local. It also repairs stable browser / chrome plugin cache copies so their latest junctions do not point at the mutable .tmp marketplace mirror, and enables CODEX_ELECTRON_ENABLE_WINDOWS_COMPUTER_USE=1 for the current user so the Desktop app can expose Windows Computer Use after restart. It patches Fast Mode in both the request path and the settings UI path. The request patch removes the ChatGPT-only branch while still reading host/model feature requirements; the UI patch removes the matching ChatGPT-only availability check in service-tier settings. It also forces the configured custom model IDs through the Desktop model visibility filter. By default these are gpt-5.6-sol, gpt-5.6-terra, and gpt-5.6-luna. On builds containing the compact Power slider, it also opens the Electron-specific harborEnabled gate so the matching GPT-5.6 model and reasoning combinations use that slider instead of the legacy model/effort/speed-only menu. On builds where the Ultra slider setting reads only ChatGPT account user settings, it adds a local fallback for third-party providers. The toggle then reads and writes show-ultra-in-model-picker-slider locally, survives restart, and feeds the same Ultra inclusion value used by the actual model picker. Normal ChatGPT-authenticated users retain the official account setting path. It patches the locale i18n gate that can force the Desktop UI back to English after restart when is disabled in the shipped webview bundle. It patches Chrome/browser_use gates in both the webview assets and the main Electron feature sender/receiver path, covering in-app browser, browser pane, and external browser availability. This only unlocks the local Desktop gates; Chrome extension and native messaging files still need to exist and should be verified separately. It also patches the Desktop webview gates that otherwise hide or disable Windows Computer Use behind the experimental feature and Statsig gate , and it writes into without replacing the rest of the table. It also writes into . On Windows, this avoids the elevated sandbox setup refresh path that can fail with / OS error 740 and break Computer Use startup. It also repairs local marketplace manifest layout when a local root has only a legacy root ; the current Codex CLI expects , and missing that file can make fail for all configured marketplaces. It does not install the bundled custom prompt by default. Only install it when the user explicitly requests that optional configuration. Any bundled script write to an existing first creates one timestamped backup for that script run under .

Phone Remote Control

Before repairing phone remote control, read references/remote-control-debug-cases.md. Keep these boundaries explicit:

• Remote-control pairing/control transport can legitimately call https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/wham/remote/control/.... Do not rewrite that transport to a third-party model API endpoint.
• After phone pairing works, verify the actual model sampling request URL. If it goes to the wrong model API endpoint, treat that as a post-pairing configuration diagnosis, not as part of the remote-control pairing implementation.
• Remote-control OAuth is isolated: use .codex\remote-control-oauth.json and .codex\remote.json; never use .codex\auth.json for the remote-control bearer injection path.
• An alternate build root is mandatory when the user says not to consume the system drive. Pass -WorkRoot / -OutputRoot on the requested large local drive and keep Cargo, Rustup, temp, target, MSIX, and source checkout under that root. Do not hard-code a drive letter into the workflow.

If Settings -> Connections -> Control this computer is visible but the device list says to sign in to ChatGPT again, verify the normal remote-control bearer before repatching MSIX again:

python "$SkillRoot\scripts\refresh-remote-control-auth.py" --verify-only

If that reports remote_json_disabled, access_token_expired, endpoint_http_error, HTTP 401/403, or a token-refresh diagnosis such as refresh_token_reused, regenerate only .codex\remote.json with the same script. It uses the official Codex OAuth client, requests openid profile email offline_access api.connectors.read api.connectors.invoke, backs up the old remote.json under .codex\backups\remote-control-auth, defaults to proxy http://127.0.0.1:10808, and must not write .codex\auth.json or config.toml.

If remote.json verifies successfully but clicking Add or opening Control this computer falls back to a new conversation/main chat page, inspect $env:USERPROFILE\.codex\remote-control-flow.log and direct endpoint results for an expired remote-control-oauth.json enroll token shadowing the normal bearer. The ASAR patcher must skip expired JWTs before returning an isolated bearer and should verify remote_control_auth_token_expired_skipped in the patched ASAR. Do not delete .codex\remote-control-oauth.json blindly; keep it for fresh step-up/enroll flows and let valid .codex\remote.json satisfy read/MFA endpoints.

