Nvm: A misleading 'You need to run "nvm install N/A"' message when trying to use a non-installed version

[mgol]

This is what happens if you don't have a particular version installed:

$ nvm use 6
N/A: version "N/A" is not yet installed.

You need to run "nvm install N/A" to install it before using it.

Regardless what you type, that's what you'll get if no version matches the pattern, e.g. nvm use 6.9.2 when you only have 6.9.1 installed. The nvm install-advising message seems to be always wrong.

nvm 0.32.1, macOS 10.12.2 (16C67), built-in ZSH.

[ljharb]

Thanks! This is fixed by #1305 but not yet released.

[adamcohen]

I also received this message when I had I had a default version of node set to v8.1.2, then I installed v8.4.0 and removed v8.1.2, but I didn't set v8.4.0 as the new default. In my .zshrc file, I have:

. "/usr/local/opt/nvm/nvm.sh"

which was causing an error message whenever I opened up a new shell:

N/A: version "N/A -> N/A" is not yet installed.

You need to run "nvm install N/A" to install it before using it.

If I use nvm ls, it prints the following:

$ nvm ls
         v7.5.0
         v7.8.0
         v8.4.0
default -> v8.1.2 (-> N/A)
node -> stable (-> v8.4.0) (default)
stable -> 8.4 (-> v8.4.0) (default)

Which shows that the default is still v8.1.2 which is what was causing the problem.

Solution: change the default to correct version of node: nvm alias default v8.4.0

This is discussed at length in this issue: https://github.com/creationix/nvm/issues/437

nvm 0.33.2

[mgol]

Solution: change the default to correct version of node: nvm alias default v8.4.0

Such overly specific aliases are only going to bring you problems like the very one you experienced with Node 8.1.2. Just use nvm alias default 8.

[adamcohen]

@mgol good to know, thanks for the suggestion!

[ljharb]

Alternatively, nvm alias default node to always point to the latest.

[mayday7]

use nvm install v8.1.2

[casvil]

how would you use nvm alias default node 8 if it can't find nvm?

[ljharb]

@casvil you wouldn’t; https://github.com/creationix/nvm/issues/1356#issuecomment-330455988 is a response to advice like https://github.com/creationix/nvm/issues/1356#issuecomment-329409192

[MInesGomes]

And when I have like this?

nvm ls
->       system
default -> v10.13.0 (-> N/A)
node -> stable (-> N/A) (default)
iojs -> N/A (default)
lts/* -> lts/dubnium (-> N/A)
lts/argon -> v4.9.1 (-> N/A)
lts/boron -> v6.14.4 (-> N/A)
lts/carbon -> v8.12.0 (-> N/A)
lts/dubnium -> v10.13.0 (-> N/A)

How can I fix it?

[ljharb]

@Entrecampos nvm install

[MInesGomes]

Thanks @ljharb ! I did it I got this

        v11.4.0
         system
default -> node (-> v11.4.0)
node -> stable (-> v11.4.0) (default)
stable -> 11.4 (-> v11.4.0) (default)
iojs -> N/A (default)
lts/* -> lts/dubnium (-> v10.14.2)
lts/argon -> v4.9.1 (-> N/A)
lts/boron -> v6.15.1 (-> N/A)
lts/carbon -> v8.14.0 (-> N/A)
lts/dubnium -> v10.14.2

But I wanted the LTS...
I try to uninstall, but not luck

So I did nvm install -s --lts
and got

->     v10.14.2
        v11.4.0
         system
default -> node (-> v11.4.0)
node -> stable (-> v11.4.0) (default)
stable -> 11.4 (-> v11.4.0) (default)
iojs -> N/A (default)
lts/* -> lts/dubnium (-> v10.14.2)
lts/argon -> v4.9.1 (-> N/A)
lts/boron -> v6.15.1 (-> N/A)
lts/carbon -> v8.14.0 (-> N/A)
lts/dubnium -> v10.14.2

Then I did a lot of alias

nvm alias default v10

a finally :

 v10.14.2
        v11.4.0
->       system
default -> 10.14.2 (-> v10.14.2)
stable -> 10.14.2 (-> v10.14.2)
node -> stable (-> v10.14.2) (default)
iojs -> N/A (default)
lts/* -> lts/dubnium (-> v10.14.2)
lts/argon -> v4.9.1 (-> N/A)
lts/boron -> v6.15.1 (-> N/A)
lts/carbon -> v8.14.0 (-> N/A)
lts/dubnium -> v10.14.2

[SashkaSh]

In my case

nvm ls

-> v11.10.0 system default -> v11.10.0

and use:

nvm alias default v11.10.0

[ErvinLlojku]

This error happens when as default is set to a version that no longer is installed in your system.

• list all versions in your system
  nvm list
• set one of versions that you have installed as default
  nvm alias default vx.x.x

[jayaninadee]

N/A: version "N/A -> N/A" is not yet installed.

You need to run "nvm install N/A" to install it before using it.

I have the same issue

[onloner2012]

thx all

[jdgocobachi]

hello,
I had the same issue on MacOS Mojave 10.14.5 and @SashkaSh answer worked like a charm!
Thanks!

[Khobalt]

Another thanks in the @SashkaSh pile.

[c-zab]

2020 and nvm alias default node did the trick

[waldyrious]

Alternatively, nvm alias default node to always point to the latest.

I prefer nvm alias default 'lts/*'. The syntax is awkward but it gets me the most recent LTS version (v12.1.1 at the time of writing) rather than the latest stable version (v13.6.0 at the time of writing).

$ nvm list
->     v12.14.1
        v13.6.0
default -> lts/* (-> v12.14.1)
node -> stable (-> v13.6.0) (default)
stable -> 13.6 (-> v13.6.0) (default)
iojs -> N/A (default)
unstable -> N/A (default)
lts/* -> lts/erbium (-> v12.14.1)
lts/argon -> v4.9.1 (-> N/A)
lts/boron -> v6.17.1 (-> N/A)
lts/carbon -> v8.17.0 (-> N/A)
lts/dubnium -> v10.18.1 (-> N/A)
lts/erbium -> v12.14.1