Errors when updating NPM

Question

I am trying to install phonegap in my Ubuntu 14.04 and when I try to update NPM I always get this error. What can it be? How to fix?

The commands I am using are sudo npm npm update -g and sudo npm npm install -g and always of this error:

npm ERR! tar pack Error reading /home/alisson/tmp/npm-13231/1456521975198-0.6208237137179822/package
npm ERR! TypeError: Cannot call method 'filter' of undefined
npm ERR!     at Packer.IgnoreReader.addIgnoreRules (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/fstream-npm/node_modules/fstream-ignore/ignore.js:148:13)
npm ERR!     at Packer.IgnoreReader.addIgnoreFile (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/fstream-npm/node_modules/fstream-ignore/ignore.js:133:10)
npm ERR!     at fs.readFile (fs.js:176:14)
npm ERR!     at fs.close (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/graceful-fs/graceful-fs.js:90:5)
npm ERR!     at Object.oncomplete (fs.js:297:15)
npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this log at:
npm ERR!     <http://github.com/isaacs/npm/issues>
npm ERR! or email it to:
npm ERR!     <npm-@googlegroups.com>

npm ERR! System Linux 3.16.0-60-generic
npm ERR! command "/usr/local/bin/node" "/usr/local/bin/npm" "update" "npm" "-g"
npm ERR! cwd /home/alisson/.local/share/Trash/files/npm
npm ERR! node -v v0.8.15
npm ERR! npm -v 1.1.66
npm ERR! type non_object_property_call
npm ERR! addLocalDirectory Could not pack "/home/alisson/tmp/npm-13231/1456521975198-0.6208237137179822/package" to "/home/alisson/.npm/npm/3.7.5/package.tgz"
npm ERR! Error: Callback called more than once.
npm ERR!     at errorHandler (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/utils/error-handler.js:80:16)
npm ERR!     at asyncMap (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/slide/lib/async-map.js:27:18)
npm ERR!     at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/update.js:29:5
npm ERR!     at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/outdated.js:33:30
npm ERR!     at cb (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/slide/lib/async-map.js:48:11)
npm ERR!     at cb (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/slide/lib/async-map.js:48:11)
npm ERR!     at cb (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/slide/lib/async-map.js:48:11)
npm ERR!     at cb (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/slide/lib/async-map.js:48:11)
npm ERR!     at cb (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/slide/lib/async-map.js:48:11)
npm ERR!     at cb (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/slide/lib/async-map.js:48:11)
npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this log at:
npm ERR!     <http://github.com/isaacs/npm/issues>
npm ERR! or email it to:
npm ERR!     <npm-@googlegroups.com>

npm ERR! System Linux 3.16.0-60-generic
npm ERR! command "/usr/local/bin/node" "/usr/local/bin/npm" "update" "npm" "-g"
npm ERR! cwd /home/alisson/.local/share/Trash/files/npm
npm ERR! node -v v0.8.15
npm ERR! npm -v 1.1.66
npm ERR! 
npm ERR! Additional logging details can be found in:
npm ERR!     /home/alisson/.local/share/Trash/files/npm/npm-debug.log
npm ERR! not ok code 0

This folder npm-13231/1456521975198-0.6208237137179822/package exists in directory tmp

Answer 1

I encountered a similar issue. It looks like you're using an old version of npm which is no longer supported. (According to the last post in this GitHub issue ).

I would suggest uninstalling npm completely and reinstalling the latest version.

To uninstall both node and npm (if npm was bundled with your node installation), try sudo apt-get remove nodejs. (To reinstall the latest versions, see MorganGalpin's answer to this Stack Overflow question)

To uninstall npm only, try npm rm npm -g (removes npm globally) or make uninstall in the folder where npm is installed (which npm will tell you where that is).