win10 Firebase CLI: worked but now fails on startup

[GavinBrelstaff]

[REQUIRED] Environment info

The version command crashes: but either
7.80 or 7.81

Windows 10 Pro
Version 10.0.18362 Build 18362

[REQUIRED] Test case

As first reported here: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/firebase-talk/DxXrj3oHTmw/ejKBG0IEBwAJ
Everything worked fine for months
until a recent update of either Firebase or npm
done as instructed within the CLI's message of the day text.

I update to v.7.80 (or perhaps v7.81) and to the latest npm and then open the Firebase CLI shell by double clicking the Windows desktop shortcut with target: C:\Users\username\Desktop\firebase-cli.exe with the Start in: C:\Users\username\mysitedir

[REQUIRED] Steps to reproduce

Step: open the Firebase CLI shell and wait

[REQUIRED] Expected behavior

The terminal prompt eventually appears without error messages

[REQUIRED] Actual behavior

The terminal prompt appears with error messages
`
################################################################################

 Welcome to...
 ######## #### ########  ######## ########     ###     ######  ########  ##
 ##        ##  ##     ## ##       ##     ##  ##   ##  ##       ##        ##
 ######    ##  ########  ######   ########  #########  ######  ######    ##
 ##        ##  ##    ##  ##       ##     ## ##     ##       ## ##
 ##       #### ##     ## ######## ########  ##     ##  ######  ########  ##

################################################################################

~ Let's make sure your Firebase CLI is ready...

• Looks like your CLI is set up.!

~ Checking your Firebase credentialsundefined:1

SyntaxError: Unexpected end of JSON input
at JSON.parse ()
at ChildProcess.listSpawn.on (C:\snapshot\firepit\welcome.js: 100:31)
at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:182:13)
at maybeClose (internal/child_process.js:961:16)
at Socket.stream.socket.on (internal/child_process.js:380:11)
at Socket.emit (events.js:182:13)
at Pipe._handle.close [as _onclose] (net.js:595:12)

`

[GavinBrelstaff]

Rolling back fixes the issue:
npm install -g firebase-tools@7.7.0

so it is an upgrade problem - probably mangling the credentials access

[samtstern]

@abeisgoat sounds like it's a Firepit-specific issue with the latest release?

[abeisgoat]

Yeah looks like an issue with the response format from the CLI, will take a look

[alrowaihi]

hey @abeisgoat , according to your question here #1888 , yes both builds ( firebase-tools-win.exe and -instant ) failed to start , and actually I started running -instant , when I failed to get it work , I downloaded the other one which behaved the same

[abeisgoat]

Okay, thanks for the quick reply, I think this is actually a dupe of #1796 so let's handle it over there :)