Can no longer use npm command after trying to update

Question

I was trying to install yeoman but it threw an error regarding self signed certificates.

I looked this up and I found out I had to upgrade node.

Upgrading node however threw this: (forgot to use sudo with it...)

npm ERR! error rolling back Error: EACCES, unlink '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm'
npm ERR! error rolling back  npm@1.4.4 { [Error: EACCES, unlink '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm']

After this I couldn't use npm anymore. It couldn't be found:

/usr/local/bin/npm: No such file or directory

Trying to reinstall with brew:

It appears you already have npm installed at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm

Tells me to npm uninstall but I can't use npm anymore.

The error message is more detailed but I think the part about "unlinking" is the main thing. How do I go about linking it back up and also why was such a weird error thrown?

EDIT: also ran npm config set ca "" before trying to update node.

score 27 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 10 '14 at 10:48

27

I installed using brew after: brew install node

sudo brew postinstall node

answered Sep 10 '14 at 10:48

bahek2462774

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I get an error telling me how I shouldn't run brew as root, and it just "cowardly" refuses to do so. – eddiemoya Oct 21 '16 at 20:13

score 9 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:26

9

Found some links with similar errors and all with different solutions:

https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/4099

Error: The 'brew link' step did not complete successfully

How do I completely uninstall Node.js, and reinstall from beginning (Mac OS X)

The answer for the third one helped most I think, specifically:

go to /usr/local/lib and delete any node and node_modules

edited May 23 '17 at 12:26

Community

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answered Feb 28 '14 at 19:03

user2483724

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Follow your links I could solve it, thanks. The command that works for me was: sudo curl -L http://npmjs.org/install.sh | sudo sh – Alberto Fortes Jun 30 '15 at 12:45
And once you've done that, reload your bash session. Didn't work without it for me on my Vagrant box – cloakedninjas Oct 31 '16 at 12:35

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 26 '14 at 15:50

2

sudo brew postinstall command works for me. This issue is caused if you try to update a core NPM package without using the sudo command

answered Sep 26 '14 at 15:50

learn2reid

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Can no longer use npm command after trying to update

3 Answers3