# Node Red problem with versions

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** dashboard-2\
**Created:** [9 November 2025 15:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625 "2025-11-09T15:23:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Felix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@Felix](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Felix)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 15:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/1 "2025-11-09T15:23:28Z")

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Hi all  
after some hours of installing and settings an older RPi 3B - with Buster 10.13 (I need update NR due to new Dashboard2) have som troubles and questions after doing info from system :  
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ npm -v  
10.8.2  
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ node -v  
v18.20.8  
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ node-red -h  
Node-RED v4.1.1

But in the NR flows window is still version 2.1.3 ...... why ??  
Have you anybody answer ?

Thanks a lot for your time. Bohumil.

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**Author:** ![anka001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cdc98d/32.png) [@anka001](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/anka001)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 15:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/2 "2025-11-09T15:49:21Z")

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> [@Felix](#):
>
> Buster 10.13

[debian.org](http://debian.org): "Buster also has benefited from Long Term Support (LTS) until 30th June, 2024."

> [@](#):
>
> pi@raspberrypi:~ $ node -v  
> v18.20.8

[nodejs.org](http://nodejs.org): " Node.js 18 and all earlier versions are End-Of-Life."

Have you considered building your system from scratch instead of trying to get outdated versions to work?

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**Author:** ![Felix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@Felix](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Felix)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 16:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/3 "2025-11-09T16:05:17Z")

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I understand it, but, how is possible to upgrade all it to completely new, in the case of, anything must going without longer drop-out. This is impossible, I think.  
Well ... is not very easy, to solve it.  
Only take a new RPi4 or 5 and completely do this and after completion in short time change the RPi's.  
Based on this, there is no question, if is possible to change it to anything new, there is a question, what is happened, if the versions are different and how is possible to solve my first post.

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**Author:** ![hardillb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hardillb/32/12373_2.png) [@hardillb](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/hardillb)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 16:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/4 "2025-11-09T16:39:23Z")

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Have you restarted Node-RED since installing Node-RED 4.1.1?

Assuming it's running as a service you will need to run something like:

```auto
sudo service nodered restart

```

(or you could just reboot the pi)

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**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 16:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/5 "2025-11-09T16:50:17Z")

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> [@Felix](#):
>
> Only take a new RPi4 or 5 and completely do this and after completion in short time change the RPi's.

The current version of Raspberry Pi OS (Not Buster, not Bookworm but Trixie) runs on the Pi 3 and others. I have 64 bit Trixie on a Zero 2.

So you don't actually need to buy a Pi 4 or 5. If you happen to have a spare Pi 3 you can build your system on it and eventually just swap the SD card over. Downtime ~30 sec?

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**Author:** ![Felix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@Felix](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Felix)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 16:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/6 "2025-11-09T16:53:15Z")

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@hardillb yes, of course. I have restarted whole Pi. But still the same.

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**Author:** ![Felix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@Felix](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Felix)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 16:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/7 "2025-11-09T16:58:47Z")

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@jbudd mmm, OK, I think, I will do it. But, will be little bit slowly, to setup completely and some things will be out of order during whole phase of process. OK, I will try it.  
At this moment I don't have any other spare Pi3B.

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**Author:** ![anka001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cdc98d/32.png) [@anka001](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/anka001)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 18:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/8 "2025-11-09T18:29:11Z")

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> [@Felix](#):
>
> OK, I think, I will do it.

Did the same thing a couple of months ago. Got another Pi, and set it up from scratch. Tried to document every step, so hopefully it will be easier next time.  
It may not be as easy as just swapping sd cards, but you end up with a clean and stable system.

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**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [9 November 2025 23:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/9 "2025-11-09T23:44:10Z")

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> [@Felix](#):
>
> But in the NR flows window is still version 2.1.3 ...... why

This very much depends on a number of factors. How you installed node-red & how you run node-red.

My recommendation would be, since you are running on an rpi, simply run the official installer script and let it do the node and node-red update for you. Use the script as per the docs and add `--node20` or `--node22` to the end of the command to specify the mode version.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Felix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@Felix](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Felix)\
**Post date:** [10 November 2025 16:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/10 "2025-11-10T16:34:08Z")

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@Steve-Mcl thanks a lot to discussion post, but .... this all is now obsolete, because I have provided new SD card with new setup node red, newest version and actually imported older flows from backup and everything running on the Trixie 64bit.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [10 November 2025 17:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-problem-with-versions/99625/11 "2025-11-10T17:08:40Z")

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