If the Allow dialog fails and the newest native app-server logs show remote control requires ChatGPT authentication; API key auth is not supported, ASAR patches and .codex\remote.json refresh are not enough. Build a patched native app\resources\codex.exe from the Codex Rust source with the reference native patch, using a large non-system work root when requested:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\build-remote-control-native-replacement.ps1" -WorkRoot "<large-local-build-root>\native-remote"

If the phone reports the Codex environment is expired after a native replacement, inspect the original installed native version before building. Use only an exact mapped Desktop/native/source-tag combination. For example, Desktop 26.715.2305.0 ships codex-cli 0.145.0-alpha.18 and Desktop 26.707.3748.0 ships codex-cli 0.144.0-alpha.4:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\build-remote-control-native-replacement.ps1" -WorkRoot "D:\CodexData\rc145" -CodexSourceRef "rust-v0.145.0-alpha.18" -AppServerVersion "0.145.0-alpha.18"
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\build-remote-control-native-replacement.ps1" -WorkRoot "D:\CodexWork\phone-remote-26.707\native-remote-0.144.0-alpha.4" -CodexSourceRef "rust-v0.144.0-alpha.4" -AppServerVersion "0.144.0-alpha.4"

The build helper keeps the clone, Cargo cache, Rustup cache, temp directory, target directory, and any bootstrapped Windows SDK packages under -WorkRoot. When -CodexSourceRef and -AppServerVersion are omitted together, it copies the installed WindowsApps app\resources\codex.exe into WorkRoot\tmp, runs --version only on that copy, and selects a bundled version mapping; it never executes the WindowsApps binary in place. Desktop 26.715.2305.0 maps to rust-v0.145.0-alpha.18, references\remote-control-native-replacement-0.145.0-alpha.18.patch, and workspace version 0.145.0-alpha.18. Desktop 26.707.3748.0 maps to rust-v0.144.0-alpha.4, references\remote-control-native-replacement.patch, and workspace version 0.144.0-alpha.4. For historical rust-v0.142.4, matching parameters select references\remote-control-native-replacement-0.142.4.patch; that patch has passed clean patch-apply validation, but has not yet completed the same end-to-end native compilation validation as the newer mappings. Other source versions require matching explicit version parameters plus a validated -PatchPathOverride. Do not use GNU toolchain output for Windows MSIX replacement; use the MSVC target.

If MSVC is present but kernel32.lib is missing, the helper first searches for one coherent existing Windows SDK root/version containing matching x64 kernel32.lib, ucrt.lib, and headers; it does not mix independently discovered installed SDK versions. Only when no usable SDK exists, it downloads Microsoft.Windows.SDK.CPP and Microsoft.Windows.SDK.CPP.x64 version 10.0.26100.4188 into <WorkRoot>\cache\windows-sdk-cpp. Downloads use .partial files, validate the archive and expected payloads, and replace the cache only after validation; corrupt cached packages are deleted and downloaded again. On Windows PowerShell 5.1, extract NuGet packages with checked tar.exe; Expand-Archive can fail while cleaning a deep _rels\.rels tree. The two packages use a split layout, so accept the matching NuGet roots c\um\x64\kernel32.lib, c\ucrt\x64\ucrt.lib, c\Include\<version>\um\Windows.h, and optionally c\bin\<version>\x64\rc.exe instead of requiring one traditional installed-Kits tree. Downloads honor existing HTTPS_PROXY / HTTP_PROXY; when neither is set, the helper uses http://127.0.0.1:10808 only if that port is listening, otherwise it downloads directly.

Keep -WorkRoot short as well as off the system drive. A deeply nested D-drive root can still fail while Cargo checks out Git dependencies with path too long; the validated 0.145.0-alpha.18 build succeeded under D:\CodexData\rc145. When retrying after an interrupted or timed-out external run, first confirm the child PowerShell process has exited and use a unique WorkRoot / OutputRoot; a timed-out parent can leave a child cleaning the previous root.

