# Node red won't restart because of flow credentials

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [17 June 2019 23:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347 "2019-06-17T23:29:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nassima100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@nassima100](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/nassima100)\
**Post date:** [17 June 2019 23:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/1 "2019-06-17T23:29:49Z")

</div>

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 😫 could you please tell how to can I solve this problem! PS: I'm using win7

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 07:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/2 "2019-06-18T07:50:55Z")

</div>

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.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nassima100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@nassima100](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/nassima100)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/3 "2019-06-18T12:11:33Z")

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

```auto
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>

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Robbo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/robbo/32/4491_2.png) [@Robbo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Robbo)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/4 "2019-06-18T12:13:54Z")

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/5 "2019-06-18T12:18:25Z")

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> [@nassima100](#):
>
> [info] User directory : C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0\_111\bin .node-red

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.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nassima100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@nassima100](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/nassima100)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/6 "2019-06-18T12:22:37Z")

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

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

C:\Windows\system32>

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nassima100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@nassima100](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/nassima100)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/7 "2019-06-18T12:23:35Z")

</div>

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/8 "2019-06-18T12:26:37Z")

</div>

> [@nassima100](#):
>
> Started flows

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Robbo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/robbo/32/4491_2.png) [@Robbo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Robbo)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/9 "2019-06-18T12:33:25Z")

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

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nassima100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@nassima100](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/nassima100)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/10 "2019-06-18T12:34:40Z")

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

`C:\Windows\system32>`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/11 "2019-06-18T12:38:22Z")

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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.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nassima100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@nassima100](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/nassima100)\
**Post date:** [18 June 2019 12:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-wont-restart-because-of-flow-credentials/12347/12 "2019-06-18T12:45:56Z")

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> [@Colin](#):
>
> node-red --safe

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 !