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  "path": "/t/codex-vs-code-extension-native-executable-crashes-before-startup-windows-11-ryzen-7-9800x3d/1386335#post_1",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-10T18:41:43.000Z",
  "site": "https://community.openai.com",
  "textContent": "## Summary\n\nThe Codex VS Code extension never finishes loading because the bundled native executable (`codex.exe`) crashes immediately during startup.\n\nThe issue occurs before authentication, before any network requests are made, and before the extension finishes initialization.\n\nAfter extensive debugging, I confirmed that the problem is **not related to VS Code, the extension host, authentication, network connectivity, or my ChatGPT account**. The bundled executable itself fails when launched directly from the command line.\n\n* * *\n\n## Environment\n\n### Operating System\n\n  * Windows 11 Pro\n  * Version 24H2\n  * Build 26200.8655\n\n\n\n### Visual Studio Code\n\n  * Version: 1.128.0\n\n\n\n### Extension\n\n  * Extension: `openai.chatgpt`\n  * Version: `26.707.31428`\n\n\n\n### Hardware\n\n**CPU**\n\n  * AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D\n\n\n\n**GPU**\n\n  * NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070\n\n\n\n**Motherboard**\n\n  * ASUS TUF GAMING B650M-E WIFI\n\n\n\n**BIOS**\n\n  * Version: 3841\n  * Release Date: 2026-02-24\n\n\n\n* * *\n\n## Expected Behavior\n\nOpening the Codex sidebar should initialize the extension and display the ChatGPT authentication screen.\n\n* * *\n\n## Actual Behavior\n\nThe sidebar remains indefinitely on the loading screen (OpenAI logo).\n\nThe authentication screen never appears.\n\nNo requests are sent to the authentication endpoints.\n\n* * *\n\n## Reproduction\n\n  1. Install the latest version of Visual Studio Code.\n  2. Install the latest OpenAI Codex extension.\n  3. Open the Codex sidebar.\n  4. Observe that it remains permanently on the loading screen.\n\n\n\n* * *\n\n## Most Important Finding\n\nRunning the bundled executable directly reproduces the failure without involving VS Code.\n\nExecutable:\n\n\n\n\n\n    codex.exe\n\n\nCommand:\n\n\n\n\n\n    codex.exe --version\n\n\nOutput:\n\n\n\n\n\n    Fatal Error:\n    HW capability found: 0x178BFBFF 0xFED8320B,\n    but HW capability requested: 0x20000000 0x00.\n\n\nThe exact same error occurs with:\n\n\n\n\n\n    codex.exe\n\n\nand\n\n\n\n\n\n    codex.exe --help\n\n\nTherefore the native executable itself never starts successfully.\n\n* * *\n\n## Troubleshooting Performed\n\nI tested all of the following:\n\n  * Reinstalled Visual Studio Code.\n  * Deleted all VS Code settings.\n  * Deleted the extension cache.\n  * Installed only the OpenAI extension.\n  * Started VS Code using `--disable-extensions`.\n  * Started VS Code with a completely fresh user profile (`--user-data-dir`).\n  * Verified that Microsoft Edge WebView2 is installed.\n  * Verified that network connectivity is working.\n  * Verified that the OpenAI API is reachable.\n  * Compared against another Windows PC using the same account.\n  * Verified BIOS version and motherboard model.\n\n\n\nNone of these changed the behavior.\n\n* * *\n\n## Network Verification\n\nThe machine has normal Internet connectivity.\n\nRunning:\n\n\n\n\n\n    curl https://api.openai.com/v1/models\n\n\nreturns the expected authentication error (“Missing bearer authentication”), confirming that the OpenAI API is reachable.\n\nDuring extension startup, no authentication requests are initiated because the native executable terminates before initialization.\n\n* * *\n\n## Comparison With Another Machine\n\nI tested the exact same setup on another computer.\n\nSame:\n\n  * ChatGPT account\n  * VS Code version\n  * Extension version\n\n\n\nOn the other machine, Codex initializes correctly and displays the login screen.\n\nThe problem only occurs on this machine.\n\n* * *\n\n## Extension Behavior\n\nBased on the investigation, the startup sequence appears to be:\n\n\n\n\n\n    VS Code\n\n    ↓\n\n    Extension activates\n\n    ↓\n\n    Extension launches codex.exe\n\n    ↓\n\n    codex.exe immediately exits with a fatal hardware capability error\n\n    ↓\n\n    Extension waits indefinitely\n\n    ↓\n\n    Sidebar remains stuck on loading\n\n\n* * *\n\n## Observations\n\nThe issue appears to occur before:\n\n  * Authentication\n  * API communication\n  * Extension UI initialization\n  * Normal extension logic\n\n\n\nThe failure happens entirely inside the bundled native executable.\n\n* * *\n\n## Request\n\nCould the engineering team investigate the hardware capability detection performed during startup?\n\nThe executable consistently terminates with:\n\n\n\n\n\n    Fatal Error:\n    HW capability found: 0x178BFBFF 0xFED8320B,\n    but HW capability requested: 0x20000000 0x00.\n\n\nThis happens on an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D running Windows 11 24H2.\n\nSince the executable crashes outside VS Code as well, it appears to be a native runtime or CPU feature detection issue rather than a VS Code extension issue.",
  "title": "Codex VS Code Extension - Native executable crashes before startup (Windows 11 / Ryzen 7 9800X3D)"
}