Run a dry run first. Do not pass -KeepWorkDir unless you need to inspect failed patch artifacts; successful dry-runs should clean generated package and ASAR extraction output:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch-remote-control-windows-msix.ps1" -DryRun

If the machine needs a larger temporary build location, pass it explicitly:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch-remote-control-windows-msix.ps1" -DryRun -OutputRoot "<large-local-build-root>"

If a patched native app\resources\codex.exe was built from the Codex Rust source, pass it explicitly:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch-remote-control-windows-msix.ps1" -DryRun -ReplacementResourceCodexExe "<path-to-built-codex.exe>"

Only after dry-run markers pass, install and relaunch:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch-remote-control-windows-msix.ps1" -Install -Launch -InstallPrerequisites -ReplacementResourceCodexExe "<path-to-built-codex.exe>"

When makeappx.exe / signtool.exe are missing, the install path downloads Windows SDK BuildTools from NuGet under -OutputRoot\.remote-control-temp, not %TEMP%. Do not hard-code a local proxy for this download. Use the default direct/env-proxy path first; only pass -BuildToolsProxy "http://127.0.0.1:10808" or set CODEX_WINDOWS_SDK_BUILDTOOLS_PROXY when that proxy is known to be listening. Proxy URIs and credentials are never printed. curl download failed with exit code 7 usually means the selected proxy endpoint refused the connection.

Run disruptive install commands from an external PowerShell process and judge the child's actual exit code. Under Windows PowerShell 5.1, do not pipe *>&1 through Tee-Object when $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'; npm warnings written to stderr can become terminating RemoteException records. Do not redirect child stdout and stderr to the same file. Use Start-Process powershell.exe -Wait -PassThru -RedirectStandardOutput <stdout-file> -RedirectStandardError <stderr-file>, check ExitCode, then merge or summarize the two logs after the process exits.

If an install attempt is interrupted after uninstall/signing and Get-AppxPackage -Name OpenAI.Codex returns no package, do not rebuild first. Install the existing patched MSIX from the selected -OutputRoot if it exists:

Add-AppxPackage -Path "<large-local-build-root>\OpenAI.Codex_<version>_remote-control-patched.msix" -ForceApplicationShutdown -Verbose

Cleanup policy: successful remote-control script runs delete generated MSIX staging directories, ASAR extracts, script-local npx cache, installed patched .msix artifacts, and temporary Windows SDK BuildTools. If the user only asked for the repair and did not ask to keep reusable build outputs, also remove the native source checkout, Cargo/Rustup caches, target directory, temp directory, and generated patch/MSIX files created only for this repair. Keep the installed patched package, .codex\remote.json, .codex\remote-control-oauth.json, auth/config/sqlite state, logs, and explicit backups.

After installing Phone Remote Control, verify that ordinary features survived the remote-control repack. At minimum check live ASAR markers for remote control and browser local-patched availability, live native markers when a replacement binary was used, run scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1 -StrictVerifyOnly, run codex plugin list, run the Windows sandbox smoke test, and verify the Chrome native messaging manifest points at a stable versioned cache path or at a chrome\latest junction that resolves to a versioned cache directory, never at .tmp or another mutable marketplace mirror. If the strict check reports a stale Chrome native-host manifest or missing bundled cache, run scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1 -VerifyOnly, then rerun -StrictVerifyOnly.

When reading shared log databases, distinguish the running WindowsApps app-server process from old extension app-server processes. A stale Antigravity/VS Code extension codex.exe can continue logging API key auth is not supported after the WindowsApps package is fixed; filter by process path or pid before declaring the repair failed.

If phone-created turns reach Desktop but fail against the wrong model API endpoint, inspect the concrete request URL, config.toml, and the affected thread/session metadata before changing anything. Treat this as a post-pairing configuration diagnosis, not as part of remote-control pairing. Preserve conversation history and do not change model_provider ids just to change a URL.

Dynamic Tools Schema

Use this targeted MSIX/ASAR path only for the Desktop dynamicTools variant of missing field inputSchema. Required evidence:

• Newest Desktop log shows method=thread/start with missing field inputSchema.
• CLI/app-server smoke tests can start a thread when they do not send Desktop app dynamic tools, for example codex debug app-server send-message-v2 "只输出 OK" or an equivalent thread/start path with dynamicTools:null.
• The Desktop log or extracted bundle shows the failure happens after Desktop app dynamic tools are assembled, not after MCP server startup.
• Extracted webview\assets\app-server-dynamic-tools-*.js returns the old namespace wrapper shape: [{type:\namespace`, name, description, tools:[...]}]`.

