The quick fix
VID_05FC&PID_0231 and MI_04, then choose Disable device. Do not uninstall it.The exact hardware ID on this PC was HID\VID_05FC&PID_0231&REV_0100&MI_04. Your JBL model may use a different VID/PID, so verify that the entry disappears when you unplug the speaker and returns when you reconnect it.
VID_046D device during troubleshooting; it belonged to another peripheral and was not the JBL interface. Disabling the wrong mouse or keyboard interface can temporarily remove input.The symptoms
- Codex stopped responding about every 10 seconds, even while idle.
- Each freeze lasted about 3 seconds; the window turned white and the mouse sometimes stalled.
- Reinstalling Codex or moving the app to the E drive changed the impact but did not remove the periodic freeze.
- Unplugging the JBL USB speaker stopped the freezes immediately; reconnecting it brought them back.
That last result was the useful clue. It narrowed the problem from Codex files, storage, and networking to the JBL USB device and its driver interfaces.
How to disable the correct interface
- Leave the JBL speaker connected.Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Human Interface Devices.You may see several similarly named HID-compliant consumer control or vendor-defined devices.
- Open each candidate's properties.Right-click it → Properties → Details → select Hardware Ids.
- Confirm the JBL interface.Look for the entry containing
VID_05FC,PID_0231, andMI_04. For a safer confirmation, unplug the JBL and check that the entry disappears, then reconnect it. - Choose Disable device only.Do not choose Uninstall device and do not modify driver files. Watch Codex for at least one minute.
- Test the speaker.Audio continued to work in this case because the disabled HID control interface was separate from the USB audio interface.
Why can audio keep working?
A USB speaker can expose multiple functions at once: one interface carries audio, while a HID interface may handle volume buttons, playback controls, lighting, or device status. Windows lists them as separate interfaces under the same physical speaker.
Audio playback does not mean every feature is unaffected. Disabling the HID interface may stop hardware volume buttons, playback keys, lighting, or status synchronization. If you need those controls, you can enable the device again.
The unplug/reconnect/disable comparison strongly suggests that periodic HID control communication, device enumeration, or a related driver interaction triggered the stalls on this PC. I did not capture a kernel-level driver trace, so this is an evidence-based diagnosis, not a definitive claim about Codex or JBL internals.
How to undo the change
Return to Device Manager → Human Interface Devices, find the disabled entry with the down-arrow icon, right-click it, and choose Enable device. The change is reversible.
Windows updates, JBL driver updates, or changing USB ports may enable the interface again. If the same freeze returns, recheck the hardware ID instead of relying on the device's position in the list.
Why moving Codex to the E drive seemed to help
Moving Codex away from the C drive reduced the effect on the mouse and desktop, but Codex still froze periodically. It changed how the symptom felt without removing the trigger. The complete stop after unplugging the JBL speaker showed that storage was not the final cause.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Codex freeze about every 10 seconds?
On this PC, the freezes were strongly linked to the MI_04 HID control interface exposed by a JBL USB speaker. Unplugging the speaker or disabling only that HID interface stopped the periodic freezes.
Will the JBL speaker still play audio after disabling its HID interface?
Yes in this test. The USB audio interface remained active because it was separate from the MI_04 HID control interface.
What if I disable the wrong HID device?
Return to Device Manager, right-click the device, and choose Enable device. Do not disable a mouse, keyboard, VID_046D device, or any unrelated interface.
Conclusion
If Codex freezes for a few seconds at a regular interval on Windows, unplug USB speakers and other USB peripherals first. If removing a JBL speaker stops the issue, disable the corresponding HID control interface confirmed by unplugging it; MI_04 was the interface on this tested device.
This is a real result from one Windows PC, not an official OpenAI or JBL troubleshooting notice. Verify the hardware ID and keep the Enable device recovery step available.