# I cant start node-red, i followed the steps but keep getting the same error
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330
**Category:** General
**Created:** [11 February 2025 19:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330 "2025-02-11T19:03:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Aguirato](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Aguirato)
#### Post date: [11 February 2025 19:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/1 "2025-02-11T19:03:49Z")
Microsoft Windows [versão 10.0.19045.5247]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. Todos os direitos reservados.
C:\Users\lusuq\>npm install -g --unsafe-perm node-red
added 54 packages, removed 50 packages, and changed 257 packages in 8s
63 packages are looking for funding
run `npm fund` for details
C:\Users\lusuq\>node-red
Error loading settings file: \Users\lusuq.node-red\settings.js
C:\Users\lusuq\>
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [11 February 2025 19:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/2 "2025-02-11T19:25:26Z")
Hi Aguirato, welcome to the Node-RED forum.
Please enclose code, command lines and logs as pre-formatted text for readability.
> [@Aguirato](#):
>
> ```auto
> Error loading settings file: \Users\lusuq.node-red\settings.js
>
> ```
That file path is missing a `\`, I think it should be:
```auto
\Users\lusuq\.node-red\settings.js
```
But assuming that the install worked without errors, it may be that you simply need to open a new PowerShell window. Or, at an extreme, you might need to log out and back in again to pick up the updated environment variables.
---
### Author:  [@Aguirato](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Aguirato)
#### Post date: [11 February 2025 19:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/3 "2025-02-11T19:33:10Z")
I used CMD to instal, followed all the steps but the \setting.js file is missing.
I loged out and back in but nothing 😕
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [11 February 2025 19:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/4 "2025-02-11T19:34:24Z")
The settings file is automatically created the first time you run Node-RED. It is initially copied from the Node-RED package. You can manually copy it if you really need to but you shouldn't need to.
---
### Author:  [@Aguirato](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Aguirato)
#### Post date: [11 February 2025 19:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/5 "2025-02-11T19:36:17Z")
Where can i find this file?
It didnt star once ☹
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [11 February 2025 19:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/6 "2025-02-11T19:46:42Z")
You can find out where a global install of Node-RED is installed by running `npm list -g`.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [11 February 2025 20:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/7 "2025-02-11T20:38:26Z")
> [@Aguirato](#):
>
> \Users\lusuq
Do you have a `.node-red` directory in `c:\Users\lusuq`? (you may need to turn on "show hidden files" If it exists, check file permissions. Better still, rename it to `.node-red-old` and just start node-red.
What does `node -v` show?
---
### Author:  [@Aguirato](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Aguirato)
#### Post date: [12 February 2025 13:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/8 "2025-02-12T13:38:23Z")
There is no file there
```auto
Microsoft Windows [versão 10.0.19045.5371]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. Todos os direitos reservados.
C:\WINDOWS\system32> node -v
v22.14.0
C:\WINDOWS\system32> node-red
Error loading settings file: \Users\lusuq\.node-red\settings.js
C:\WINDOWS\system32>
```
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [12 February 2025 13:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/9 "2025-02-12T13:43:27Z")
Please show the output from `dir c:\users\luduq\.node-red` and the output of `npm list -g`
---
### Author:  [@Aguirato](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Aguirato)
#### Post date: [12 February 2025 14:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/10 "2025-02-12T14:19:50Z")
This is the output
```auto
Microsoft Windows [versão 10.0.19045.5371]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. Todos os direitos reservados.
C:\Users\lusuq\.node-red>npm list -g
C:\Users\lusuq\AppData\Roaming\npm
+-- node-red@4.0.8
`-- npm@11.1.0
C:\Users\lusuq\.node-red>
```
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [12 February 2025 14:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/11 "2025-02-12T14:34:54Z")
I can only assume that something went wrong with the node-red install.
Maybe try re-running
```auto
npm install -g node-red@latest --production --unsafe-perm
```
---
### Author:  [@Aguirato](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Aguirato)
#### Post date: [12 February 2025 14:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/12 "2025-02-12T14:38:06Z")
I tryed re-running more than 5 times 😕
Im going to give up
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [12 February 2025 15:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/13 "2025-02-12T15:10:16Z")
Please do a `dir` in this directory
> [@Aguirato](#):
>
> `C:\Users\lusuq\.node-red`
Also, check the permissions.
Better still, just delete the `C:\Users\lusuq\.node-red` dir and run `node-red` again.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [13 May 2025 15:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/i-cant-start-node-red-i-followed-the-steps-but-keep-getting-the-same-error/95330/14 "2025-05-13T15:10:46Z")
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