When those conditions hold, patch the Desktop asset to return flat DynamicToolSpec[] entries with namespace, name, description, inputSchema, and optional deferLoading. Do not disable MCP servers for this variant unless a separate MCP-specific failure remains.

Run a dry run first. Use -OutputRoot on a large local drive when the system drive is low:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch-dynamic-tools-windows-msix.ps1" -DryRun -OutputRoot "<large-local-build-root>"

If the dry run passes, install and relaunch:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch-dynamic-tools-windows-msix.ps1" -Install -Launch -InstallPrerequisites -OutputRoot "<large-local-build-root>"

After installation, verify with the actual Desktop UI or newest Desktop logs. A CLI-only smoke test is not sufficient because it can bypass Desktop dynamicTools. Confirm the latest thread/start entries do not report missing field inputSchema, then run scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1 -StrictVerifyOnly and codex plugin list if Computer Use, Chrome, or browser use are in scope.

Cleanup policy: successful dynamic-tools script runs delete generated MSIX staging directories, ASAR extracts, script-local npx cache, temporary SDK cache under -OutputRoot, and installed patched .msix artifacts. Use -KeepWorkDir only for failed or actively debugged runs.

Provider History Sync

Use this targeted workflow when Codex Desktop local conversations disappear after switching model_provider, API account, or provider config, while the actual local history files still exist. The root cause is usually that Codex filters the official sidebar by the active provider bucket; older thread rows and rollout metadata remain under a previous provider.

Also use this workflow for the second-stage failure where recovered conversations are visible in the official sidebar but cannot be continued because Desktop reports the working directory is missing. In that case the provider bucket may already be correct; the durable source of truth can still point at an old session_meta.payload.cwd directory that no longer exists.

This workflow uses the verified local-history mechanism directly; it does not install or require external recovery tools. It reads the current provider from config.toml, then aligns provider metadata in local history stores:

• sessions and archived_sessions rollout JSONL first line: session_meta.payload.model_provider
• App SQLite store: $env:USERPROFILE\.codex\sqlite\state_5.sqlite
• Legacy CLI SQLite store: $env:USERPROFILE\.codex\state_5.sqlite
• Missing thread rows from the legacy CLI store into the newer App store when the App store is missing rows that still exist in the legacy store.
• Missing historical cwd directories referenced by rollout first lines, when explicitly requested with -RepairMissingCwdDirs.

Important source-of-truth details:

• Codex 26.609+ can rebuild state_5.sqlite from rollout JSONL on startup. Treat rollout first-line session_meta.payload as durable metadata, not the App SQLite row alone.
• Do not repair 当前工作目录缺失 by changing only one SQLite store. That can make the UI look fixed until restart, then backfill or rollout reads can reintroduce the old value.
• Prefer recreating the original missing cwd directory as an empty directory before rewriting historical metadata. This keeps the rollout history intact and was verified to fix visible-but-uncontinuable restored conversations.

Before changing anything, run a dry run:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\sync-codex-provider-history.ps1" -DryRun

Read the dry-run output before selecting the write path:

• If it shows mismatched provider buckets, close or stop Codex Desktop and run the sync.
• If the sidebar already shows recovered conversations but continuing a thread fails with missing working directory, look at missing rollout cwd dirs before. If missing cwd entries are listed, use -RepairMissingCwdDirs.
• If the missing cwd paths are outside the current user profile, do not create them by default. Review the paths first; pass -AllowCwdOutsideUserProfile only when they are expected local paths.

Provider sync write path:

Get-Process Codex,ChatGPT -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Where-Object { $_.Path -like 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_*\app\Codex.exe' -or $_.Path -like 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_*\app\ChatGPT.exe' } | Stop-Process -Force
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\sync-codex-provider-history.ps1"

Missing cwd repair path:

Get-Process Codex,ChatGPT -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Where-Object { $_.Path -like 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_*\app\Codex.exe' -or $_.Path -like 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_*\app\ChatGPT.exe' } | Stop-Process -Force
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\sync-codex-provider-history.ps1" -RepairMissingCwdDirs

This creates only the missing directories referenced by rollout first lines. It does not rewrite those cwd values, and it still verifies that config.toml is unchanged. By default it skips cwd paths outside $env:USERPROFILE to avoid creating unexpected roots on other drives or network shares.

