# Help with "Module not locally installed.."

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63>\
**Category:** FAQs\
**Created:** [10 May 2018 18:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63 "2018-05-10T18:16:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tree-frog](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tree-frog/32/89303_2.png) [@tree-frog](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tree-frog)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2018 18:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/1 "2018-05-10T18:16:56Z")

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I'm a newbie and going through training at present. I wanted to upgrade my node-red-serialport nodes and it gives me this error.

Can anyone help with resolving this? Also, where are the log files?

Thanks in advance!

Kyle

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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:** [10 May 2018 18:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/2 "2018-05-10T18:48:57Z")

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The log file location is dependant on how you are running Node-RED. i.e. pm2

Where and how are you running Node-RED?

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**Author:** ![tree-frog](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tree-frog/32/89303_2.png) [@tree-frog](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tree-frog)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2018 19:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/3 "2018-05-10T19:01:29Z")

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Windows 10. Installed per instructions on the site for “Windows”

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2018 19:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/4 "2018-05-10T19:09:08Z")

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“Module not locally installed” means the node is not installed under your user’s .node-red directory. You may have installed it as a global module.

What version of node.js and node-red are you using?

In a command shell, run `npm list -g node-red-node-serialport` - that will show if you have it globally installed or not.

If it does show up, then `npm install -g node-red-node-serialport` should get it updated.

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**Author:** ![tree-frog](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tree-frog/32/89303_2.png) [@tree-frog](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tree-frog)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2018 19:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/5 "2018-05-10T19:25:17Z")

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Thanks, I got a reply that states.  
– node-red-node-serialport@0.62

Now, how do I fix it so that I can update it through the Node-RED “Manage Palette” ?  
Can I uninstall it with this  
“nmp uninstall -g node-red-node-serialport” and then use the Node-RED manager?

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**Author:** ![tree-frog](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tree-frog/32/89303_2.png) [@tree-frog](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tree-frog)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2018 19:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/6 "2018-05-10T19:26:57Z")

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I upgraded Node-RED to 0.18.4 is that what you are asking?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tree-frog](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tree-frog/32/89303_2.png) [@tree-frog](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tree-frog)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2018 19:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/7 "2018-05-10T19:28:57Z")

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OK I see it on the Node-RED command prompt.  
Node-RED version: v0.18.4  
Node.js version: v8.9.4

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2018 19:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/8 "2018-05-10T19:34:50Z")

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> Can I uninstall it with this  
> “nmp uninstall -g node-red-node-serialport” and then use the Node-RED manager?

Yes - that should do it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tree-frog](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tree-frog/32/89303_2.png) [@tree-frog](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tree-frog)\
**Post date:** [11 May 2018 13:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/9 "2018-05-11T13:25:33Z")

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knolleary,  
While it was probably something I could muddle around and figure out, I don’t like ruining installs and doing things wrong if i don’t need to.

It worked perfectly and I can upgrade the next time there is an update.  
Thanks,  
Kyle

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**Author:** ![Paul-Reed](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/paul-reed/32/66906_2.png) [@Paul-Reed](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Paul-Reed)\
**Post date:** [24 October 2018 21:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/10 "2018-10-24T21:09:55Z")

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Tried to update `node-red-node-rbe` and it reports 'not installed locally' etc.

```auto
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ npm list -g node-red-node-rbe
/usr/lib
└─┬ node-red@0.19.4
  └── node-red-node-rbe@0.2.3

```

So following the above comments this thread;

```auto
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ npm uninstall -g node-red-node-rbe
up to date in 0.553s

```

...and it's still there!

```auto
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ npm list -g node-red-node-rbe
/usr/lib
└─┬ node-red@0.19.4
  └── node-red-node-rbe@0.2.3

```

Ideally, I would like to manage my nodes via the 'Manage Palette' interface.

npm version 6.4.1

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [24 October 2018 21:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/11 "2018-10-24T21:28:14Z")

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It's a core node so is under the main node-red global install (as you have shown). So if you are using Node-RED pre v0.19.4 you do need to use sudo to remove it from the correct place

```
cd /usr/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules
sudo npm uninstall node-red-node-rbe

```

then you can re-install it from the palette.

