npm install: Error : Cannot find module 'tough-cookie' - node.js

Question

I have removed and reinstalled node.js many times
> node -v
4.5.0
> npm -v
3.3.6
Once I run the command npm install request I get the following error :
Error: Cannot find module 'tough-cookie'
at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:325:15)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:276:25)
at Module.require (module.js:353:17)
at require (internal/module.js:12:17)
at Object.<anonymous> (C:\Users\Generic User\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\npm\node_modules\request\lib\cookies.js:3:13)
at Module._compile (module.js:409:26)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:416:10)
at Module.load (module.js:343:32)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:300:12)
at Module.require (module.js:353:17)
at require (internal/module.js:12:17)
npm ERR! Windows_NT 6.1.7601
npm ERR! argv "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe" "C:\\Users\\Generic User\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\npm\\bin\\npm-cli.js" "install" "request"
npm ERR! node v4.5.0
npm ERR! npm v3.3.6
npm ERR! code MODULE_NOT_FOUND
npm ERR! Cannot find module 'tough-cookie'
npm ERR!
npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
npm ERR! <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>
You probably will tell me to run
> npm update -g npm
I get the same error for this command too.

Answer 1

It looks like your version 3 npm install is broken, for some reason. It'd be interesting to know whether this path exists:
C:\Users\Generic User\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\npm\node_modules\request\node_modules\tough-cookie
and whether it contains a valid package, etc.
With your npm v 3 install, broken, none of the npm install or update commands will work (as they'll need the request module). However, you might be able to roll back npm - as version 4.5.0 of Node.js installs npm version 2.15.9 and it will still be there:
> npm uninstall -g npm
That should leave you with:
> npm -v
2.15.9
Before re-installing npm v 3, clear the cache:
> npm cache clear
> npm install -g npm
However, before you re-install version npm v 3, it would be interesting to see if you are able to install request with npm v 2.

Answer 2

In my case it was a .lock file that caused this error, deleting the file fixed it. Same problem and solution was reported here: https://github.com/sass/node-sass/issues/2019

Answer 3

Is there a package.json file in the folder you are running node from?
If there is a package.json, then running :
npm install request
will not have the desired effect, in fact npm will just try and install whatever module is described in package.json

Answer 4

Have you tried npm install tough-cookie
it has worked for me

Answer 5

its browser issue ... please try to open it in chrome incognito windows or firefox private window and delete cookies