I can't access flow editor

General
1

Hi, I've been using node red on a raspberry pi.
It worked just fine till today.
I'm able to access the dashboard, but I can't access the flow editor. Whenever I try to open it, node red restart itself. I'm guessing it's some node interfering but not sure wich one.
Here's the log of node red:

free(): invalid pointer
nodered.service: Main process exited, code=killed, status=6/ABRT
nodered.service: Failed with result 'signal'.
nodered.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
nodered.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 1.
Stopped Node-RED graphical event wiring tool.
Started Node-RED graphical event wiring tool.
9 Mar 10:59:04 - [info]
Welcome to Node-RED
===================
9 Mar 10:59:04 - [info] Node-RED version: v1.0.4
9 Mar 10:59:04 - [info] Node.js  version: v12.16.1
9 Mar 10:59:04 - [info] Linux 4.19.97-v7+ arm LE
9 Mar 10:59:06 - [info] Loading palette nodes
9 Mar 10:59:09 - [info] Dashboard version 2.19.4 started at /ui
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [info] Settings file  : /home/pi/.node-red/settings.js
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [info] Context store  : 'default' [module=memory]
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [info] User directory : /home/pi/.node-red
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [info] Flows file     : /home/pi/.node-red/flows_raspberrypi.json
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [info] Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [info] Starting flows
9 Mar 10:59:10 - [info] Started flows

Can some one point me to what should I try?

2

I've also tried changing the name of the flows file, but the problem persists.

3 
9 Mar 12:38:01 - [info]
Welcome to Node-RED
===================
9 Mar 12:38:01 - [info] Node-RED version: v1.0.4
9 Mar 12:38:01 - [info] Node.js  version: v12.16.1
9 Mar 12:38:01 - [info] Linux 4.19.97-v7+ arm LE
9 Mar 12:38:02 - [info] Loading palette nodes
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Dashboard version 2.19.4 started at /ui
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [warn] Missing node modules:
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [warn]  - node-red-contrib-bigtimer (2.2.6): bigtimer
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Removing modules from config
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Settings file  : /home/pi/.node-red/settings.js
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Context store  : 'default' [module=memory]
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] User directory : /home/pi/.node-red
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Flows file     : /home/pi/.node-red/flows_raspberrypi.json
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Creating new flow file
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Starting flows
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Started flows
9 Mar 12:38:05 - [info] Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/
free(): invalid pointer
nodered.service: Main process exited, code=killed, status=6/ABRT
nodered.service: Failed with result 'signal'.
nodered.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
nodered.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 1.
Stopped Node-RED graphical event wiring tool.
Started Node-RED graphical event wiring tool.
9 Mar 12:39:48 - [info]
Welcome to Node-RED
===================
9 Mar 12:39:48 - [info] Node-RED version: v1.0.4
9 Mar 12:39:48 - [info] Node.js  version: v12.16.1
9 Mar 12:39:48 - [info] Linux 4.19.97-v7+ arm LE
9 Mar 12:39:50 - [info] Loading palette nodes
free(): invalid pointer
nodered.service: Main process exited, code=killed, status=6/ABRT
nodered.service: Failed with result 'signal'.
nodered.service: Service RestartSec=100ms expired, scheduling restart.
nodered.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 2.
Stopped Node-RED graphical event wiring tool.
Started Node-RED graphical event wiring tool.
9 Mar 12:39:54 - [info]
Welcome to Node-RED
===================
9 Mar 12:39:54 - [info] Node-RED version: v1.0.4
9 Mar 12:39:54 - [info] Node.js  version: v12.16.1
9 Mar 12:39:54 - [info] Linux 4.19.97-v7+ arm LE
9 Mar 12:39:55 - [info] Loading palette nodes
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] Dashboard version 2.19.4 started at /ui
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] Settings file  : /home/pi/.node-red/settings.js
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] Context store  : 'default' [module=memory]
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] User directory : /home/pi/.node-red
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] Flows file     : /home/pi/.node-red/flows_raspberrypi.json
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] Creating new flow file
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] Starting flows
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] Started flows
9 Mar 12:39:59 - [info] Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/

I've read that big timer could be the culprit, so I uninstalled it using npm, but keeps restarting.

4

The quickest test you can do is to rename ~/.node-red to something else then restart the service so that Node-RED recreates it. Just to see if it is something in your current configuration that is causing the issue.

If that works, try re-adding the Node packages. If you have a lot, copy the package.json file from your renamed folder to the new one then run the commands:

cd ~/.node-red
npm install

If that works, you can try putting your flows back.

5

Thanks for the help.

I got it working again.

But I uninstalled and reinstalled node-red, node.js and npm and worked.

Even when I added previous nodes.

Don't know exactly what happened, though.

6

It may have been a corrupted file. Because the Pi uses (abuses) an SD-Card for storage, that can happy occasionally.

It is worth making sure that your card checks out OK. Also worth making sure that your power supply is good enough. Also, if you want to rely on the Pi, you should consider a UPS of some sort which will also filter the power.

7

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