# Problem with nodes in palette

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [21 October 2018 10:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161 "2018-10-21T10:28:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NickB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f08c70/32.png) [@NickB](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/NickB)\
**Post date:** [21 October 2018 10:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/1 "2018-10-21T10:28:29Z")

</div>

Hi,

because I had some issues with flows that where not responding to cloud services etc. , I wanted to update everything but it when bad real soon.

At this point I do have the lates version of node red, I have NO flows anymore and I managed somehow to unistall everyting I ever installed in de Palette manager. (Fine, I can start from scratch)

So now I'm reinstalling everything I need, and I allready have some issues on 2 nodes.  
As you can see on the screenshot, I ave some red triangles and I don't know what they mean. I just now it does not work.

Somehow I still got the feeling something of the 'original' project is still running or messing arround.

Can I get some assistance please to get everything back running

Thx

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/e/e0e3426b0d6ab567034493260c46fe5d1097d259.png)

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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:** [21 October 2018 12:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/2 "2018-10-21T12:26:45Z")

</div>

OK, looks like something has gone pretty badly wrong with your installation.

Can you please tell us what platform you are on, how you installed Node-RED and what version of NodeJS you are using.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NickB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f08c70/32.png) [@NickB](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/NickB)\
**Post date:** [21 October 2018 13:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/3 "2018-10-21T13:17:06Z")

</div>

Hi,

I'm running it on a raspberry pi.  
In the past I just followed the instructions of on the site of node-red. However, I did have some issues but that had to do with rights and me not being really familiar with Linux.

I just updated the Pi with instruciton of this site  
[https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/raspbian/updating.md](https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/raspbian/updating.md)

For node.js, I'm not sure, but I think I'm on version 6.14.4 as you can see on the screenshot (when updating the Pi and packages)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/3/3d6c30ab42c70b06ccd2caef1faccce6ec32a378.png)

I still have the same issue after updating everything

br

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NickB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f08c70/32.png) [@NickB](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/NickB)\
**Post date:** [21 October 2018 13:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/4 "2018-10-21T13:42:15Z")

</div>

I'm at the point that everything is displayed well, but it still does not work and the Red triagnle is still there

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/5/5257b59119b68eacfa0e0a2b7af8edb84d6c0fb2.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [21 October 2018 13:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/5 "2018-10-21T13:50:27Z")

</div>

You'll have to look at the Node-RED startup log to see the details of the errors with the modbus nodes.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NickB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f08c70/32.png) [@NickB](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/NickB)\
**Post date:** [21 October 2018 16:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/6 "2018-10-21T16:13:51Z")

</div>

```
pi@raspberrypi:~/.node-red $ node-red
21 Oct 18:02:09 - [info]

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

21 Oct 18:02:09 - [info] Node-RED version: v0.19.4
21 Oct 18:02:09 - [info] Node.js version: v4.2.1
21 Oct 18:02:09 - [info] Linux 4.9.35-v7+ arm LE
21 Oct 18:02:10 - [info] Loading palette nodes
21 Oct 18:02:16 - [info] Dashboard version 2.9.8 started at /ui
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] ------------------------------------------------------
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] [node-red-contrib-modbus/Modbus-Read] TypeError: utf8 i                                                                       
 s not a function
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] [node-red-contrib-modbus/Modbus-Getter] TypeError: utf8                                                                    
 is not a function
 21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] [node-red-contrib-modbus/Modbus-Flex-Getter] TypeError:                                                                    
 utf8 is not a function
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] [node-red-contrib-modbus/Modbus-Write] TypeError: utf8                                                                    
 is not a function
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] [node-red-contrib-modbus/Modbus-Flex-Write] TypeError:                                                                    
 utf8 is not a function
 21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] [node-red-contrib-modbus/Modbus-Server] SyntaxError: Bl                                                                   
 ock-scoped declarations (let, const, function, class) not yet supported outside                                                                        
 strict mode
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] [node-red-contrib-modbus/Modbus-IO-Config] TypeError: u                                                                   
 tf8 is not a function
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] [node-red-contrib-modbus/Modbus-Response-Filter] TypeEr                                                                   
 ror: utf8 is not a function
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] ------------------------------------------------------
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [info] Settings file : /home/pi/.node-red/settings.js
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [info] Context store : 'default' [module=memory]
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [info] User directory : /home/pi/.node-red
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [warn] Projects disabled : set editorTheme.projects.enabled=tr                                                                   
 ue to enable
 21 Oct 18:02:17 - [info] Flows file : /home/pi/.node-red/flows_raspberrypi.j                                                                   
 son
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [error] Unable to listen on http://127.0.0.1:1880/
21 Oct 18:02:17 - [error] Error: port in use

```

This information is what I have.  
Can I provide something else?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [21 October 2018 16:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/7 "2018-10-21T16:35:42Z")

</div>

I think modbus requires a more recent version of nodejs than that. 4 went out of support a while back now.

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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:** [21 October 2018 18:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/8 "2018-10-21T18:45:50Z")

</div>

That also implies that you've managed to end up with 2 different versions of NodeJS installed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NickB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f08c70/32.png) [@NickB](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/NickB)\
**Post date:** [22 October 2018 09:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/9 "2018-10-22T09:44:13Z")

</div>

Because I have not enough Linux knowledge I will just start with a new clean version of Raspbian, and I'll re-install everything. In the latest version it should be even possible to install node-red from the desktop I've read?

This will make thing much easier form me. I always have had the issues with admin rights on the linux platform and it doesn't make thing easier for me.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ukmoose](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ukmoose/32/13_2.png) [@ukmoose](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ukmoose)\
**Post date:** [22 October 2018 09:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/10 "2018-10-22T09:47:47Z")

</div>

Read the raspberry pi page in the documentation part of the website. This includes the latest recommendations on how to get to the latest version of Node-RED

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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:** [22 October 2018 15:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-nodes-in-palette/4161/11 "2018-10-22T15:39:44Z")

</div>

> [@NickB](#):
>
> I always have had the issues with admin rights on the linux platform and it doesn't make thing easier for me

This is a common problem. Some work was done on the docs a while back to try and clarify things.

Basically, if you want to install NodeJS modules (of which Node-RED is one) globally, you need `sudo` to install as admin (as `root` as UNIX people would say).

If you want to install NodeJS modules locally (without `-g`), that's for custom nodes for example, you should never use `sudo` because doing so ends up with incorrect folder and file permissions that will cause issues.

So NodeJS itself and Node-RED are installed globally using `sudo` to give access to protected parts of the filing system.

Nodes, and other project files and folders on the other hand must never use `sudo`, you must use the account that runs Node-RED however and put your `userDir` folder in a location owned by that user.