Codex Desktop on Windows spawns hundreds of lingering `taskkill.exe` processes
Sage-tap · ghdev · 2026-07-22
Codex Desktop on Windows spawns hundreds of lingering taskkill.exe processes during agent work
A Windows bug report says Codex Desktop rapidly launches hundreds of taskkill.exe /PID <pid> /T /F processes during normal agent activity.
The processes do not exit quickly, pile up in large bursts, and can make the whole Windows session unusable:
- Task Manager may stop opening
- the desktop and other apps can freeze
- the machine may need a remote or forced reboot
The reporter includes live sampling evidence showing bursts of more than 300 concurrent taskkill.exe processes, with new ones still being created during the observation window. The issue appears to be tightly correlated with ordinary agent work, even when the Diff/Review panel is closed.
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