Guardrails:

• Do not modify config.toml; the script checks the file hash before and after each run and fails if it changes.
• Do not install or launch external recovery tools for this workflow. The script implements the required local metadata repair directly.
• Do not patch ASAR or inject a floating session list for this symptom. A separate floating panel can show sessions but is not the official sidebar recovery mechanism and can introduce UI/encoding bugs.
• Do not sync .codex-global-state.json workspace/project roots by default. Doing so can expose many historical cwd values as empty project groups in the Desktop sidebar.
• Do not default to rewriting rollout cwd or forcing all missing cwd values to a fallback directory such as Documents\Codex. First try restoring the original missing directory path. Rewrite historical cwd only as a separately backed-up last resort after directory restoration fails.
• Backups are written under $env:USERPROFILE\.codex\backups_state\history-sync-agent\<timestamp> before SQLite or rollout writes.
• One unreadable or empty rollout first line may be skipped; treat that as a residual data issue, not a failure if SQLite and readable rollout counts align and the official sidebar shows the expected conversations.

Success criteria:

• The script logs the target provider from the current config.
• Both App and legacy SQLite stores, when present, report active and archived thread rows under that target provider.
• Rollout first-line provider counts under sessions and archived_sessions match the target provider for readable rollouts.
• config.toml sha256 unchanged is logged.
• Codex Desktop's official sidebar shows the recovered historical conversations after restart.
• If the symptom was a visible restored conversation that could not continue, missing rollout cwd dirs after reports zero or only reviewed/skipped paths, and the affected conversation can send a new turn after Desktop restart.
• The Projects/workspace area does not gain new empty project groups as a side effect.

Important Guardrails

• The full MSIX install path removes the existing OpenAI.Codex package and installs a patched package. If run from inside Codex Desktop, the app can disappear or exit while the script continues. Use that path only when package-gated Desktop code must be patched; for local Chrome/Computer Use marketplace/cache/native-host/runtime failures, use the Computer Use Only workflow instead.
• The full wrapper verifies that the final package still matches the package version it patched and has SignatureKind = Developer. If Store replaces the package during repair, it retries once against the current package instead of reporting a false success; a second replacement fails with an actionable error.
• Do not modify C:\Program Files\WindowsApps in place. Use the MSIX repack script.
• Do not solve a Windows 10 SetIsBorderRequired / 0x80004002 screenshot failure by restoring an older Codex Desktop package or copying a helper from another runtime. Each bundled helper patch profile is limited to its documented exact input/output hash pair, backs up the original, and refuses unknown binaries.
• Do not treat list_windows, runtime import ok, a returned screenshot count, or a written PNG as proof that Computer Use capture is correct. For node_repl exec context not found, require later independent calls to pass after the request-context patch. Activate and revalidate the target immediately before capture, then inspect that the image content matches the target instead of an occluding foreground window.
• Do not run the phone remote-control MSIX patch as a default repatch side effect. Use it only for phone remote-control tasks or when the user explicitly asks for that workflow.
• Do not treat every missing field inputSchema as an MCP problem. If CLI smoke tests pass while Desktop UI fails and the dynamic-tools ASAR asset still returns a namespace wrapper, use the Dynamic Tools Schema workflow instead of disabling unrelated MCP servers.
• Do not trust a response like FAST_CHECK_OK as proof of Fast Mode. Trust only the wrapper/script wire verification, which runs with an isolated temporary CODEX_HOME, serves the CLI's /v1/models probe, then captures a /v1/responses HTTP body or WebSocket frame and checks service_tier=priority. A models-only request is not proof. If codex exec exits or crashes before sending that request, the verifier falls back to codex debug app-server send-message-v2 and must also observe thread/start serviceTier=priority; the wire capture remains mandatory. If resolves only to the protected WindowsApps CLI, the patcher must use the copied work-package CLI; an explicit verification request must fail instead of silently skipping when no runnable CLI exists.

