Nvm-windows: NVM use x.x.x 32 Error

[rustyb]

Hi - Running into a small error on a Windows 7 machine.

Can install any version of node but when it comes to creating the link from ..nodejs with nvm use 6.3.1 32 to the version of node you wish to use it fails with a fork/exec error from elevate.cmd. See below:

Any idea how to fix it? Have tried manually creating the link with:

C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\nvm\elevate.cmd cmd /C mklink /D "C:\Program Files\nodejs" C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\nvm\v6.3.1 but that fails too.

[coreybutler]

Is this from a fresh install (i.e. the first time the command prompt was opened)?

[rustyb]

Hi @coreybutler sorry for the delay, this was post reboot after a fresh install.

[coreybutler]

@rustyb - dumb question.... C:\.....\elevate.cmd actually exists, right? I'm wondering if something got botched in the install. Perhaps the file never got copied to the proper location. If it's not there, you'll need the elevate.cmd and elevate.vbs from here.

[rustyb]

They definitely exist, but will try copy them over from the repo directly to see if that has any effect on it.

[coreybutler]

@rustyb - Are there any special characters or spaces in your username (i.e. the red part of your image)?

[hstadler]

Seems I had a similar problem on _Win 10 x64_ with _nvm 1.1.1_: My user home contains a space resulting in an error when running _nvm use_. The fix was to change the _root_ path in _settings.txt_ from

C:UsersUser NameAppDataRoamingnvm

to

C:UsersUSERNA~1AppDataRoamingnvm

[theblackhole]

I think found the solution : I had the same problem on my colleague's computer (Win10 x64 with nvm 1.1.1). His name is Léo so nvm was broken because of the special character "é" in his username.
I converted the _settings.txt_ file to UTF8 (without BOM) with notepad++ and it solved the problem ! 😄
Maybe it would also solve the space issue...

[rustyb]

Hum I must actually go back and check that i'm 99% sure there actually was a space!

[kriskornel]

Hi, maybe the problem is because windows username is using space and special character.
To fix:

1. Change your root path which doesn't have any space and special character using nvm root your_path. eg: nvm root D:\Nodejs and
2. copy file elevate.cmd and elevate.vbs ( download it from here ).
3. After that install again your node version using nvm install 6.9.1 ( whatever version do you want)
4. Last, type nvm use 6.9.1 64 (if your windows 64 bit)

[ctsstc]

I ended up just uninstalling everything with a fresh start. Then I used the installer and threw it in a path at the root of my drive for both nvm and nodejs.

A useful tool on windows is the where command, you may have to type where.exe for powershell.
But this will help locate npm/node installations if you have anything that may be conflicting.
ie: where.exe node