node.js - NodeJS - Error installing with NPM

Question

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:Windowssystem32>npm install caress-server
npm http GET https://registry.npmjs.org/caress-server
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/caress-server
npm http GET https://registry.npmjs.org/jspack/0.0.1
npm http GET https://registry.npmjs.org/buffertools
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/jspack/0.0.1
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/buffertools

> [email protected] install C:Windowssystem32
ode_modulescaress-server
ode_
modulesuffertools
> node-gyp rebuild


C:Windowssystem32
ode_modulescaress-server
ode_modulesuffertools>node "G:

odejs
ode_modules
pmin
ode-gyp-bin\....
ode_modules
ode-gypin
ode-
gyp.js" rebuild
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: Can't find Python executable "python", you can set the PYT
HON env variable.
gyp ERR! stack     at failNoPython (G:
odejs
ode_modules
pm
ode_modules
ode
-gyplibconfigure.js:101:14)
gyp ERR! stack     at G:
odejs
ode_modules
pm
ode_modules
ode-gyplibconfi
gure.js:64:11
gyp ERR! stack     at Object.oncomplete (fs.js:107:15)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.2.9200
gyp ERR! command "node" "G:\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\node-gyp\
bin\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:Windowssystem32
ode_modulescaress-server
ode_modulesuffert
ools
gyp ERR! node -v v0.10.25
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v0.12.2
gyp ERR! not ok
npm ERR! [email protected] install: `node-gyp rebuild`
npm ERR! Exit status 1
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Failed at the [email protected] install script.
npm ERR! This is most likely a problem with the buffertools package,
npm ERR! not with npm itself.
npm ERR! Tell the author that this fails on your system:
npm ERR!     node-gyp rebuild
npm ERR! You can get their info via:
npm ERR!     npm owner ls buffertools
npm ERR! There is likely additional logging output above.

npm ERR! System Windows_NT 6.2.9200
npm ERR! command "G:\nodejs\\node.exe" "G:\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\n
pm-cli.js" "install" "caress-server"
npm ERR! cwd C:Windowssystem32
npm ERR! node -v v0.10.25
npm ERR! npm -v 1.3.24
npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Additional logging details can be found in:
npm ERR!     C:Windowssystem32
pm-debug.log
npm ERR! not ok code 0

C:Windowssystem32>

I am installing a certain NodeJS script - Caress. But i am not unable to. I am using Windows 8.1, can anyone tell me what is the problem i am facing, and why is this installation not working. There seems to be a problem with the buffertools dependency, thats far as i can think. Dont know how maybe fix this?

If i download the build from github and place it in node-modules, nothing seems to work. when i try to start, using npm start, or during implementation either.

G:
odejs
ode_modulescaress-server>npm install

G:
odejs
ode_modulescaress-server>npm start

> [email protected] start G:
odejs
ode_modulescaress-server
> node examples/server.js

   info  - socket.io started

module.js:340
    throw err;
          ^
Error: Cannot find module './build/Release/buffertools.node'
    at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:338:15)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:280:25)
    at Module.require (module.js:364:17)
    at require (module.js:380:17)
    at Object.<anonymous> (G:
odejs
ode_modulescaress-server
ode_modulesuf
fertoolsuffertools.js:16:19)
    at Module._compile (module.js:456:26)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:474:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:356:32)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:312:12)
    at Module.require (module.js:364:17)

npm ERR! [email protected] start: `node examples/server.js`
npm ERR! Exit status 8
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Failed at the [email protected] start script.
npm ERR! This is most likely a problem with the caress-server package,
npm ERR! not with npm itself.
npm ERR! Tell the author that this fails on your system:
npm ERR!     node examples/server.js
npm ERR! You can get their info via:
npm ERR!     npm owner ls caress-server
npm ERR! There is likely additional logging output above.
npm ERR! System Windows_NT 6.2.9200
npm ERR! command "G:\nodejs\\node.exe" "G:\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\n
pm-cli.js" "start"
npm ERR! cwd G:
odejs
ode_modulescaress-server
npm ERR! node -v v0.10.25
npm ERR! npm -v 1.3.24
npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Additional logging details can be found in:
npm ERR!     G:
odejs
ode_modulescaress-server
pm-debug.log
npm ERR! not ok code 0

G:
odejs
ode_modulescaress-server>

Answer 1

As commented below you may not need to install VS on windows, check this out

https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/629#issuecomment-153196245

UPDATED 02/2016

Some npm plugins need node-gyp to be installed.

However, node-gyp has it's own dependencies (from the github page):

UPDATED 09/2016

If you're using Windows you can now install all node-gyp dependencies with single command (NOTE: Run As Admin in Windows PowerShell):

 $ npm install --global --production windows-build-tools

and then install the package

 $ npm install --global node-gyp

UPDATED 06/2018

https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/809#issuecomment-155019383

Delete your $HOME/.node-gyp directory and try again.

See full documentation here: node-gyp