node-gyp build error windows x64: "fatal error LNK1181: cannot open input file 'kernel32.lib'" - windows-7-x64

Question

Here's what I've done so far on my x64 OS:
Installed Python (v2.7 --specifically 2.7.6) and added it to the system path (C:\Python27)
Installed MS VS C++ 2010 Express Version (I already had VS 2012 but without the C++ component)
Installed the compiler update for Windows SDK 7.1
Successfully executed node-gyp configure (from my add-on directory under nodejs\node_modules where binding.gyp is located)
ran node-gyp build (as administrator)** This is what crashed, leaving me with:
this error:
C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\msnodesql>node-gyp build
gyp info it worked if it ends with ok
gyp info using node-gyp#0.12.2
gyp info using node#0.10.25 | win32 | x64
gyp info spawn C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild.exe
gyp info spawn args [ 'build/binding.sln',
gyp info spawn args '/clp:Verbosity=minimal',
gyp info spawn args '/nologo',
gyp info spawn args '/p:Configuration=Release;Platform=x64' ]
Building the projects in this solution one at a time. To enable parallel build, please add the "/m" switch.
LINK : fatal error LNK1181: cannot open input file 'kernel32.lib' [C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\msnodesql\build\sqlserver.vcxproj]
gyp ERR! build error
gyp ERR! stack Error: `C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild.exe` failed with exit code: 1
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.onExit (C:\Users\RNelson\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-gyp\lib\build.js:267:23)
gyp ERR! stack at ChildProcess.EventEmitter.emit (events.js:98:17)
gyp ERR! stack at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (child_process.js:797:12)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601
gyp ERR! command "node" "C:\\Users\\RNelson\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\node- gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "build"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\msnodesql
gyp ERR! node -v v0.10.25
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v0.12.2
gyp ERR! not ok
Any ideas as to what is going on?

Answer 1

I had a similar problem. I found that this switch helped me
--msvs_version=2012
so for example
npm install --msvs_version=2012 <package>

Answer 2

npm config set msvs_version 2013 --global worked for me as I use VS node tools and you dont need to specify msvs_version each time you do an npm install.
I had an issue whereby npm's config (c:\Users\username\ .npmrc) has an entry msvs_version=2012 which was out of date.

Answer 3

After spending a while to get this to work (for me accepted answer didn't work, for me it's just half solution) i did following:
Sadly, you must have visual studio (i installed express edition 2013
for DESKTOP)
Installed python 2.7.3 (you don't have to set any environment
variables)
Run cmd as administrator and go to you project root (where is you
package.json file)
First run: npm config set python C:\Python27\python.exe
Then: npm install -msvs_version=2013
The trick is in command npm config set python ...path_to_python_exe... which will be provided by npm to dependency which needs python i guess. I don't know why setting python as env variable is not enough.

Answer 4

If all above did not work (my case - Windows10 64bit)
Delete C:\Users\user_name\.node-gyp
Delete %AppData%/npm
Delete %AppData%/npm-cache
And install node-gyp again
Following instruction on node-gyp page
I chose Option 1 npm install --global --production windows-build-tools

Answer 5

For installing node-gyp in windows or any other OS
First you may have to download the node-gyp by
$ npm install -g node-gyp-install
Then install by
$ npm install -g node-gyp
you may need to do the above procedure as root/administrartor.

Answer 6

I had this same error now in 2015 when trying to install Keystone and I ran through all you told me but it didn't work on it's own. At the end, I just had to run the command
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1\bin\SetEnv.CMD" /Release /x64
to set up the environment before running the command. (Don't freak out when it turns your window text green, it's working). So yeah I'd do the installations and set up environment variables in the same way everywhere on the internet suggests but make sure to run the above command before running any other command. It probably won't be useful to you, but hopefully it's useful to someone else. If that still doesn't work, MSVS version 2010 worked for me, so install that version and use the flag -msvs_version=2010 when running the npm command.

Answer 7

For me the solution that worked with VS express was to simply install Visual Studio 2013 Express for desktop (which is the only one that gives you a developer command prompt as of 2013 version). Open developer command prompt (elevated) and run NPM install commands. This did not require any special --msvs_version arguments, it just worked.

Answer 8

I came across this problem myself, and this is how I solved it using Visual Studio 2010:
Install following packages
Python 2.7+
Visual C++ Studio 2010 Express
Windows SDK 7.1 Note: If you get error on installation, maybe this link will help you.
Visual Studio 2010 SP1
Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Compiler Update for the Windows SDK 7.1
Use npm install from the Windows SDK command prompt (you need this because it sets additional environment variables).
Source: node-gyp instructions for VS2010

Answer 9

For me (Windows 7 64bit),
I struggled with this issue for half of a day Finally It worked.
On my way :
At control panel, I deleted all Python, Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft Redistributable, and something about I installed to solve this.
Window Update and restart.
Installed Python27, and Visual Studio 2013 with no setting env-val
npm install node-gyp -g
I got an error same thing, but after npm config set msvs_version 2013 --global , It works.

Answer 10

there is an easy to use windows build tools global node package. You could try this.

Answer 11

I was also getting similar issues and here is what worked for me.
Removed Python and Visual Studio
Installed Python 27 and Microsoft Visual Studio with "Desktop development with C++"
Setting the python path npm config set python /path/to/executable/python
npm install node-gyp -g
node-gyp configure --msvs_version=2013

Answer 12

Just had the same problem. Install NVM (Node version manager) and then open your CMD and use NVM install node# followed by the version your dependencies need. If you don't know what version you might need try playing around with different version I reverted my Node back to version 14.15.0 and then used NPM install and everything ran smoothly! Hope this helps!

Answer 13

Install chocolatey in PowerShell with administrator permissions:
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))
Install required versions of the Microsoft Build Tools for Visual Studio:
https://community.chocolatey.org/packages?q=visual+studio+tools
In my case:
choco install visualstudio2019buildtools
And install workload:
cinst visualstudio2019-workload-vctools
Worked with node 16.16.0
If used nvm. Reinstall node version. And all will work fine.