$pkg = Get-AppxPackage -Name OpenAI.Codex | Select-Object -First 1
$manifest = [xml](Get-Content -Raw -LiteralPath (Join-Path $pkg.InstallLocation 'AppxManifest.xml'))
$desktopExecutable = [string](($manifest.Package.Applications.Application | Select-Object -First 1).Executable)
$exe = Join-Path $pkg.InstallLocation $desktopExecutable
$env:ELECTRON_ENABLE_LOGGING='1'
Push-Location (Split-Path -Parent $exe)
& $exe --enable-logging=stderr --v=1 2>&1 | Select-String -Pattern 'FATAL|Integrity|asar|ERROR'
Pop-Location
Remove-Item Env:ELECTRON_ENABLE_LOGGING -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

• If makeappx.exe or signtool.exe is missing, run the wrapper normally; it installs Windows SDK temporarily and removes it afterward.
• If the dry run or repack fails early with robocopy failed with exit code 16, inspect the configured -OutputRoot before changing patch targets. A common Windows failure is a broken junction such as Downloads\codex-msix-repack pointing at a deleted build directory. The patch script now recreates a missing reparse target when possible and otherwise fails early with an actionable OutputRoot is a broken reparse point message. Pass a valid -OutputRoot on a large local drive if the default cannot be repaired.
• If the local marketplace directory is missing, do not invent a marketplace. Report the missing path and ask whether to restore it from backup or re-extract it from a known source.
• For user-level Codex state backup or migration, use scripts\manage-codex-backups.ps1. It backs up config.toml, extracted mcp_servers.json, custom skills, marketplaces, and chrome-native-hosts.json. It excludes .git, node_modules, build output, and virtual environments by default; use -IncludeDependencyDirs only when an exact offline dependency copy is needed. Plugin cache and .tmp\bundled-marketplaces are also opt-in because they can be large.
• If codex plugin list fails with failed to load configured marketplace snapshot(s) and a local marketplace root contains only marketplace.json, copy that manifest to .agents\plugins\marketplace.json and re-run codex plugin list before diagnosing individual plugins.
• Do not depend on Downloads\patch_codex_fast_mode_windows_msix.ps1; the skill is intended to be self-contained. Use scripts\patch_codex_fast_mode_windows_msix.ps1 unless the user explicitly passes -PatchScript.
• Do not enable the bundled custom model_instructions_file prompt unless the user explicitly asks for it. Treat assets\system-prompt.md as an opaque asset; copy/configure it, but do not inspect or summarize its content unless the user separately asks to review the prompt.
• In Codex 26.601.2237+, Fast Mode may be gated in webview\assets\read-service-tier-for-request-*.js as an async helper shaped like chatgpt` ? featureRequirements?.fast_mode !== false : falsechatgpt`-only branch while still reading the model/host feature requirement, then verify with the wire capture.

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch_codex_fast_mode_windows_msix.ps1" -OnlyBundledMarketplaceCopy -DryRun -OutputRoot "<large-local-build-root>"
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch_codex_fast_mode_windows_msix.ps1" -OnlyBundledMarketplaceCopy -Install -Launch -InstallPrerequisites -OutputRoot "<large-local-build-root>"

Useful Wrapper Options

• -DryRun: verify bundle targets only; no install. Unless -KeepBuild is supplied, the wrapper asks the patcher to clean its copied build root after a successful patch stage. Cleanup is best-effort, so inspect the reported path when zero residual data is required; a later wrapper verification can still fail after the patcher has already cleaned its own build root.
• -NoLaunch: install but do not start Codex Desktop.
• -SkipFastVerify: skip the local HTTP/WebSocket service_tier capture.
• -CustomModels <id1,id2,...>: custom model IDs forced through the Desktop model visibility filter; defaults to gpt-5.6-sol, gpt-5.6-terra, and gpt-5.6-luna.
• -KeepBuild: keep the wrapper's MSIX build root and retained artifacts for debugging after either DryRun or installation. The patcher's internal temporary ASAR work directory still follows its own cleanup policy.
• -OutputRoot <path>: optional large local build root; use it when the default output root is short on space, points at a broken junction, or should be kept off the system drive.
• -OnlyBundledMarketplaceCopy: patch only the Desktop bundled marketplace copy/helper availability path so Windows falls back to byte-stream copying when fs.cp() cannot copy bundled plugin files from WindowsApps-protected package paths, and so sites remains locally available when bundled availability filtering would otherwise remove it. Use this for restart-time bundled marketplace sync failures that uninstall sites, browser, or chrome, not for general Fast Mode or UI gates.
• -OnlyModelExperience: inspect and selectively repair the Fast Mode request gate, Fast Mode UI gate, custom model visibility filter, compact Power slider gate, and Ultra setting persistence together. Use this for Fast Mode, hidden custom models, the dependent compact Power slider, and a disabled Ultra toggle under custom providers. The legacy -OnlyCustomModels name is retained as an alias.
• -SkipSdkCleanup: leave Windows SDK installed.
• -RegisterMarketplaceOnly: only register openai-curated-local; do not patch Codex.
• -PatchScript <path>: override the bundled patch script only when testing a newer patcher.
• -SkipComputerUse: skip installing/verifying the local Computer Use compatibility plugin.

