[BUG] npx fails with ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\Users\Stefnotch\AppData\Roaming\npm'

[stefnotch]

Fixed in #7640 , update to a new version of npm!

This issue has been fixed. Please do npm install -g npm or install a new Node.js

Old Behavior

When running npx create-react-app some-name, then npx throws an error message.

~> npx create-react-app some-name                                                                   12/17/23 10:49:32 AM
npm ERR! code ENOENT
npm ERR! syscall lstat
npm ERR! path C:\Users\Stefnotch\AppData\Roaming\npm
npm ERR! errno -4058
npm ERR! enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\Users\Stefnotch\AppData\Roaming\npm'
npm ERR! enoent This is related to npm not being able to find a file.
npm ERR! enoent

npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in: C:\Users\Stefnotch\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2023-12-17T09_49_33_588Z-debug-0.log

This has been fixed in #7640 , update to a new version of npm!

Side note: I originally encountered it after creating a Threlte app, which includes the @threlte/gltf tool. I ran npm run model-pipeline:run in the Threlte app, which runs an npx command under the hood.

This is also a pretty widespread issue, as evidenced by

• [BUG] npm ERR! enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\Users\userName\AppData\Roaming\npm' #6971
• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/77152589/cannot-find-npm-on-appdata-roaming
• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76635661/npm-shows-an-error-enoent-no-such-file-or-directory-when-creating-a-react-pro
• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76635661/npm-shows-an-error-enoent-no-such-file-or-directory-when-creating-a-react-pro
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwY6U7L10lg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxyRDd-xKv4
• https://www.reddit.com/r/nextjs/comments/15x1w60/guys_getting_this_error_while_creating_a_next_app/

I suppose it'd be worthwhile to inform these people once it's fixed. I'll happily do so.

Expected Behavior

I expected npx create-react-app some-name to work.
If the folder is missing, then npm should automatically create it.

Steps To Reproduce

1. On a Windows machine, install Node.js. I personally installed it with winget.
2. Run npx create-react-app some-name
3. If it the error happens, then yay. If not, then go to step 4.
4. Go to %appdata% (C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming)
5. Delete the npm folder.
6. Run npx create-react-app some-name again
7. Error should happen

Apparently the npm folder isn't being created by every installer or something. So we can manually reproduce the failure condition.

Environment

• npm: 10.2.3
• Node.js: 20.10.0
• OS Name: Windows 11
• System Model Name:
• npm config:

; "builtin" config from C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\npmrc

prefix = "C:\\Users\\Stefnotch\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm"

; node bin location = C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
; node version = v20.10.0
; npm local prefix = C:\Users\Stefnotch
; npm version = 10.2.3
; cwd = C:\Users\Stefnotch
; HOME = C:\Users\Stefnotch
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[bondarenkod]

try to create this folder manually

[stefnotch]

@bondarenkod
Yes, creating this folder manually works. But that shouldn't be necessary, because npm (or npm's installer) should take care of it.

Update: This has been fixed in the latest version of npm.

[Aimeryyds]

try to create this folder manually

yes I fix it manually

[stefnotch]

@Aimeryyds Can you also confirm having run into this very issue with the current version of npm?

[3limin4t0r]

This Stack Overflow answer here seem to suggest that this happens when running the command with a different user account than the user who installed npm. Haven't verified this, but this info might be relevant.

https://stackoverflow.com/a/77063477/3982562

[artur-li]

Just ran into the same issue. Fixed it by manually creating the folder.

[hzhang20902]

@bondarenkod Yes, creating this folder manually works. But that shouldn't be necessary, because npm (or npm's installer) should take care of it.

npm install npm -g

[bondarenkod]

@bondarenkod Yes, creating this folder manually works. But that shouldn't be necessary, because npm (or npm's installer) should take care of it.

npm install npm -g

Nice!
I'm not a pro at the npm world. Just moved here from xamarin.forms, so, a lot of stuff needs to be learn)

[hzhang20902]

@bondarenkod Yes, creating this folder manually works. But that shouldn't be necessary, because npm (or npm's installer) should take care of it.

npm install npm -g

Nice! I'm not a pro at the npm world. Just moved here from xamarin.forms, so, a lot of stuff needs to be learn)

neither am I, I just try to find people smarter than me and hope they post on the internet 😅
Manually creating the folder seems to be fine for most, but for some people it caused more errors, so this will cleanly install/reinstall npm globally, including the missing directory so there's no worry of node disagreeing with it.

The underlying issue that causes this seems to be:

• using npm as a different user than the original installer (ie admin for work computers)
• faux-global installations due to a separation of cloud and local user privileges (user privilege is only global on the work-administered cloud context, not local context)

hope that helped with your learning, I am still learning as well

[KulaGGin]

The underlying issue that causes this seems to be:

• using npm as a different user than the original installer (ie admin for work computers)
• faux-global installations due to a separation of cloud and local user privileges (user privilege is only global on the work-administered cloud context, not local context)

hope that helped with your learning, I am still learning as well

I just downloaded and installed a default node.js after googling nodejs download windows, then following the first link: https://nodejs.org/en/download and then downloading and installing what it proposed, in my case now it's: node-v20.12.2-x64.msi. I got the error when I was trying to create react app with npx create-react-app my-app.

This Stack Overflow answer here seem to suggest that this happens when running the command with a different user account than the user who installed npm. Haven't verified this, but this info might be relevant.

https://stackoverflow.com/a/77063477/3982562

Not in my case. I installed node.js as described above and then immediately ran npx create-react-app my-app and got the error. And the C:\Users\Kulagin\AppData\Roaming\npm was missing, indeed. After I created this folder manually, it successfully created the project.

This seems like a bug that should be fixed on npm and/or on the create-react-app command side.

[joelanman]

we are seeing this issue fairly regularly