npm -v return Segmentation fault

Question

nodejs, npm works fine before. When I try to upgrade it

sudo npm cache clean -f
sudo npm install -g n
sudo n stable

And type npm -v, it throw "Segmentation fault". I restart system and I type a same command again, again it show same error. So I remove nodejs and npm package from ubuntu 14.04 through ubuntu Software Center and reinstall it again.

Then I try to install the phonegap through npm package using a command

sudo npm install -g phonegap

But it doesn't return any progress. So I check the npm version, it throws an error "Segmentation fault". I also try sudo npm -v. It return nothing.

So I decide to remove the npm from ubuntu 14.04 using the command

sudo apt-get remove npm 

Then I type sudo npm install -g phonegap it can't throw npm package is not available.

My Question is:

1. The package is not there, then why i type npm -v, it return "Segmenatation Fault"
2. If package not remove, then when i type sudo npm install -g phonegap, why It cannot install phonegap.

Help me to solve this issue. Or provide a way to unistall nodejs, npm, phonegap, expressjs, less clean way and reinstall it.

Edit:

Edit1:

As per @chj1axr0 answer, the script throw an error after nodejs install

Solution 1

I have googled around and it seems (for some) that there is a bug in the latest Ubuntu software version of Nodejs that causes the segmentation fault that you are haveing

The best way to install it is by getting node from the source and compiling it.

I have setup a simple script on a Github gist that will take care of it.

#!/bin/sh
# Update System
echo "System Update"
apt-get -y update
echo "Update completed"
# Installing the applications needed to build Nodejs
apt-get -y install libssl-dev git-core pkg-config build-essential curl gcc g++ checkinstall
# Download & Unpack Node.js - v7.3.0
echo "Download Node.js - v7.3.0"
mkdir /tmp/node-install
cd /tmp/node-install
wget https://nodejs.org/dist/latest/node-v7.3.0.tar.gz
tar -zxf node-v7.3.0.tar.gz
echo "Node.js download & unpack completed"
# Install Node.js
echo "Compiling and installing Node.js"
cd node-v7.3.0
./configure && make && checkinstall --install=yes --pkgname=nodejs --pkgversion "7.3.0" --default
echo "Node.js install completed! Deleting The /tmp files"
rm -rf /tmp/node-install
echo "If you have made it this far in the script with no errors popping up all is well have a good day" 

Make sure and use sudo chmod a+x /path/to/file/install_nodejs_latest.sh to make sure it will start. Then use sudo sh /path/to/file/install_nodejs_latest.sh to start it. (It must me ran with sudo for all the commands to fire correctly)

The script removes the old nodejs, npm and all node modules.

It will update npm at the end of the script.

Every once and awhile it is recommended to do sudo npm install -g npm (If you want the latest) because npm upgrades faster then node js does

after the script is complete run npm -v and node -v If the versions pop up then run sudo npm install -g phonegap,sudo npm install -g cordova,sudo npm install -g less also if you want to update any of the modules in the future all you have to do is install it again and that will override the preveous one. expressjs is for an app by app bases so it's not recomended to install it globally

Solution 2

1. Try removing with apt-get remove --purge. Maybe some files got left around.

2. check the output of which npm.

3. How did you install nodejs? I think the upstream version packages npm along with with node, whereas they're separate in ubuntu. If you installed upstream npm, removing npm with apt just switched you to using upstream npm. If the problem is with corrupted packages which node/npm loads on startup, switching won't fix it. Maybe removing all node/npm stuff from your system and starting fresh will. Who knows. It's node.

Comments

[Admin]

Are you trying to install the latest version of NodeJS?

[Admin]

@chj1axr0 yes...when i tried to upgrade nodejs, after that I get an issue of Segmentation fault

[Admin]

@chj1axr0 I tried to uninstall it many times and reinstall it, no way its works. Can you provide a way to clean uninstall and install nodejs, phonegap, expressjs again.

[Admin]

By the way what version of Ubuntu are you trying to set this up on

[Admin]

I used ubuntu 14.04

[Admin]

cordova, less, n, npm, phonegap node modules are installed globally

[Tamil Selvan C]

I install nodejs from ubuntu software center

[Tamil Selvan C]

see my edit in my question. When I type phonegap -v it return Segemation error. Can you explain how to remove all nodejs and npm, phonegap, expressjs, less

[Tamil Selvan C]

OK. I try it and let you know when it finish

[Tamil Selvan C]

See my Edit1. I get an error after install nodejs in script

[chj1axr0]

When you do npm -v or node -v what does the output say? It may just be having an error on installing the modules

[Tamil Selvan C]

npm - v returns 2.11.3 and node -v returns v0.12.7

[chj1axr0]

Ok so Node is installed and so is npm try doing sudo install -g phonegap or sudo npm install -g cordova and see the output of that

[chj1axr0]

If it is an error on the part of installing the modules I will take them out of the script for future reference to this Question

[Tamil Selvan C]

Ok. I install phonegap as per your command. let you know when it is finish.

[chj1axr0]

Let us continue this discussion in chat.

[Tamil Selvan C]

phonegap -v returns 0.9.4.

[Tamil Selvan C]

Thanks for all. In future, how i upgrade phonegap. can you add this in your answer then it useful for other also

[Peter Drinnan]

This worked for me on Ubuntu 19