node-gyp is broken and I've done everything physically possible

[cow1337killer3]

I have tried every possible solution available across the entire internet. This cannot be fixed. Why does node-gyp ship broken by default?

npm install -g node-gyp
>>

changed 63 packages in 2s

choco install python visualcpp-build-tools -y
>>
Chocolatey v2.2.2
Installing the following packages:
python;visualcpp-build-tools
By installing, you accept licenses for the packages.
python v3.14.2 already installed.
 Use --force to reinstall, specify a version to install, or try upgrade.
visualcpp-build-tools v15.0.26228.20170424 already installed.
 Use --force to reinstall, specify a version to install, or try upgrade.

Chocolatey installed 0/2 packages.
 See the log for details (C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\logs\chocolatey.log).

Warnings:
 - python - python v3.14.2 already installed.
 Use --force to reinstall, specify a version to install, or try upgrade.
 - visualcpp-build-tools - visualcpp-build-tools v15.0.26228.20170424 already installed.
 Use --force to reinstall, specify a version to install, or try upgrade.

 where.exe python
C:\Python314\python.exe
C:\Program Files\Python313\python.exe
C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\python.exe

py --list-paths
 -V:3.14 *        C:\Python314\python.exe
 -V:3.13          C:\Program Files\Python313\python.exe

$Env:npm_config_python="C:\Python314\python.exe"

Install-Module VSSetup -Scope CurrentUser

npm install --global windows-build-tools
>>
npm warn Unknown env config "python". This will stop working in the next major version of npm.
npm warn deprecated inflight@1.0.6: This module is not supported, and leaks memory. Do not use it. Check out lru-cache if you want a good and tested way to coalesce async requests by a key value, which is much more comprehensive and powerful.
npm warn deprecated glob@7.2.3: Glob versions prior to v9 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated har-validator@5.1.5: this library is no longer supported
npm warn deprecated uuid@3.4.0: Please upgrade  to version 7 or higher.  Older versions may use Math.random() in certain circumstances, which is known to be problematic.  See https://v8.dev/blog/math-random for details.
npm warn deprecated request@2.88.2: request has been deprecated, see https://github.com/request/request/issues/3142
npm warn deprecated windows-build-tools@5.2.2: Node.js now includes build tools for Windows. You probably no longer need this tool. See https://github.com/felixrieseberg/windows-build-tools for details.
npm warn cleanup Failed to remove some directories [
npm warn cleanup   [
npm warn cleanup     'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\windows-build-tools',
npm warn cleanup     [Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, rmdir 'C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools\node_modules\ajv\lib'] {
npm warn cleanup       errno: -4048,
npm warn cleanup       code: 'EPERM',
npm warn cleanup       syscall: 'rmdir',
npm warn cleanup       path: 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\windows-build-tools\\node_modules\\ajv\\lib'
npm warn cleanup     }
npm warn cleanup   ],
npm warn cleanup   [
npm warn cleanup     '\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\windows-build-tools\\node_modules\\uri-js',
npm warn cleanup     [Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, rmdir 'C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools\node_modules\uri-js\dist\esnext'] {
npm warn cleanup       errno: -4048,
npm warn cleanup       code: 'EPERM',
