Installation failure on Windows: node-gyp error `The system cannot find the path specified.`

Description:

Can’t install hydrogen package. Neither per GUI nor per console apm install hydrogen. Might be closely related to https://github.com/nteract/hydrogen/issues/1308 and maybe to the Windows 10 April update.

Steps to Reproduce:

For me it’s the following:

1. Install Atom on Windows 10 (version details see below)
2. Try to install Hydrogen

Versions:

C:\Users\carsten\Desktop
$ ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17134.112] (Windows 10 Home)

C:\Users\carsten\Desktop
$ atom --version

Atom    : 1.28.0
Electron: 2.0.3
Chrome  : 61.0.3163.100
Node    : 8.9.3

C:\Users\carsten\Desktop
$ apm --version
apm  1.19.0
npm  3.10.10
node 6.9.5 x64
atom 1.28.0
python 2.7.13
git 2.11.0.windows.2
visual studio 2015

Logs:

C:\Users\carsten\Desktop
$ apm install hydrogen
Installing hydrogen to C:\Users\carsten\.atom\packages failed

> canvas@1.6.11 install C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install
-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9\node_modules\Hydrogen\node_modules\
canvas
> node-gyp rebuild


C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0
.rlxwvfs9k9\node_modules\Hydrogen\node_modules\canvas>if not defined np
m_config_node_gyp (node "C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\atom\app-1.28.0
\resources\app\apm\node_modules\npm\bin\node-gyp-bin\\..\..\node_module
s\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild )  else (node "C:\Users\carsten\App
Data\Local\atom\app-1.28.0\resources\app\apm\bin\\..\node_modules\node-
gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild )

> zeromq@4.6.0 install C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install-
dir-11862-12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9\node_modules\Hydrogen\node_modules\z
eromq
> node scripts/prebuild-install.js || (node scripts/preinstall.js && no
de-gyp rebuild)


The system cannot find the path specified.

Downloading libzmq for Windows
Download finished

C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0
.rlxwvfs9k9\node_modules\Hydrogen\node_modules\zeromq>if not defined np
m_config_node_gyp (node "C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\atom\app-1.28.0
\resources\app\apm\node_modules\npm\bin\node-gyp-bin\\..\..\node_module
s\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild )  else (node "C:\Users\carsten\App
Data\Local\atom\app-1.28.0\resources\app\apm\bin\\..\node_modules\node-
gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild )
C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0
.rlxwvfs9k9
`-- (empty)


The system cannot find the path specified.
gyp: Call to 'node -e "require('nan')"' returned exit status 1 while in
 binding.gyp. while trying to load binding.gyp
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: `gyp` failed with exit code: 1
gyp ERR! stack     at ChildProcess.onCpExit (C:\Users\carsten\AppData\L
ocal\atom\app-1.28.0\resources\app\apm\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\config
ure.js:305:16)
gyp ERR! stack     at emitTwo (events.js:106:13)
gyp ERR! stack     at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:191:7)
gyp ERR! stack     at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (internal/chi
ld_process.js:215:12)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 10.0.17134
gyp ERR! command "C:\\Users\\carsten\\AppData\\Local\\atom\\app-1.28.0\
\resources\\app\\apm\\bin\\node.exe" "C:\\Users\\carsten\\AppData\\Loca
l\\atom\\app-1.28.0\\resources\\app\\apm\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\
node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install-dir-11862-
12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9\node_modules\Hydrogen\node_modules\canvas
gyp ERR! node -v v6.9.5
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v3.4.0
gyp ERR! not ok
The system cannot find the path specified.
gyp: Call to 'node -e "require('nan')"' returned exit status 1 while in
 binding.gyp. while trying to load binding.gyp
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: `gyp` failed with exit code: 1
gyp ERR! stack     at ChildProcess.onCpExit (C:\Users\carsten\AppData\L
ocal\atom\app-1.28.0\resources\app\apm\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\config
ure.js:305:16)
gyp ERR! stack     at emitTwo (events.js:106:13)
gyp ERR! stack     at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:191:7)
gyp ERR! stack     at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (internal/chi
ld_process.js:215:12)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 10.0.17134
gyp ERR! command "C:\\Users\\carsten\\AppData\\Local\\atom\\app-1.28.0\
\resources\\app\\apm\\bin\\node.exe" "C:\\Users\\carsten\\AppData\\Loca
l\\atom\\app-1.28.0\\resources\\app\\apm\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\
node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install-dir-11862-
12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9\node_modules\Hydrogen\node_modules\zeromq
gyp ERR! node -v v6.9.5
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v3.4.0
gyp ERR! not ok
npm WARN enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, open 'C:\Users\carst
en\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9\pa
ckage.json'
npm WARN react-rangeslider@2.2.0 requires a peer of react@^0.14.0 || ^1
5.0.0 but none was installed.
npm WARN commonmark-react-renderer@4.3.4 requires a peer of commonmark@
^0.27.0 || ^0.26.0 || ^0.24.0 but none was installed.
npm WARN apm-install-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9 No description
npm WARN apm-install-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9 No repository f
ield.
npm WARN apm-install-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9 No README data
npm WARN apm-install-dir-11862-12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9 No license fiel
d.
npm WARN optional SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: canvas@1.6.11 (node_mod
ules\Hydrogen\node_modules\canvas):
npm WARN optional SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: canvas@1.6.11 install:
`node-gyp rebuild`
npm WARN optional SKIPPING OPTIONAL DEPENDENCY: Exit status 1
npm ERR! Windows_NT 10.0.17134
npm ERR! argv "C:\\Users\\carsten\\AppData\\Local\\atom\\app-1.28.0\\re
sources\\app\\apm\\bin\\node.exe" "C:\\Users\\carsten\\AppData\\Local\\
atom\\app-1.28.0\\resources\\app\\apm\\node_modules\\npm\\bin\\npm-cli.
js" "--globalconfig" "C:\\Users\\carsten\\.atom\\.apm\\.apmrc" "--userc
onfig" "C:\\Users\\carsten\\.atom\\.apmrc" "install" "C:\\Users\\carste
n\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\d-11862-12896-1duo5w7.xu0sf0qkt9\\package.tgz"
 "--runtime=electron" "--target=2.0.3" "--arch=x64" "--global-style" "-
-msvs_version=2015"
npm ERR! node v6.9.5
npm ERR! npm  v3.10.10
npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE

