'node' is not recognized as an internal or external command

Question

I've been working with node.js v0.6.3, locally installed on Windows Vista at C:\Program Files\Nodejs. I recently upgraded to (by running the installer for) v0.6.6. It seemed like it worked for a while, but now if I try to run node from any directory I get a

'node' is not recognized as an internal or external command

message, though running node from C:\Program Files\Nodejs does work.

I tried rebooting, removing node, reinstalling, reinstalling 0.6.3 - nothing seems to work. I just don't get why node fails to recognize system path, though node works from its base dir?

Answer 1

Node is missing from the SYSTEM PATH, try this in your command line

SET PATH=C:\Program Files\Nodejs;%PATH% 

and then try running node

To set this system wide you need to set in the system settings - cf - http://banagale.com/changing-your-system-path-in-windows-vista.htm

To be very clean, create a new system variable NODEJS

NODEJS="C:\Program Files\Nodejs" 

Then edit the PATH in system variables and add %NODEJS%

PATH=%NODEJS%;... 

Answer 2

Nodejs's installation adds nodejs to the path in the environment properties incorrectly.

By default it adds the following to the path:

C:\Program Files\nodejs\ 

The ending \ is unnecessary. Remove the \ and everything will be beautiful again.