Signal-desktop: Win7x64: Unhandled Error: Cannot find module node_sqlite3.node after update to 1.23.0

[M5864]

Bug Description

Signal-desktop doesn't start after auto-update to 1.23.0: cannot find module node_sqlite3.node. Uninstall / Reinstall doesn't fix it either.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Choose to download the update when prompted
2. launch Signal via existing shortcut

Actual Result:

Expected Result:

Startup of the app.

Signal Version:

1.23.0

Operating System:

Windows 7 Enterprise, 64-bit

[AppyDay]

This happened after Auto-Update to 1.23.0 initiated by a popup message to update the Signal Version.
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.

[goebao]

我也是同样的问题

[jbc22]

@scottnonnenberg what more information could I provide to help?

[rsdifu]

Windows 10 here on multiple machines. Reinstalling 1.22.0 from downloaded .exe works fine, but auto-upgrade and installing from 1.23.0 downloaded .exe crashes with this error.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

We're looking for potential reasons why it repros on some Windows 10 machines and not on others. On Windows 10, my testing hasn't resulted in the error at all. What's different about the machines where the error does happen? My Windows 10 is fully up to date, and pretty bare-bones - what has been installed/modified on the Windows 10 installs where this happens?

Now, on Windows 7, I can reproduce the problem reliably.

[rsdifu]

My machines are fully up to date, and pretty bare-bones as well. They run browser-based apps in Firefox and Chrome (which are also kept up to date), and Signal.

[rsdifu]

This sounds like it could be a pretty big change: 1.23.0 updated Electron to 4.x.

[goebao]

希望能尽快解决在windows 7 64位下的这个问题。

[simonokay]

same error on my colleague (win10x64) (win8x64)
and my own win10x64 & win8.1x64 working fine.

[random11]

I just clicked the update to 1.23.0 and am suffering the same issue.
Win 10 Home (10.0.17134 Build 17134)

[elldd]

Hello,

if of interest for you, same happened here (Win7x64 --never had problems before). Yesterday I was prompted to update my Signal Desktop, I clicked on the option to postpone it cause I was just using it at that moment, and it crashed giving this error:

I don't know anything about code, however I tried the following steps:

• downloaded the newest version and installed it => it crashed again, same error

• restarted the computer, launched the latest .exe => same as above

• disintalled Signal from the computer, deleted the previous .exe I had downloaded, downloaded it again, installed it => when it launched it, it crashed and gave the same error

• searched for info about what to do, found here on github a previous thread where it was suggested to turn off the linked device on Android, then procede again on the computer, so I did that and then launched the .exe => again, immediate crash and error.

Hope that helps.

And, if I can ask this here: is there a place where I can find the previous version, so that I could still use Signal on my desktop 'till the bug for this one is fixed?

Thank you.
ED

ps: if my post violates some rule here on github, sorry, and hopefully a moderator will take care of it

[simonokay]

Hello,

if of interest for you, same happened here (Win7x64 --never had problems before). Yesterday I was prompted to update my Signal Desktop, I clicked on the option to postpone it cause I was just using it at that moment, and it crashed giving this error:

I don't know anything about code, however I tried the following steps:

• downloaded the newest version and installed it => it crashed again, same error
• disintalled Signal from the computer, deleted the previous .exe I had downloaded, downloaded it again, installed it => when it launched it, it crashed and gave the same error
• searched for info about what to do, found here on github a previous thread where it was suggested to turn off the linked device on Android, then procede again on the computer, so I did that and then launched the .exe => again, immediate crash and error.

Hope that helps.

And, if I can ask this here: is there a place where I can find the previous version, so that I could still use Signal on my desktop 'till the bug is fixed?

Thank you.
ED

ps: if my post violates some rule here on github, sorry, and hopefully a moderator will take care of it

as I know, even the previous version install successful, it will auto-update to 1.23 forcibly

[elldd]

as I know, even the previous version install successful, it will auto-update to 1.23 forcibly

Thank you. I thought something like that, since after the first attempt to install the new version --I had forgotten to add this in my previous post-- I tried to launch the old one but gave the same error, that's why I deleted it from the computer. I hoped there still was some older version available that didn't work that way

[jbc22]

@scottnonnenberg-signal The file isn't in the specified location. Whatever is responsible for the creation of the file seems to be failing. I'd be happy to do a troubleshooting session if it would help.

Got it working by installing the latest Visual Studio C++ Redistributeables. Seems to be required by node-sqlite3.

[HereticSK]

Got it working by installing vc_redist.x64.exe (I am on a 64-bit Windows 10) on https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads
Thanks to @jbc22

[rsdifu]

Confirmed installing the latest Visual Studio C++ Redistributeables fixes the problem.

[PacketShepard]

This also worked for me. If you're on Windows 10 x64, use the 2017 redistributable here:

Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2017 x64
https://aka.ms/vs/15/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

[elldd]

This also worked for me. If you're on Windows 10 x64, use the 2017 redistributable here:

Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2017 x64
https://aka.ms/vs/15/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

Just tried this too altho' my laptop runs Win7, it worked.

Thank you guys!

[M5864]

I also can confirm installing this on Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit has solved the issue. Signal is now starting as it should.

Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2017 x64
https://aka.ms/vs/15/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

[jbc22]

@M5864 I wouldn't close this. While installing VS Redist works, it's not a proper solution for the long term. The Signal installer should ensure the correct version of VS Redist is installed on the target machine.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

v1.23.1-beta.1 was just released, and should fix this. Please check it out and let us know if it works for you (especially if you haven't tried installing the VC Redist as a workaround): https://updates.signal.org/desktop/signal-desktop-beta-win-1.23.1-beta.1.exe

[jbc22]

@scottnonnenberg-signal uninstalled VS Redist and reproduced the error with 1.23 and beta-win-1.23.0-beta.4.

Installed beta-win-1.23.1-beta.1.exe and I can confirm that the issue is fixed for me.

[elldd]

v1.23.1-beta.1 was just released, and should fix this. Please check it out and let us know if it works for you (especially if you haven't tried installing the VC Redist as a workaround): https://updates.signal.org/desktop/signal-desktop-beta-win-1.23.1-beta.1.exe

Installed it too, but w/out uninstalling the VC Redist --because at first I couldn't figure out where it was located..-, it works fine

[AppyDay]

Since my original message, I had installed v1.22.0 to continue working and it was working fine.
I received several popups to update to the new version and kept clicking LATER.
Closed Signal desktop app.
Ran the https://updates.signal.org/desktop/signal-desktop-beta-win-1.23.1-beta.1.exe and
now I am being prompted to "Link your phone to Signal Desktop."
**I have NOT installed the VS Redist or made any changes other than loading the Beta 1.23.1.
?? Do you want me to try anything (for testing purposes) before I try and relink my account?
Thanks!

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

No, with the testing you all have provided, I went ahead and promoted v1.23.1 to production, so those of you with v1.22.0 installed should be able to let it upgrade.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

I'm going to close this as fixed.

[AppyDay]

Will everyone have to Re-Link there phone to their Signal-Desktop then?

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@AppyDay Only if you uninstalled the app. If you pull down a new version and install it over the old, you don't need to re-link.

[natelust]

I just want to say that my wife was having the same issue with the same error message on windows 8.1, and after installing the latest release, she is still seeing the same error message about node_sqlite3.node.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@natelust Since that may be a new issue, please contact [email protected] or file a new GitHub issue.