npm warn cleanup       syscall: 'rmdir',
npm warn cleanup       path: 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\windows-build-tools\\node_modules\\uri-js\\dist\\esnext'
npm warn cleanup     }
npm warn cleanup   ],
npm warn cleanup   [
npm warn cleanup     '\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\windows-build-tools\\node_modules\\verror',
npm warn cleanup     [Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, rmdir 'C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools\node_modules\verror\node_modules\core-util-is'] {
npm warn cleanup       errno: -4048,
npm warn cleanup       code: 'EPERM',
npm warn cleanup       syscall: 'rmdir',
npm warn cleanup       path: 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\windows-build-tools\\node_modules\\verror\\node_modules\\core-util-is'
npm warn cleanup     }
npm warn cleanup   ]
npm warn cleanup ]
npm error code 1
npm error path C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools
npm error command failed
npm error command pwsh -c node ./dist/index.js
npm error Downloading python-2.7.15.amd64.msi
npm error [>                                            ] 0.0% (0 B/s)
npm error ^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0KDownloading python-2.7.15.amd64.msi
npm error [============================================>] 100.0% (0 B/s)
npm error ^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0KDownloading python-2.7.15.amd64.msi
npm error [============================================>] 100.0% (0 B/s)
npm error Downloaded python-2.7.15.amd64.msi. Saved to C:\Users\Brandon\.windows-build-tools\python-2.7.15.amd64.msi.
npm error
npm error
npm error ^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0KDownloading vs_BuildTools.exe
npm error [>                                            ] 0.0% (0 B/s)
npm error ^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0KDownloading vs_BuildTools.exe
npm error [============================================>] 100.0% (0 B/s)
npm error ^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0K^[[1A^[[1000D^[[0KDownloading vs_BuildTools.exe
npm error [============================================>] 100.0% (0 B/s)
npm error Downloaded vs_BuildTools.exe. Saved to C:\Users\Brandon\.windows-build-tools\vs_BuildTools.exe.
npm error
npm error Starting installation...
npm error Downloading installers failed. Error: TypeError: 'process.env' only accepts a configurable, writable, and enumerable data descriptor
npm error     at Object.defineProperty (<anonymous>)
npm error     at Object.removePath (C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools\dist\utils\remove-path.js:11:12)
npm error     at Object.install (C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools\dist\install\index.js:29:19)
npm error     at C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools\dist\start.js:17:19
npm error     at Object.download (C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools\dist\download.js:35:5)
npm error     at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:104:5)
npm error     at async Object.aquireInstallers (C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\windows-build-tools\dist\aquire-installers.js:32:13) {
npm error   code: 'ERR_INVALID_OBJECT_DEFINE_PROPERTY'
npm error }
npm error windows-build-tools will now exit.
npm error (node:4532) [DEP0040] DeprecationWarning: The `punycode` module is deprecated. Please use a userland alternative instead.
npm error (Use `node --trace-deprecation ...` to show where the warning was created)
npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2026-01-26T01_30_05_007Z-debug-0.log

