Node red won't restart because of flow credentials

General
1

Hello, I had Node Red working fine than I tried to deploy but I lost connection to the server and had this message:

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.

I tried to uncomment the secret key and even used another settings.js file that I had it as a backup, but nothing worked, the worst thing is I checked the flow folder and I found it empty :tired_face: could you please tell how to can I solve this problem! PS: I'm using win7

2

That is just a warning notification, it will not stop node-red from running. Show us the full startup log and explain in more detail what is not happening.
The startup log will also tell you where you flows file is.

1 Like
3

Actually it is stopping node-red from running ,here it is :

Microsoft Windows [version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. Tous droits réservés.

C:\Windows\system32>node-red
18 Jun 13:06:37 - [info]

Welcome to Node-RED
===================

18 Jun 13:06:37 - [info] Node-RED version: v0.20.5
18 Jun 13:06:37 - [info] Node.js  version: v10.16.0
18 Jun 13:06:37 - [info] Windows_NT 6.1.7601 ia32 LE
18 Jun 13:06:38 - [info] Loading palette nodes
18 Jun 13:06:40 - [warn] rpi-gpio : Raspberry Pi specific node set inactive
18 Jun 13:06:40 - [info] Dashboard version 2.15.4 started at /ui
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] Settings file  : C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_111\bin
\.node-red\settings.js
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] HTTP Static    : C:\images
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] Context store  : 'default' [module=memory]
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] User directory : C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_111\bin
\.node-red
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] Flows file     : C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_111\bin
\.node-red\flows_brahim-PC.json
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] Starting flows
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] Started flows

C:\Windows\system32>
4

That’s just a warning, node red is running looking at that log

1 Like
5

I am not a Windows user but that looks like a very odd place for the flows file to be located. You may well not have write access there which will give all sorts of problems. Usually it would be under your user folder.

6

No it's not running , look at the end of the log :

18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] Starting flows
18 Jun 13:06:41 - [info] Started flows

C:\Windows\system32>
7

Yes you're right, that is the reason why I had to run it as an admin each time, but even though it used to work fine. Now I moved to to my user directory but it still crashes

8

That means the flows have started, it is as it should be, it has not crashed. What makes you think it has crashed?

9

It's not crashing tho? It looks like it's started okay.

10

Just after started flows it stops running, if I go to http://127.0.0.1:1880/ I can see that it's not running at all

C:\Windows\system32>

11

How can you see that it is not running?
Perhaps it is hanging or looping. Try starting it using
node-red --safe
which will start the editor without starting the flows. Then you can undo whatever was the last thing you did.

1 Like
12

Thanks, now I can access both the editor and the ui dashboard, first I couldn't access the dashboard apparently I was doing something wrong in the flow once I deleted the problematic node I've been able to access the dashboard. Thanks a lot !