Issue installing node-postgres with npm (on windows) - windows

Question

I am trying to install pg on windows using npm, but receive the following error:
c:\Users\someone\Dropbox\somefolder>npm install -g pg
npm http GET https://registry.npmjs.org/pg
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/pg
npm http GET https://registry.npmjs.org/generic-pool/2.0.2
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/generic-pool/2.0.2
> pg#0.11.3 install C:\Users\someone\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\pg
> node-gyp rebuild || (exit 0)
C:\Users\someone\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\pg>node "C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\node-gyp-
yp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild
'pg_config' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\gyp", line 18, in <module>
sys.exit(gyp.main(sys.argv[1:]))
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\__init__.py", line 511, in main
return gyp_main(args)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\__init__.py", line 494, in gyp_main
options.circular_check)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\__init__.py", line 133, in Load
depth, generator_input_info, check, circular_check)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 2378, in Load
depth, check)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 384, in LoadTargetBuildFile
build_file_data, PHASE_EARLY, variables, build_file_path)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 1053, in ProcessVariablesAndConditionsInD
build_file)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 1068, in ProcessVariablesAndConditionsInL
ProcessVariablesAndConditionsInDict(item, phase, variables, build_file)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 1027, in ProcessVariablesAndConditionsInD
ProcessConditionsInDict(the_dict, phase, variables, build_file)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 904, in ProcessConditionsInDict
variables, build_file)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 1046, in ProcessVariablesAndConditionsInD
build_file, key)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 1046, in ProcessVariablesAndConditionsInD
build_file, key)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 1053, in ProcessVariablesAndConditionsInD
build_file)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 1072, in ProcessVariablesAndConditionsInL
expanded = ExpandVariables(item, phase, variables, build_file)
File "C:\Users\someone\.node-gyp\0.8.16\tools\gyp\pylib\gyp\input.py", line 714, in ExpandVariables
(contents, p.returncode))
Exception: Call to 'pg_config --libdir' returned exit status 1. 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.onCpExit (C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\co
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.EventEmitter.emit (events.js:99:17)
gyp ERR! stack at Process._handle.onexit (child_process.js:678:10)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601
gyp ERR! command "node" "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\someone\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\pg
gyp ERR! node -v v0.8.16
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v0.7.3
gyp ERR! not ok
pg#0.11.3 C:\Users\someone\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\pg
└── generic-pool#2.0.2
My versions are as follow:
c:\>node -v
v0.8.16
c:\>npm -v
1.1.69
When I check out the repository and try node-gyp rebuild I get the following error message:
C:\Users\someone\Downloads\node-postgres.git>node-gyp rebuild
gyp info it worked if it ends with ok
gyp info using node-gyp#0.8.3
gyp info using node#0.8.16 | win32 | ia32
gyp info spawn python
gyp info spawn args [ 'C:\\Users\\lamassey\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\gyp\\gyp',
gyp info spawn args 'binding.gyp',
gyp info spawn args '-f',
gyp info spawn args 'msvs',
gyp info spawn args '-G',
gyp info spawn args 'msvs_version=auto',
gyp info spawn args '-I',
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\lamassey\\Downloads\\node-postgres.git\\build\\config.gypi',
gyp info spawn args '-I',
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\lamassey\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\addon.gypi',
gyp info spawn args '-I',
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\lamassey\\.node-gyp\\0.8.16\\common.gypi',
gyp info spawn args '-Dlibrary=shared_library',
gyp info spawn args '-Dvisibility=default',
gyp info spawn args '-Dnode_root_dir=C:\\Users\\lamassey\\.node-gyp\\0.8.16',
gyp info spawn args '-Dmodule_root_dir=C:\\Users\\lamassey\\Downloads\\node-postgres.git',
gyp info spawn args '--depth=.',
gyp info spawn args '--generator-output',
gyp info spawn args 'C:\\Users\\lamassey\\Downloads\\node-postgres.git\\build',
gyp info spawn args '-Goutput_dir=.' ]
'pg_config' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
gyp: Call to 'pg_config --libdir' returned exit status 1. 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.onCpExit (C:\Users\lamassey\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\configure.js:420:16)
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.EventEmitter.emit (events.js:99:17)
gyp ERR! stack at Process._handle.onexit (child_process.js:678:10)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601
gyp ERR! command "node" "C:\\Users\\lamassey\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\lamassey\Downloads\node-postgres.git
gyp ERR! node -v v0.8.16
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v0.8.3
gyp ERR! not ok

Answer 1

Per the line
'pg_config' is not recognized as an internal or external command
I just need to install PostgreSQL before trying to
npm install pg

Answer 2

Have you checked out the installation instructions for node-gyp?
https://github.com/TooTallNate/node-gyp#installation
I recently had issues with node-gyp on Windows also while trying to install a separate module that depended on it. Make sure you have each of the items installed that it requires. Pay attention to this part specifically:
For 64-bit builds of node and native modules you will also need the Windows 7 64-bit SDK
If the install fails, try uninstalling any C++ 2010 x64&x86 Redistributable that you have installed first.

Answer 3

On OSx see Peter Lyons answer (accepted). The Xcode Version option worked for me.
https://stackoverflow.com/a/12825911/296765