Error while running npm "prefix -g is not recognized as an internal or external command"

Question

'CALL "C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe" "C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js" prefix -g' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

I am using windows 8.1 enterprise version, and I have my files in appdata/npm still I am getting the above error. I installed the latest node version,i.e, v6.3.0 and I've even tried with the older version of node ,i.e, v4.4.7 and I am getting the same error.

Answer 1

I had the same issue. Mine also printed this issue.

error file C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe;

seems I screwed up my comSpec in my environmental variables.
The ";" at the end of that line was causing the error.

Answer 2

Not sure if still have the same the problem but recently I was experienced this annoying error and finished solving by modified the npm.cmd file found in nodejs installation folder. It seems the error occurs because a wrong use of apostrophes and double quotes when calling the npm.cmd file. By default the npm.cmd comes in this way:

'CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix -g'

You need to change that to

"CALL ""%NODE_EXE%"" ""%NPM_CLI_JS%"" prefix -g"

In that way the .cmd must be executed correctly, or at least work for me in Windows 10 OS.

Hope it helps.