# Broke Node-red. All options are blank

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/broke-node-red-all-options-are-blank/14653>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [22 August 2019 16:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/broke-node-red-all-options-are-blank/14653 "2019-08-22T16:55:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MinesCaves](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/minescaves/32/11248_2.png) [@MinesCaves](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/MinesCaves)\
**Post date:** [22 August 2019 16:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/broke-node-red-all-options-are-blank/14653/1 "2019-08-22T16:55:40Z")

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I'm not sure what I did. Node-Red 0.20.7 has been running perfectly. Actually, everything is still working, but I'm missing all the options inside the Nodes. Like drop downs, etc are all blank. Has anyone seen this?

I uploaded an example. I'm not seeing any errors in Journalctl.

[[Album] Imgur ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/6/6ef413fb27a31c4387bfd27632db94a172599868.jpeg "Imgur") ](https://imgur.com/a/nFErQbP)

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![ukmoose](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ukmoose/32/13_2.png) [@ukmoose](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ukmoose)\
**Post date:** [22 August 2019 17:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/broke-node-red-all-options-are-blank/14653/2 "2019-08-22T17:17:21Z")

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When you restart node-red it posts startup messages can you copy and paste those startup message here

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**Author:** ![MinesCaves](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/minescaves/32/11248_2.png) [@MinesCaves](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/MinesCaves)\
**Post date:** [22 August 2019 18:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/broke-node-red-all-options-are-blank/14653/3 "2019-08-22T18:01:55Z")

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Thanks Ukmoose,

22 Aug 11:28:10 - [info] Node-RED version: v0.20.7  
22 Aug 11:28:10 - [info] Node.js version: v11.15.0  
22 Aug 11:28:10 - [info] Linux 4.19.62-1-MANJARO x64 LE  
22 Aug 11:28:11 - [info] Loading palette nodes  
22 Aug 11:28:15 - [warn] rpi-gpio : Raspberry Pi specific node set inactive  
22 Aug 11:28:15 - [warn] rpi-gpio : Cannot find Pi RPi.GPIO python library  
22 Aug 11:28:16 - [info] Settings file : /root/.node-red/settings.js  
22 Aug 11:28:16 - [info] Context store : 'default' [module=memory]  
22 Aug 11:28:16 - [info] User directory : /root/.node-red  
22 Aug 11:28:16 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false  
22 Aug 11:28:16 - [info] Flows file : /root/.node-red/flows\_DeepLearning.json  
22 Aug 11:28:16 - [info] Creating new flow file  
22 Aug 11:28:16 - [warn]

* * *

Your flow credentials file is encrypted using a system-generated key.

If the system-generated key is lost for any reason, your credentials  
file will not be recoverable, you will have to delete it and re-enter  
your credentials.

## You should set your own key using the 'credentialSecret' option in your settings file. Node-RED will then re-encrypt your credentials file using your chosen key the next time you deploy a change.

22 Aug 11:28:17 - [info] Starting flows  
22 Aug 11:28:17 - [info] Started flows  
22 Aug 11:28:17 - [info] Server now running at [http://127.0.0.1:1880/](http://127.0.0.1:1880/)

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**Author:** ![ukmoose](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ukmoose/32/13_2.png) [@ukmoose](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ukmoose)\
**Post date:** [22 August 2019 18:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/broke-node-red-all-options-are-blank/14653/4 "2019-08-22T18:34:40Z")

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There’s nothing directly there that could cause it.

But you are running nodejs v11 which isn’t recommended. The recommended versions are LTS currently v10

That would probably be causing problems with the serial nodes.

You are also running as root, which shouldn’t be necessary.

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**Author:** ![afelix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/afelix/32/9743_2.png) [@afelix](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/afelix)\
**Post date:** [22 August 2019 18:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/broke-node-red-all-options-are-blank/14653/5 "2019-08-22T18:40:34Z")

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> [@ukmoose](#):
>
> You are also running as root, which shouldn’t be necessary.

In fact, running Node-RED as root is a bad idea in general. If you have a specific reason why you need to run it as root, try to figure out a workaround using the sudoers file or permissions elsewhere to get a lower user run it. But really, there are no valid reasons to run it as root. Especially not because with the exec node it runs all commands as root, and it comes with a web interface to edit those. There are a few topics on this already mentioning this...

> [@Node-red running on root issues](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-running-on-root-issues/3097):
>
> Hi I could not find the original node-red i installed with additional nodes with some flows after i did the changes in pictures below. I installed Tjbot nodes and libraries and followed the instructions. After reboot i run node-red and the additional nodes all gone. I tried running using root by going to sudo su and still can't get back to the original ones. Please help. Thank you source:

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MinesCaves](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/minescaves/32/11248_2.png) [@MinesCaves](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/MinesCaves)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2019 12:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/broke-node-red-all-options-are-blank/14653/6 "2019-08-23T12:25:18Z")

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Thanks all. I'll probably blast this install and redo it.