# Palette editor disabled : npm version too old
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979
**Category:** General
**Created:** [6 July 2019 19:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979 "2019-07-06T19:12:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@kxkayser](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/kxkayser)
#### Post date: [6 July 2019 19:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979/1 "2019-07-06T19:12:47Z")
After doing one of my periodic Raspbien stretch updates (using the typical update and upgrade commands), I am receiving the following error when NR starts:
Palette editor disabled : npm version too old. Requires npm \>= 3.x
My current version of npm is 1.4.21 and that seems to be the latest available for this platform. The Palette editor does not appear in the menu.
Running Stretch 9.9
Thanks
---
### Author:  [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)
#### Post date: [6 July 2019 19:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979/2 "2019-07-06T19:22:31Z")
What version of NR are you running?
Have you updated NR using [the script](https://nodered.org/docs/getting-started/raspberrypi)?
have you googled directions on upgrading npm?
---
### Author:  [@kxkayser](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/kxkayser)
#### Post date: [6 July 2019 20:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979/3 "2019-07-06T20:21:12Z")
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the quick response
Running v0.19.4 of NR. Apparently, I didn’t use the install script properly to upgrade. However, when I did finally run it (as root), it upgraded my NR to v0.20.7 but deleted all my flows and user installed nodes (the flows are actually still in the flows\_.json file and can be imported). I’m going to a backup and try the whole process again but I assume that running the install script should restore the flows and user nodes or is this incorrect?
Regards,
Ken Kayser
Tobaccoville, NC
[kxkayser@gmail.com](mailto:kxkayser@gmail.com)
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [6 July 2019 20:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979/4 "2019-07-06T20:35:02Z")
No need to do it again. Run
```bash
node-red-stop
node-red-start
```
and it will show you the name of the flows file it is running. Then replace that with the original flows file and restart node red again.
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [6 July 2019 20:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979/5 "2019-07-06T20:38:36Z")
On the other hand, if by running it as root you mean you actually logged in as root and ran the script then you could be in trouble. I think that if you ran it using sudo then you may be ok. You should not have done that of course.
---
### Author:  [@kxkayser](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/kxkayser)
#### Post date: [6 July 2019 20:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979/6 "2019-07-06T20:52:36Z")
Hi Colin,
Well, I seem to have created several problems for myself. The “Script” wouldn’t run for me unless I ran it as root even under sudo. So now the user is root and all it’s looking in the wrong directories for the flows and nodes. However, I should have just run it as the normal user without trying to run it under sudo. I think that will work and hopefully solve my self created issues. Thanks much.
Ken Kayser
Tobaccoville, NC
[kxkayser@gmail.com](mailto:kxkayser@gmail.com)
---
### Author:  [@kxkayser](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/kxkayser)
#### Post date: [6 July 2019 21:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/palette-editor-disabled-npm-version-too-old/12979/7 "2019-07-06T21:08:32Z")
OK. When I do what I'm supposed to, it works as it should. lol I will close this issue as solved. Thanks for all the help