If using 0.19.4 or more recent - you can just install a newer version locally and we will ignore the core one

```
cd ~/.node-red && npm i node-red-node-rbe

```

PS- Always worth checking what was actually changed... in this case just the Japanese locale file... so unless you need it - don't worry about it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paul-Reed](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/paul-reed/32/66906_2.png) [@Paul-Reed](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Paul-Reed)\
**Post date:** [24 October 2018 21:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/12 "2018-10-24T21:38:03Z")

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> [@dceejay](#):
>
> BUT if you upgrade the core we will re-install it for you 🙂

That's very kind of you (NOT)!  
What would then happen, I'd have 2 rbe nodes installed, one locally & one core...  
How would subsequent rbe updates be made, by the 'Palette Manager' updating the local node? or would I be back where I am today?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [24 October 2018 22:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/13 "2018-10-24T22:07:34Z")

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If you are on 0.19.4 (which you are - hurrah!), then if you manually install `node-red-node-rbe` in `~/.node-red` then Node-RED will use that one in preference to the globally installed one - so you don't have to touch the globally installed one. And once you've done the manual install, the palette manage _should_ be able to update it with any future updates.

It's such a new thing that @dceejay must have forgotten about it 😉

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [24 October 2018 22:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/14 "2018-10-24T22:16:31Z")

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Ah true yes - but you do have to manually install it locally (as the palette says it is already installed...) - so either remove manually and then use palette - or install manually .

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [24 October 2018 22:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/15 "2018-10-24T22:17:49Z")

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> [@dceejay](#):
>
> so either remove manually and then use palette - or install manually .

And given those options, I'd recommend just doing the manual install of the local version rather than mucking around with the global install etc which will only get reverted when you next update Node-RED.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paul-Reed](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/paul-reed/32/66906_2.png) [@Paul-Reed](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Paul-Reed)\
**Post date:** [24 October 2018 22:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/16 "2018-10-24T22:27:06Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> And given those options, I'd recommend just doing the manual install of the local version rather than mucking around with the global install etc which will only get reverted when you next update Node-RED.

Just done a manual install of the local version of rbe & twitter, and all went well, I'm back up-to-date.

> [@knolleary](#):
>
> And once you've done the manual install, the palette manage _should_ be able to update it with any future updates.

_"should"_ will be revealed when the nodes are next updated...

Thanks both 😃

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [24 October 2018 22:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/17 "2018-10-24T22:28:19Z")

</div>

> [@Paul-Reed](#):
>
> _"should"_ will be revealed when the nodes are next updated...

Yeah - I'm looking forward to testing it as well 😉

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![whatsupskip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5f9b8f/32.png) [@whatsupskip](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/whatsupskip)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2018 21:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/18 "2018-11-01T21:20:25Z")

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I don't understand why the bash script does not update the email module as it is a core module.  
`bash <(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/node-red/raspbian-deb-package/master/resources/update-nodejs-and-nodered)`

Is it a problem with bash script, or is the out of date email module still being distributed with Node-Red 19.5?

This solution appears to be a very messy solution. The problem is that the Palette manager still shows that the email node is the old version. This is very confusing.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2018 22:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/19 "2018-11-01T22:07:21Z")

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Hi @whatsupskip,

I apologise in advance for the number of version numbers I'm about to talk about. There are three things at play here: the version of Node-RED, the version of node-red-node-email and the version of Node.js.

The node-red package lists node-red-node-email as a dependency so gets installed alongside node-red, rather than as a 'local' node under `~/.node-red/...`

With Node-RED 0.19.x, that dependency is set to `0.x` so it will pickup the most recent email node in the `0.x` stream. This is because NR 0.19.x still supports Node.js 4.x.

The `1.x` stream of the email node requires Node.js 8.x - so we cannot change NR's dependency on `0.x` until we drop Node 4.x support in the Node-RED 0.20 release.

This is why the upgrade script will not install the `1.x` version of email.

If you're already using Node 8, then you can manually install the very latest email node in `~/.node-red` and then carry on with life.

In the 0.20 release we've removed the 'local' node check in the palette manager, so it'll upgrade the node by installing the newer copy in `~/.node-red` for you. But until then, you need to do that initial local install manually.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![whatsupskip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5f9b8f/32.png) [@whatsupskip](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/whatsupskip)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2018 22:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63/20 "2018-11-01T22:37:22Z")

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Hi @knolleary,

Thank you for your detailed explanation. It all makes sense now and the issue will go away when the 0.20 release comes out. That is great to hear.

[Next page](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-module-not-locally-installed/63.md?page=2)