Phone remote-control script options:

• scripts\build-remote-control-native-replacement.ps1 -WorkRoot <path>: clone/patch/build the native replacement under the selected work root, keeping Cargo/Rustup/temp/target/source artifacts and the fallback Windows SDK C++ NuGet cache off the system drive. With both version parameters omitted, it auto-detects the installed native version from a temporary WorkRoot copy; if the detected version has no mapping, it requires explicit parameters instead of assuming 0.144.
• -CodexSourceRef <rust-vX> -AppServerVersion <X>: always supply these as an exact matching pair when overriding auto-detection. 0.145.0-alpha.18 is exact-tag build/install/phone end-to-end validated with Desktop 26.715.2305.0; 0.144.0-alpha.4 has the same validation scope with Desktop 26.707.3748.0; the dedicated 0.142.4 patch is patch-apply validated but not yet fully compiled in this workflow.
• -PatchPathOverride <path>: use only with an exact matching source-ref/app-server version pair, after validating that the supplied patch targets that exact source; patch apply is still checked before compilation.
• -SkipBuild: reuse only a previously generated binary accompanied by codex.remote-control-build.json. The helper verifies the exact Git commit, source ref, app-server version, patch SHA-256, Rust toolchain, target, profile, binary --version, and native markers; marker-only or unstamped stale binaries are rejected. It does not initialize or download the Windows SDK in this mode.
• scripts\patch-remote-control-windows-msix.ps1 -DryRun: patch and validate extracted package without installing, then clean successful generated artifacts.
• -KeepWorkDir: keep MSIX staging, ASAR extract, and script-local npx cache for debugging; avoid this on routine repairs because each kept run can consume multiple GB.
• -OutputRoot <path>: optional large local build root; use it when the default temp/output drive is short on space.
• -ReplacementResourceCodexExe <path>: copy in a patched native app-server binary and verify remote-control markers before packaging.
• -Install -Launch -InstallPrerequisites: sign, install, and relaunch the patched package after dry-run passes.

Dynamic tools schema script options:

• scripts\patch-dynamic-tools-windows-msix.ps1 -DryRun: extract current package, patch/verify app-server-dynamic-tools-*.js, run node --check, then clean successful generated artifacts without installing.
• -OutputRoot <path>: optional large local build root; use it when the system drive is short on space.
• -Install -Launch -InstallPrerequisites: sign, install, and relaunch the targeted dynamicTools patched package after dry-run passes.
• -KeepWorkDir: keep MSIX staging, ASAR extract, and script-local npx cache for debugging only.

Optional Model Instructions File

This workflow has an optional custom model instructions installer. It is not part of the default repatch flow and should only run when the user asks for that extra configuration.

To install only the bundled prompt asset and configure Codex:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\install-model-instructions-file.ps1"

The installer copies assets\system-prompt.md to $env:USERPROFILE\.codex\prompts\system-prompt.md, writes this top-level TOML entry, validates TOML syntax when Python is available, and logs a timestamped backup of any existing config.toml:

model_instructions_file = 'C:\Users\<user>\.codex\prompts\system-prompt.md'

To combine it with the main wrapper, add -InstallModelInstructionsFile explicitly:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\repatch-codex-windows.ps1" -InstallModelInstructionsFile

To verify the current machine without changing files:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\install-model-instructions-file.ps1" -VerifyOnly

After configuring model_instructions_file, restart Codex CLI/Desktop or start a new session so the new model instructions file is loaded.

