# Scared of upgrading ancient Node-RED (1.1.3) to 3.x

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [21 July 2022 10:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411 "2022-07-21T10:14:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![clickworkorange](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/clickworkorange/32/12109_2.png) [@clickworkorange](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/clickworkorange)\
**Post date:** [22 July 2022 20:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/21 "2022-07-22T20:30:24Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> Additionally, there is a similar open issue on that repo from a few months back. Maybe add your voice and details to it?

[This issue from 2015](https://github.com/nodejs/nan/issues/233) was the only remotely relevant info I could find; [an exact search for the error message](https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22error%3A+call+of+overloaded+%E2%80%98New(long+unsigned+int%26)%E2%80%99+is+ambiguous%22) (`error: call of overloaded ‘New(long unsigned int&)’ is ambiguous`) yields zero matches, which is always a bad sign in my experience. I will add my details to it.

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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:** [22 July 2022 20:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/22 "2022-07-22T20:37:27Z")

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I meant [Install problem · Issue #3 · monarco/node-red-contrib-monarco-hat · GitHub](https://github.com/monarco/node-red-contrib-monarco-hat/issues/3)

Also, did you install prerequisites?

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**Author:** ![clickworkorange](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/clickworkorange/32/12109_2.png) [@clickworkorange](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/clickworkorange)\
**Post date:** [22 July 2022 20:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/24 "2022-07-22T20:47:23Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> I meant [Install problem · Issue #3 · monarco/node-red-contrib-monarco-hat · GitHub](https://github.com/monarco/node-red-contrib-monarco-hat/issues/3)

Ah! I had not come across that one - it is indeed the exact same error. Good. I will add to that issue. TBF, I have to say Monarco's support has been truly outstanding; they have helped resolve multiple issues in the four or five years I've been using their product and usually respond to my emails within 24 hours - and they come back to me to ask how I'm getting on when I've failed to respond. I honestly can't think of any company I've dealt with that comes even close to this level of support. That said; I never thought this was an issue that had anything to do with them; the error is quite clearly coming from the `spi-device` module which has nothing to do with Monarco - it's just a dependency.

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**Author:** ![clickworkorange](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/clickworkorange/32/12109_2.png) [@clickworkorange](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/clickworkorange)\
**Post date:** [22 July 2022 20:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/25 "2022-07-22T20:51:01Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> Also, did you install prerequisites?

At first I was going to be quite rude responding to this, but you know what, let me take another look. I know I did check the readme _before_ even trying to install it the first time, but maybe I missed something.

**Edit:** Nah, it's just `build-essentials`, which was already present by default. It's not easy to know of course, but I do try to help myself before asking others. It's often quicker - and certainly less aggravating.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [22 July 2022 20:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/26 "2022-07-22T20:58:23Z")

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> [@clickworkorange](#):
>
> At first I was going to be quite rude responding to this, but you know what, let me take another look

I seen your initial response. It wasn't that rude ;). The only thing I would say in defence is we don't know what you have/haven't done and if we don't ask, it may well turn out to be the answer. Let's just say this, if you did read the readme, you are in the minority 🙂

> [@clickworkorange](#):
>
> Nah, it's just `build-essentials`, which was already present by default

I'm not 100% certain that is true.

Is there any harm in running the requested prereq commands then trying again?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![clickworkorange](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/clickworkorange/32/12109_2.png) [@clickworkorange](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/clickworkorange)\
**Post date:** [22 July 2022 21:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/27 "2022-07-22T21:10:09Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> I seen your initial response. It wasn't that rude ;). The only thing I would say in defence is we don't know what you have/haven't done and if we don't ask, it may well turn out to be the answer. Let's just say this, if you did read the readme, you are in the minority 🙂

Well, it felt unnecessarily sharp, considering you're only trying to help. But I too often find myself in this situation when I turn to the community for help: the conversation goes off the rails and starts being about completely unrelated (or only tangentially related) issues. Typically it's "why are you even trying to do this when X works fine?" - or it is "I'm going to assume you have no idea what you're doing based only on the fact that I don't know who you are"

> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> Is there any harm in running the requested prereq commands then trying again?

Do you mean this?

 ![Screenshot_2022-07-22_21-53-50](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/5/5/55625b6d8e26778eeb906346a7c5f8f4385d475c.png)

If so, this has nothing to do with the Monarco hat; it's just a convenience bash script for installing/updating Node-RED (and Node.js) itself - and yes, I have read through _all of it_ before determining I could just as well do those things manually. There are reasons why I decided to not to use that script to install Node-RED, but they lie wholly outside this conversation.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [22 July 2022 21:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/28 "2022-07-22T21:30:33Z")

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> [@clickworkorange](#):
>
> > [@Steve-Mcl](#):
> >
> > Is there any harm in running the requested prereq commands then trying again?
> 
> Do you mean this?

The build essentials part yes.

> [@clickworkorange](#):
>
> it's just a convenience bash script for installing/updating Node-RED (and Node.js)

No. Build essentials installs the GNU compiler collection, GNU debugger, and other development libraries and tools required for compiling software

And since the issue you are seeing is a compilation issue, it was (imho) not a terrible idea to run it again.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [22 July 2022 22:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/30 "2022-07-22T22:45:08Z")

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Not really. Just trying to help

So, 5m digging...

