"sandbox error: command timed out" when searching for strings in codebase.

[mrxsal]

After sending a prompt, codex often attempts to look for certain strings in the codebase. However, this takes codex way longer than for example github copilot agent mode.

It regularly times out, and even codex itself seems frustrated :

✗ Failed (exit -1)
  └ 🔎 class .*Factory|GeoRecordFactory|Network|SourceDataSetFactory|GeoRecordSetFactory in tests
    sandbox error: command timed out

✗ Failed (exit -1)
  └ 📂 tests
    sandbox error: command timed out

✗ Failed (exit -1)
  └ 🔎 factories in tests
    sandbox error: command timed out

✗ Failed (exit -1)
  └ ⌨️ python - << 'PY'
    import os
    for root, dirs, files in os.walk('tests'):
        for f in files:
            if f.endswith('.py') and 'factory' in f or 'factories' in root:
                print(os.path.join(root,f))
    PY
    sandbox error: command timed out

[mechanovkirill]

I faced a similar issue

• Ran pwd
  └ (no output)

• I'm exploring why shell commands time out or get denied, considering approval policies, untrusted mode restrictions, and potential CLI user approvals
  that block command progress. I'm also thinking about workarounds like using apply_patch to access file content indirectly since direct command use seems
  prevented, but I need to investigate more to find a way forward.

• Called codex.list_mcp_resource_templates({})
  └ {"resourceTemplates": []}

• Ran true
  └ (no output)

• I’m working through why shell commands won’t run—considering timeouts, user approvals, and environment hooks that might block or stall commands.
  It seems commands are waiting for user approval that can’t be given here, so I’m leaning toward explaining this limitation to the user while still
  exploring if longer waits or different command formats might help.

✔ You approved codex to run #!/bin/bash ... this time

• Ran #!/bin/bash
  │ pwd
  └ (no output)

─ Worked for 3m 49s ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

• I wasn’t able to start on the changes yet because every shell command I run (even a simple echo hi or pwd) just hangs until it times out, and I’m not
  allowed to request escalated permissions under the current “UnlessTrusted” approval policy. Without being able to inspect the JSON or XML files in
  soft_account, I don’t have enough information to build the new account.report.group records you requested.