npm ERR! zeromq@4.6.0 install: `node scripts/prebuild-install.js || (no
de scripts/preinstall.js && node-gyp rebuild)`
npm ERR! Exit status 1
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Failed at the zeromq@4.6.0 install script 'node scripts/prebui
ld-install.js || (node scripts/preinstall.js && node-gyp rebuild)'.
npm ERR! Make sure you have the latest version of node.js and npm insta
lled.
npm ERR! If you do, this is most likely a problem with the zeromq packa
ge,
npm ERR! not with npm itself.
npm ERR! Tell the author that this fails on your system:
npm ERR!     node scripts/prebuild-install.js || (node scripts/preinsta
ll.js && node-gyp rebuild)
npm ERR! You can get information on how to open an issue for this proje
ct with:
npm ERR!     npm bugs zeromq
npm ERR! Or if that isn't available, you can get their info via:
npm ERR!     npm owner ls zeromq
npm ERR! There is likely additional logging output above.

npm ERR! Please include the following file with any support request:
npm ERR!     C:\Users\carsten\AppData\Local\Temp\apm-install-dir-11862-
12896-1hksja0.rlxwvfs9k9\npm-debug.log
npm ERR! code 1

I’d appreciate any kind of help!

[eskemojoe007]

SOLVED

Had nothing to do with path, nothing to do with python 3 vs 2 (although I think python 2 is still required), nothing to do with version, or with apm vs installing in atom (which I did check).

I had previously installed some alias commands for windows by setting my registry HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\AutoRun to point at an alias file. I had completely forgotten about doing this however. Removing this key solved everything. I found this solution at a couple of places:

• https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/909
• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15485632/node-js-npm-error-message-system-cannot-find-the-path-specified
• https://github.com/cmderdev/cmder/issues/121

So @crstnbr if you are still having problems…check that registry key.

I succeed with older and newer versions of atom and hydrogen.

C:\Users\user>apm --version
apm  1.19.0
npm  3.10.10
node 6.9.5 x64
atom 1.28.2
python 2.7.13
git 2.16.2.windows.1
visual studio 2015

C:\Users\user>atom --version

Atom    : 1.28.2
Electron: 2.0.5
Chrome  : 61.0.3163.100
Node    : 8.9.3

C:\Users\user>apm install hydrogen
Installing hydrogen to C:\Users\user\.atom\packages done

[eskemojoe007]

Won’t let me change the title, but I think we should change it to something like “Installation on windows with node-gyp error” or something similar. Thanks team.