Codex Desktop spawns 287 `taskkill.exe` processes and degrades Windows DWM
AnitaHailey0306 · ghdev · 2026-07-17
Codex Desktop on Windows leaves hundreds of taskkill.exe processes behind
A bug report against openai/codex says ChatGPT.exe in Codex Desktop on Windows repeatedly spawns and leaves behind large numbers of taskkill.exe and conhost.exe processes. In one affected session, the reporter counted 287 live taskkill.exe children and 302 associated conhost.exe processes.
The side effects are system-wide:
- Windows Management Instrumentation recorded 987 failed queries in two hours.
- DWM handle count grew from 1,205 to 4,458.
- Closing windows left white frames visible for about two seconds.
- UI responsiveness and DWM CPU usage degraded.
The reporter says the issue reappears within about an hour after a clean reboot, while Codex Desktop keeps running.
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