I see this package depends on Monarco which has a dependency on spi-device v2 which is well out of date (current version of spi is v3.1.2) which leads to this post: [node-gyp fails on armv7 32bit · Issue #21 · fivdi/spi-device · GitHub](https://github.com/fivdi/spi-device/issues/21#issuecomment-866885923). If you read that thread it starts off with the same problem & ends with "This issue has been fixed and the fix is available with spi-device@3.1.2 which has been published on npm"

In short, this package and it's Monarco dependency need updating to use the latest version of spi-device.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![clickworkorange](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/clickworkorange/32/12109_2.png) [@clickworkorange](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/clickworkorange)\
**Post date:** [22 July 2022 23:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/31 "2022-07-22T23:44:54Z")

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Now we're talking.

**Edit:** I've added your find to [the GitHub issue](https://github.com/monarco/node-red-contrib-monarco-hat/issues/3) and will fork and see if I can get it to work with an up to date version of `spi-device` - if so I'll send them a PR. Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![clickworkorange](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/clickworkorange/32/12109_2.png) [@clickworkorange](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/clickworkorange)\
**Post date:** [23 July 2022 00:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/32 "2022-07-23T00:27:14Z")

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```auto
$ npm i https://github.com/clickworkorange/node-red-contrib-monarco-hat.git

added 3 packages, and audited 444 packages in 1m

67 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details

found 0 vulnerabilities

```

**Edit:** To clarify, the `spi-device` dependency is not in `node-red-contrib-monarco-hat` but in `monarco-hat-driver-nodejs`, upon which it depends. My fork of `node-red-contrib-monarco-hat` depends on my fork of `monarco-hat-driver-nodejs`, which depends on `spi-device` 3.1.2, and as can be seen above this installs without issue. Phew.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![clickworkorange](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/clickworkorange/32/12109_2.png) [@clickworkorange](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/clickworkorange)\
**Post date:** [23 July 2022 00:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/33 "2022-07-23T00:33:42Z")

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The only problem I have now, is that the one Monarco-Hat I have is installed on the Pi I'm actually using, and if I decommission that a lot of stuff will stop working around here - some of which I need to work at all times. Not sure how I can test the change. But I'll send a PR and see if Monarco can help with that. Looking at [the `spi-device` history](https://github.com/fivdi/spi-device/blob/master/History.md) I reckon it'll be just fine.

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**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:** [24 July 2022 12:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/34 "2022-07-24T12:54:45Z")

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> [@clickworkorange](#):
>
> I have a second device to do it on

You could do it on a single device as well of course since there are no real issues running multiple instance of nr other than available ports and memory.

> [@clickworkorange](#):
>
> The only problem I have now, is that the one Monarco-Hat I have is installed on the Pi I'm actually using, and if I decommission that a lot of stuff will stop working around here - some of which I need to work at all times. Not sure how I can test the change.

Can you do some testing "out-of-hours"? when it isn't being used?

If not, you need to give that some thought anyway if this is a mission critical system.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![clickworkorange](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/clickworkorange/32/12109_2.png) [@clickworkorange](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/clickworkorange)\
**Post date:** [24 July 2022 17:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/35 "2022-07-24T17:20:18Z")

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> [@TotallyInformation](#):
>
> You could do it on a single device as well of course since there are no real issues running multiple instance of nr other than available ports and memory.

I could, but since I also decided to jump to bleeding edge Devuan Daedalus (which hasn't even got a release date yet), _and_ switch from a Pi2 1.1 to Pi2 1.2, _and_ switch from a 32 to 64 bit kernel while I was at it, starting from scratch on a second system was the only option. Why do this? In short: because I am _lazy_ - going bleeding edge now will save me having to switch release for a while (several years, I hope), while ensuring I get the maximum time out of security updates (this system runs with `unattended-upgrades`). If I'm going to spend time upgrading I might as well upgrade as far as possible.

> [@TotallyInformation](#):
>
> Can you do some testing "out-of-hours"? when it isn't being used?
> 
> If not, you need to give that some thought anyway if this is a mission critical system.

I try to avoid "mission critical" as far as possible; the automation is only a layer on top of things that already work. That said, I do like to minimise downtime of this computer as far as practical. My plan is to get to a point with the Pi2 1.2 where I feel there's a good chance I can fix any remaining issues within a day or two of making the swap.

I ran into one problem today, that I'm unsure how to deal with: `owfs` is missing from the Debian Bookworm / Devuan Daedalus repos - probably because of some yet to be resolved bug that has been found (I think [it was pulled](https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/owfs) in January). If I build from source, I'll have to install a load of build requirements (this is for aarch64, and I have no other such system to hand), and more importantly, I lose `unattended-upgrades` for it. I think I'll have to though, and just try to remember to switch to the repo version once it's published...

```auto
# apt-get install owserver
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package owserver

```

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [22 September 2022 17:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/scared-of-upgrading-ancient-node-red-1-1-3-to-3-x/65411/36 "2022-09-22T17:20:27Z")

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