I’m having trouble running a Next.js project on my new computer. It worked perfectly on my old system, but now I keep encountering a ‘file not found’ error. I see the issue arise when executing npm run dev or npx create-next-app.
Oddly enough, tools like npm -v, node -v, and npx -v all return their versions correctly:
node -v: v22.13.0
npm -v: 11.0.0
npx -v: 11.0.0
In my package.json, I have the following script:
{
"scripts": {
"start": "next start"
}
}
Interestingly, running the command node node_modules/next/dist/bin/next start starts the app without any issues. I’ve verified that both node and npm are correctly set in my system path. I’ve also tried reinstalling node, removing the node_modules folder, and clearing the npm cache, but nothing changes.
Any ideas on what could be causing this error? I’m really stuck and any guidance would be appreciated.
I’ve encountered a similar issue before, and it turned out to be related to file permissions. Since you mentioned it’s a new computer, there might be some system-level restrictions in place.
Try running your command with elevated privileges (as an administrator on Windows or with sudo on Unix-based systems) to see if that resolves the issue. If it does, you’ll need to adjust the permissions for your project directory.
Another thing to check is your antivirus software. Sometimes, overzealous antivirus programs can interfere with Node.js and npm operations. Try temporarily disabling your antivirus and see if that makes a difference.
Lastly, ensure that your project path doesn’t contain any special characters or spaces. I once spent hours debugging a similar issue only to realize it was caused by a space in my project folder name.
If none of these work, you might want to try using a Node version manager like nvm. It can help isolate Node.js installations and avoid conflicts with system-wide packages.
hey, have u tried using yarn instead of npm? sometimes switching package managers can fix weird errors like this. also, double-check ur PATH variables - they might be messed up on the new computer. if nothing else works, maybe try downgrading node to an older version. good luck!
I’ve encountered similar issues when migrating projects to new systems. One often overlooked aspect is the difference in file system case sensitivity between operating systems. If you’ve moved from a case-insensitive system (like Windows) to a case-sensitive one (like Linux), this could cause ‘file not found’ errors.
Check your import statements and file references in your code. Ensure they match the exact case of your file and folder names. Also, verify that all necessary dependencies are correctly listed in your package.json file.
If the issue persists, consider using a tool like ‘npm-check’ to scan for inconsistencies in your project dependencies. Sometimes, outdated or conflicting packages can lead to cryptic errors during startup.
Lastly, review your .gitignore file. Ensure you’re not accidentally excluding crucial configuration files needed for your Next.js project to run properly.