Computer Use Only

Use this path for local Computer Use plugin/runtime repair without repacking the MSIX. It rebuilds the local openai-bundled marketplace mirror, repairs stable computer-use / browser / chrome / sites cache links from one pinned installed-package source, overlays the installed CUA @oai/sky runtime into the local Computer Use plugin, patches localized/default-value Chrome registry parsing and the Computer Use client import shape when needed, preserves a live SKY_CUA_NATIVE_PIPE configuration while removing stale overrides, updates the Chrome native messaging host and both schema-2 app-server state files to current stable cache/runtime paths, and verifies the client import or independent runtime transport.

If enumeration works but a later Computer Use call returns node_repl exec context not found, inspect the source profile before repair:

$contextPatcher = "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch-computer-use-node-repl-context.ps1"
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File $contextPatcher

The documented @oai/sky 0.6.2 profile is 6423BA83...702B7C -> 3600AC24...5BB60A. Prefer the normal install-computer-use-local.ps1 -VerifyOnly path to install it, then reset the current node_repl JavaScript kernel and rerun -StrictVerifyOnly. The patcher backs up the exact original under .codex\backups\computer-use-node-repl-context and supports -Rollback; it rejects unknown hashes. End-to-end validation must start the helper in one JavaScript call and capture a controlled, freshly activated window in later calls so the test exercises the stale-context boundary.

If Windows 10 reaches the native helper but screenshot capture fails specifically at SetIsBorderRequired with 0x80004002, inspect the helper profile before rerunning the general local repair:

$helperPatcher = "$SkillRoot\scripts\patch-computer-use-helper-win10.ps1"
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File $helperPatcher

Only an original-patchable result for one of the documented complete helper SHA-256 profiles authorizes further evaluation. A real write additionally requires Windows 10 and the exact SetIsBorderRequired / 0x80004002 screenshot failure; a matching hash on Windows 11 is not authorization. The current profiles include @oai/sky 0.4.20 / Desktop 26.707.12708.0, 0.5.2 / 26.721.4979.0, 0.6.6 / 26.803.10989.0, 0.6.11 / 26.810.6296.0 and 26.810.7004.0, 0.6.16 / 26.814.5167.0 and 26.814.5517.0, and 0.6.17 / 26.818.2872.0 and 26.818.3698.0; the helper hash, not the Desktop version, is the binary compatibility boundary, and identical reported versions can still cover different binaries:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File $helperPatcher -Install

The patcher verifies the complete output hash, stores the original under .codex\backups\computer-use-helper, and supports -Rollback. After installation, continue with -VerifyOnly, -StrictVerifyOnly, and real Explorer/Task Manager Computer Use captures. Do not apply the profile to an unknown helper hash.

To refresh only the local Windows Computer Use files and environment gate:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1"

To verify and automatically repair missing local Computer Use files:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1" -VerifyOnly

To verify without changing files:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\install-computer-use-local.ps1" -StrictVerifyOnly

If -StrictVerifyOnly fails because a cache path is missing or stale, run -VerifyOnly once, then rerun -StrictVerifyOnly. If -VerifyOnly succeeds but Desktop still reports native pipe unavailable, restart Codex Desktop and inspect the newest Desktop log for computer-use native pipe startup ready.

Backup Management

To back up local Codex config, MCP server entries, custom skills, marketplaces, and Chrome native-host state:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\manage-codex-backups.ps1" -Action Backup

To list or restore snapshots:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\manage-codex-backups.ps1" -Action List
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$SkillRoot\scripts\manage-codex-backups.ps1" -Action Restore -BackupPath "<backup path>"

Success Criteria

• If an existing config.toml was modified, the log shows a timestamped backup under .codex\backups\config\.
• The patch log's selected Codex app and source package lines identify the intended highest-version package, including a newer SYSTEM-Staged Store package when present.
• Get-AppxPackage -Name OpenAI.Codex shows SignatureKind = Developer.
• The install log launches the patched Desktop package through its AppUserModelId, avoiding direct-executable access failures under WindowsApps.
• The manifest-declared Codex Desktop process stays alive from the installed package, currently ...\app\ChatGPT.exe on newer builds and ...\app\Codex.exe on older builds.
• Fast Mode verification reaches /v1/responses and logs request wire service_tier=priority; /v1/models probes alone do not pass verification. When the app-server fallback is used, it also logs thread/start serviceTier=priority.