npm config set msvs_version 2022
npm warn Unknown env config "python". This will stop working in the next major version of npm.
npm error `msvs_version` is not a valid npm option
npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2026-01-26T01_31_09_670Z-debug-0.log

And finally, trying to run node-gyp:

node-gyp rebuild
gyp info it worked if it ends with ok
gyp info using node-gyp@12.1.0
gyp info using node@25.4.0 | win32 | x64
(node:16148) [DEP0169] DeprecationWarning: `url.parse()` behavior is not standardized and prone to errors that have security implications. Use the WHATWG URL API instead. CVEs are not issued for `url.parse()` vulnerabilities.
(Use `node --trace-deprecation ...` to show where the warning was created)
(node:16148) [DEP0190] DeprecationWarning: Passing args to a child process with shell option true can lead to security vulnerabilities, as the arguments are not escaped, only concatenated.
gyp info find Python using Python version 3.14.2 found at "C:\Python314\python.exe"

gyp info find VS using VS2022 (17.14.36915.13) found at:
gyp info find VS "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools"
gyp info find VS run with --verbose for detailed information
gyp info spawn C:\Python314\python.exe
gyp info spawn args [
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\gyp\\gyp_main.py',
gyp info spawn args 'binding.gyp',
gyp info spawn args '-f',
gyp info spawn args 'msvs',
gyp info spawn args '-I',
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\build\\config.gypi',
gyp info spawn args '-I',
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\addon.gypi',
gyp info spawn args '-I',
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Local\\node-gyp\\Cache\\25.4.0\\include\\node\\common.gypi',
gyp info spawn args '-Dlibrary=shared_library',
gyp info spawn args '-Dvisibility=default',
gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_root_dir=C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Local\\node-gyp\\Cache\\25.4.0',
gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_gyp_dir=C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.4.0\\installation\\node_modules\\node-gyp',
gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_lib_file=C:\\\\Users\\\\Brandon\\\\AppData\\\\Local\\\\node-gyp\\\\Cache\\\\25.4.0\\\\<(target_arch)\\\\node.lib',
gyp info spawn args '-Dmodule_root_dir=C:\\Users\\Brandon',
gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_engine=v8',
gyp info spawn args '--depth=.',
gyp info spawn args '--no-parallel',
gyp info spawn args '--generator-output',
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\build',
gyp info spawn args '-Goutput_dir=.'
gyp info spawn args ]
gyp: binding.gyp not found (cwd: C:\Users\Brandon) while trying to load binding.gyp
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: `gyp` failed with exit code: 1
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.<anonymous> (C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.4.0\installation\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\configure.js:317:18)
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:508:20)
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:293:12)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 10.0.26200
gyp ERR! command "C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\aliases\\default\\node.exe" "C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\aliases\\default\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\Brandon
gyp ERR! node -v v25.4.0
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v12.1.0
gyp ERR! not ok

[cclauss]

npm --version ?

Modern npm no longer allows config settings for python or msvs_version.

npm warn deprecated windows-build-tools@5.2.2: Node.js now includes build tools for Windows. You probably no longer need this tool. See https://github.com/felixrieseberg/windows-build-tools for details.

Can you please try to remove windows-build-toolsbecause it is attempting to use legacy Python 2 which died on 1/1/2020.

gyp: binding.gyp not found (cwd: C:\Users\Brandon) while trying to load binding.gyp

[cow1337killer3]

Ok, I had forgotten which npm package I wanted to install, which used node-gyp. But now I'm trying to install another package that needs node-gyp.

