meteor create throws error: module.js:549 Could not install npm dependencies for test-packages

Question

When I tried running meteor create boilerplate the following showed up on my screen. I did some research and came up with an answer which I have posted below. It took sometime to solve so I'm sharing my solution with the hopes of helping others.

Here is is the error in its entirety.

/Users/user/.meteor/packages/meteor-tool/.1.6.1_1.o8hqcq.5zvm++os.osx.x86_64+web.browser+web.cordova/mt-os.osx.x86_64/dev_bundle/lib/node_modules/meteor-promise/promise_server.js:218
      throw error;
      ^

Error: Error: Could not install npm dependencies for test-packages: Command failed: /Users/user/.meteor/packages/meteor-tool/.1.6.1_1.o8hqcq.5zvm++os.osx.x86_64+web.browser+web.cordova/mt-os.osx.x86_64/dev_bundle/bin/npm install --production=false
module.js:549
    throw err;
    ^

Error: Cannot find module '../lib/utils/unsupported.js'
    at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:547:15)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:474:25)
    at Module.require (module.js:596:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
    at /Users/user/.meteor/packages/meteor-tool/.1.6.1_1.o8hqcq.5zvm++os.osx.x86_64+web.browser+web.cordova/mt-os.osx.x86_64/dev_bundle/bin/npm:19:21
    at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/user/.meteor/packages/meteor-tool/.1.6.1_1.o8hqcq.5zvm++os.osx.x86_64+web.browser+web.cordova/mt-os.osx.x86_64/dev_bundle/bin/npm:92:3)
    at Module._compile (module.js:652:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:663:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:565:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:505:12)
module.js:549
    throw err;
    ^

Error: Cannot find module '../lib/utils/unsupported.js'
    at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:547:15)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:474:25)
    at Module.require (module.js:596:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
    at /Users/user/.meteor/packages/meteor-tool/.1.6.1_1.o8hqcq.5zvm++os.osx.x86_64+web.browser+web.cordova/mt-os.osx.x86_64/dev_bundle/bin/npm:19:21
    at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/user/.meteor/packages/meteor-tool/.1.6.1_1.o8hqcq.5zvm++os.osx.x86_64+web.browser+web.cordova/mt-os.osx.x86_64/dev_bundle/bin/npm:92:3)
    at Module._compile (module.js:652:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:663:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:565:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:505:12)

    at Object.error (/tools/utils/buildmessage.js:430:11)
    at /tools/cli/default-npm-deps.js:36:20
    at /tools/utils/buildmessage.js:334:18
    at exports.EnvironmentVariable.withValue (/tools/utils/fiber-helpers.js:89:14)
    at /tools/utils/buildmessage.js:333:36
    at exports.EnvironmentVariable.withValue (/tools/utils/fiber-helpers.js:89:14)
    at Object.enterJob (/tools/utils/buildmessage.js:324:26)
    at Object.install (/tools/cli/default-npm-deps.js:27:27)
    at Command.func (/tools/cli/commands.js:801:36)

Any help is greatly appreciated.

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 02 '18 at 10:00

To solve this, I first uninstalled node using the following:

brew uninstall node; 
# or `brew uninstall --force node` which removes all versions
brew prune;
rm -f /usr/local/bin/npm /usr/local/lib/dtrace/node.d;
rm -rf ~/.npm;

Then reinstalled node using the following:

brew install node;
which node # => /usr/local/bin/node
export NODE_PATH='/usr/local/lib/node_modules' # <--- add this ~/.bashrc

Then I deleted Meteor using the following:

sudo rm /usr/local/bin/meteor
rm -rf ~/.meteor

Repaired permissions:

sudo chown -R $(whoami) ~/.npm

Then reinstall Meteor:

curl https://install.meteor.com/ | sh

Now, the error is gone!

Sources:

meteor create throws error: module.js:549 Could not install npm dependencies for test-packages

1 Answers1