Could someone please help me FIND node.js on my computer? and..

[Kurt555]

it said here to fill the template? I have no idea how to "fill the template" or what the template is, or what i would be supposed to fill it with, I am just asking for help

• Node.js Version:
• OS:
• Scope (install, code, runtime, meta, other?):
• Module (and version) (if relevant):

Hi, (i'm not knowledgable with computers, and i should not have downloaded this thing..)

1st problem: i downloaded the mac installer for node.js 6.11.4 on my MacBook and now i cannot find it. Its not in my downloads, its not in my finder, nor does it show up when i search spotlight. BUT i know it downloaded because it said

"the installation was completed successfully"

Node.js was installed at

/usr/local/bin/node

npm was installed at

/usr/local/bin/npm

Make sure that /usr/local/bin is in your $PATH

i have no idea what any of this means, neither does anyone else at MAC tech support.
Also i was originally going to use it to try to rescue some coins from an old multibit wallet, but now, i don't care about that, because now..

Problem #2. Now that I've learned about the "high severity of the DOS security vulnerability" of this thing i just want to FIND it, so that i can REMOVE it from my computer. but i can't remove it, if i can't even FIND the thing.

If anyone can help me i would be SO grateful. , Thank you!!!!, Kurt S.

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[vsemozhetbyt]

@nodejs/platform-macos, could you take a look?

[Kurt555]

Its not in the applications folder, it doesn't show up in my downloads, it does not show up when u search in spotlight, 2 calls to mac support didn't help me find it. but it did say that it successfully downloaded and i took a screen shot of it, which is why i have the info that i already posted above

[gibfahn]

Problem #2. Now that I've learned about the "high severity of the DOS security vulnerability" of this thing i just want to FIND it, so that i can REMOVE it from my computer. but i can't remove it, if i can't even FIND the thing.

So the first thing to say is that the "DOS security vulnerability" will only affect you if you actually use Node.js to run a webserver. It won't affect you just because it's on your system. And the actual "vulnerability" is that an attacker could make your webserver really slow. But again, you don't care, you're not going to run a webserver.

i have no idea what any of this means, neither does anyone else at MAC tech support.

You talked to Apple tech support and they don't know how to find /usr/local/bin/node ? Wow! They really should, it's a common folder on your computer.

[gibfahn]

So the reason it doesn't show up is that Apple wants to "protect you" from having to see a lot of the files in the computer, so it hides them. If it wasn't hidden you could go to the Macintosh HD folder and find it at /usr/local/bin like so:

I enabled the "show hidden files" option (instructions here: https://ianlunn.co.uk/articles/quickly-showhide-hidden-files-mac-os-x-mavericks/), but you probably don't want to do that just to delete one file.

[gibfahn]

So if you want to delete node and npm, then you're going to need to open a terminal and type in a command. Don't worry, it's pretty straightfoward!

Use spotlight to search for Terminal:

You'll get something like this (yours is probably white):

You need to type (or copy and paste) this command in (exactly as it is here):

rm /usr/local/bin/node

and then press enter to run it.

You might get an error saying "Permission denied". If so, you need to run this command instead:

sudo rm /usr/local/bin/node

when it prompts you for a password just type it in (it won't show up on the screen). It should be the password you use to log into the computer.

If that works, you need to do the same thing for npm:

rm /usr/local/bin/npm

or

sudo rm /usr/local/bin/npm

Then you need to get rid of your node_modules folder with:

rm /usr/local/lib/node_modules

or

sudo rm -rf /usr/local/lib/node_modules

Success looks like nothing happened:

There are probably a couple of other files around, but this will remove anything that could possibly be dangerous in any way.

[gibfahn]

Also just so you know, there are lots of apps on your system (like python) which have open security vulnerabilities if you're not on the latest version (which Macs don't keep up with). But as I said, if you don't use it you won't have a problem.

Also the security vulnerability will be fixed by upgrading to the new version, which should be out tomorrow. So you could just run the installer for 6.11.5 when it comes out, it'll replace the version you already installed, and you'll have the fix for the vulnerability.

[Kurt555]

gibfahn, thank you so much. that was EXTREMELY helpful. I'm going to go follow your instructions now, wish me luck..

[Kurt555]

I appreciate the VERY clear and very thorough answer, though u may have lost me with the "success looks like nothing happened" comment, as i would not really know how to decipher what it would look like if anything did or did not happen, since i don't know what it used to look like or exactly what it is supposed to look like. (like your photo i suppose) but if i do follow your instructions above? Do i need to hit "delete" at any time after i arrive in the file? or do those steps you gave me, just automatically delete it without me having to use a delete button? This whole thing is so foreign to me (+now that you've calmed me down by explaining that there is no security risk, since i don't plan to use node.js to run a web server [whatever the means]), perhaps i will just upgrade to the new version tomorrow instead. [i really appreciate the stuff u pasted+wrote to walk me thru it, +i may still use that, but perhaps upgrading would be easier or more fool proof than tinkering around in my hidden files?? (and then hopefully I'd never have to use it, but at least it will be a less precarious thing to have stuck on my computer..) Do you have any tips on how to simply do the upgrade? like a link that could take me to the right thing to click on for updating a MAC? and i assume its not necessary to uninstall the previous version before running the update? It would be beautiful if they DID have an un-installer lol.. (forgive the stupid questions, but I'm a tech-tard, and i just want to use the safest +most effective path out.) The enabling "show hidden files" thing looked easier than the other method, perhaps i could enable the hidden files, and delete, and then re-enable the hidden files? though i dont know how to un-hide or hide anything on there so am still leaning toward the upgrade. Any last words of wisdom, or advice on how to do the upgrade tomorrow would be cherished.. thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gibfahn]

Do i need to hit "delete" at any time after i arrive in the file? or do those steps you gave me, just automatically delete it without me having to use a delete button?

The command I gave you removes the files, no delete button required.

Do you have any tips on how to simply do the upgrade?

You just download the new installer from https://nodejs.org/en/ (which is hopefully where you got the 6.11.4 installer) and double-click on it. It will overwrite the old one automatically. Just wait for this box on that page to show 6.11.5, and when it does click the box to download.

I recommend just doing that, that way you don't have to do anything fancy.

It would be beautiful if they DID have an un-installer lol..

Yep, we're working on that, just don't have one right now.

[Kurt555]

THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i really appreciate the help...

[gibfahn]

THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i really appreciate the help...

No problem. I think this is "resolved" so I'll close this, but if you have more questions you can continue to comment on this issue thread, and I'll continue to answer.

[kyliezz]

Hello! Wow @gibfahn this is amazing and thorough. I am having a slightly different issue; my end goal is to be able to USE node.js. I (perhaps foolishly) downloaded node.js a few times thinking maybe I hadn't done it right. Then I realized I had the same issue of not being able to find it after downloading. Do I follow the same steps you've laid out here, up to a certain point? Thanks! I'm totally new to all of this. - Kylie