wta.exe launch fails with 0x80070002 — misplaced quote in path breaks at "Program Files" (Windows, codex agent)

[pedram6745]

Environment

• OS: Windows 11 (build 26100)
• Copilot CLI: 1.0.80 (npm @github/copilot@1.0.80, platform package copilot-win32-x64)
• Intelligent Terminal: Microsoft.IntelligentTerminal 0.2.2192.0 (installed via MS Store, package status Ok, wta.exe present and intact — 24,870 KB)

Bug

When spawning a delegated codex agent (--delegate-agent codex), the terminal launch fails with:

error 2147942402 (0x80070002) when launching `C:\Program "Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.IntelligentTerminal_0.2.2192.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\wta.exe --connect-master \\.\pipe\wta-master-<GUID> --owner-tab-id {<GUID>} --owner-window-id 1 --agent npx" -y "@agentclientprotocol/codex-acp@1.1.4 --agent-id codex --agent-source host --follows-global-acp-model --allowed-agent-ids copilot,claude,codex,gemini,opencode --delegate-agent codex --language en-US --start-stashed"
The system cannot find the file specified.

Root cause

The command line is assembled with a misplaced quote: C:\Program "Files\WindowsApps\... — the quote opens after Program instead of before C:\. Windows then treats C:\Program as the executable path, which does not exist → 0x80070002 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND).

The closing quote appears after --agent npx, so the intended quoting was presumably:
"C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\...\wta.exe" --connect-master ... --agent "npx" -y "..." ...

Reproducibility

• Reproduces 100% on every codex agent spawn, including after a full reboot
• Survives: forced reinstall of Microsoft.IntelligentTerminal from the Store, and npm update of @github/copilot (1.0.79 → 1.0.80)
• wta.exe launches fine when run directly from PowerShell — the exe and package are healthy; only the command construction is broken

Workaround

Use non-codex agents (copilot/claude/gemini work), since the faulty quoting appears specific to the codex delegate path.

[MilkyWay008]

yeah that 0x80070002 is just file-not-found, and you already found it, the quote lands after Program so Windows tries to run C:\Program as the exe. your wta.exe is fine, it's the spawn line in the codex delegate path being assembled wrong. I'd lean on copilot/claude/gemini delegates till that gets patched upstream. oh, btw, in case it might help that, I built a portable Hermes OTG repo, check it, imo it may be able to help you diagnose and figure out the fix in no time. https://github.com/MilkyWay008/Hermes-OTG