npm i -g 'synchronized-promise'
npm warn cleanup Failed to remove some directories [
npm warn cleanup   [
npm warn cleanup     'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\synchronized-promise',
npm warn cleanup     [Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, rmdir 'C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.6.1\installation\node_modules\synchronized-promise\node_modules\deasync\build\Release\obj\deasync'] {
npm warn cleanup       errno: -4048,
npm warn cleanup       code: 'EPERM',
npm warn cleanup       syscall: 'rmdir',
npm warn cleanup       path: 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\synchronized-promise\\node_modules\\deasync\\build\\Release\\obj\\deasync'
npm warn cleanup     }
npm warn cleanup   ],
npm warn cleanup   [
npm warn cleanup     '\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\synchronized-promise\\node_modules\\deasync',
npm warn cleanup     [Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, rmdir 'C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.6.1\installation\node_modules\synchronized-promise\node_modules\deasync\build\Release\obj'] {
npm warn cleanup       errno: -4048,
npm warn cleanup       code: 'EPERM',
npm warn cleanup       syscall: 'rmdir',
npm warn cleanup       path: 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\synchronized-promise\\node_modules\\deasync\\build\\Release\\obj'
npm warn cleanup     }
npm warn cleanup   ]
npm warn cleanup ]
npm error code 1
npm error path C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.6.1\installation\node_modules\synchronized-promise\node_modules\deasync
npm error command failed
npm error command pwsh -c node ./build.js
npm error deasync.cc
npm error C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Local\node-gyp\Cache\25.6.1\include\node\v8-object.h(863,45): warning C4996: 'v8::Object::GetIsolate': Use Isolate::GetCurrent() instead, which is guaranteed to return the same isolate since https://crrev.com/c/6458560. [C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.6.1\installation\node_modules\synchronized-promise\node_modules\deasync\build\deasync.vcxproj]
npm error   (compiling source file '../src/deasync.cc')
npm error
npm error C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.6.1\installation\node_modules\synchronized-promise\node_modules\deasync\src\deasync.cc(3,10): error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'napi.h': No such file or directory [C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.6.1\installation\node_modules\synchronized-promise\node_modules\deasync\build\deasync.vcxproj]
npm error (node:21544) [DEP0190] DeprecationWarning: Passing args to a child process with shell option true can lead to security vulnerabilities, as the arguments are not escaped, only concatenated.
npm error (Use `node --trace-deprecation ...` to show where the warning was created)
npm error gyp info it worked if it ends with ok
npm error gyp info using node-gyp@12.2.0
npm error gyp info using node@25.6.1 | win32 | x64
npm error (node:22480) [DEP0169] DeprecationWarning: `url.parse()` behavior is not standardized and prone to errors that have security implications. Use the WHATWG URL API instead. CVEs are not issued for `url.parse()` vulnerabilities.
npm error (Use `node --trace-deprecation ...` to show where the warning was created)
npm error gyp info find Python using Python version 3.14.3 found at "C:\Python314\python.exe"
npm error gyp info find VS using VS2022 (17.14.36930.0) found at:
npm error gyp info find VS "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community"
npm error gyp info find VS run with --verbose for detailed information
npm error gyp info spawn C:\Python314\python.exe
npm error gyp info spawn args [
npm error gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\gyp\\gyp_main.py',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'binding.gyp',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-f',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'msvs',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-I',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\synchronized-promise\\node_modules\\deasync\\build\\config.gypi',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-I',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\addon.gypi',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-I',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Local\\node-gyp\\Cache\\25.6.1\\include\\node\\common.gypi',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dlibrary=shared_library',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dvisibility=default',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_root_dir=C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Local\\node-gyp\\Cache\\25.6.1',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_gyp_dir=C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\node-gyp',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_lib_file=C:\\\\Users\\\\Brandon\\\\AppData\\\\Local\\\\node-gyp\\\\Cache\\\\25.6.1\\\\<(target_arch)\\\\node.lib',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dmodule_root_dir=C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\synchronized-promise\\node_modules\\deasync',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_engine=v8',
npm error gyp info spawn args '--depth=.',
npm error gyp info spawn args '--no-parallel',
npm error gyp info spawn args '--generator-output',
npm error gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm\\node-versions\\v25.6.1\\installation\\node_modules\\synchronized-promise\\node_modules\\deasync\\build',
npm error gyp info spawn args '-Goutput_dir=.'
npm error gyp info spawn args ]
npm error <string>:25: SyntaxWarning: "\s" is an invalid escape sequence. Such sequences will not work in the future. Did you mean "\\s"? A raw string is also an option.
npm error gyp info spawn C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe
npm error gyp info spawn args [
npm error gyp info spawn args 'build/binding.sln',
npm error gyp info spawn args '/clp:Verbosity=minimal',
npm error gyp info spawn args '/nologo',
npm error gyp info spawn args '/nodeReuse:false',
npm error gyp info spawn args '/p:Configuration=Release;Platform=x64'
npm error gyp info spawn args ]
npm error gyp ERR! build error
npm error gyp ERR! stack Error: `C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe` failed with exit code: 1
npm error gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.<anonymous> (C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.6.1\installation\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\build.js:219:23)
npm error gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:508:20)
npm error gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:293:12)
npm error gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 10.0.26200
npm error gyp ERR! command "C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Local\\fnm_multishells\\23752_1773569444215\\node.exe" "C:\\Users\\Brandon\\AppData\\Local\\fnm_multishells\\23752_1773569444215\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
npm error gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Roaming\fnm\node-versions\v25.6.1\installation\node_modules\synchronized-promise\node_modules\deasync
npm error gyp ERR! node -v v25.6.1
npm error gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v12.2.0
npm error gyp ERR! $npm_package_name deasync
npm error gyp ERR! $npm_package_version 0.1.31
npm error gyp ERR! not ok
npm error Build failed
npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: C:\Users\Brandon\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2026-03-15T10_10_42_667Z-debug-0.log