[BUG] ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm' while execute `npm install`

[liudonghua123]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

I tried to install some package via npm, but it failed with ENOENT error.

C:\Users\Liu.D.H>npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code @musistudio/claude-code-router --verbose
npm verbose cli C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js
npm info using npm@11.6.0
npm info using node@v24.9.0
npm verbose title npm install @anthropic-ai/claude-code @musistudio/claude-code-router
npm verbose argv "install" "--global" "@anthropic-ai/claude-code" "@musistudio/claude-code-router" "--loglevel" "verbose"
npm verbose logfile logs-max:10 dir:C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2025-09-29T23_38_17_096Z-
npm verbose logfile C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2025-09-29T23_38_17_096Z-debug-0.log
npm verbose stack Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm'
npm verbose stack     at async lstat (node:internal/fs/promises:1031:18)
npm verbose stack     at async #rootNodeFromPackage (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:378:18)
npm verbose stack     at async #globalRootNode (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:358:18)
npm verbose stack     at async #initTree (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:268:14)
npm verbose stack     at async Arborist.buildIdealTree (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\build-ideal-tree.js:179:7)
npm verbose stack     at async Arborist.reify (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\@npmcli\arborist\lib\arborist\reify.js:126:5)
npm verbose stack     at async Install.exec (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\lib\commands\install.js:150:5)
npm verbose stack     at async Npm.exec (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\lib\npm.js:208:9)
npm verbose stack     at async module.exports (C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\lib\cli\entry.js:67:5)
npm error code ENOENT
npm error syscall lstat
npm error path C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm
npm error errno -4058
npm error enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm'
npm error enoent This is related to npm not being able to find a file.
npm error enoent
npm verbose cwd C:\Users\Liu.D.H
npm verbose os Windows_NT 10.0.26200
npm verbose node v24.9.0
npm verbose npm  v11.6.0
npm verbose exit -4058
npm verbose code -4058
npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Local\npm-cache\_logs\2025-09-29T23_38_17_096Z-debug-0.log

C:\Users\Liu.D.H>

And I tested lstat and mkdir in repl of node.

C:\Users\Liu.D.H>node
Welcome to Node.js v24.9.0.
Type ".help" for more information.
> const {
|   lstat,
|   mkdir,
|   rm,
|   symlink,
| } = require('node:fs/promises')
undefined
>
> await lstat("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming")
Stats {
  dev: 2352162001,
  mode: 16822,
  nlink: 1,
  uid: 0,
  gid: 0,
  rdev: 0,
  blksize: 4096,
  ino: 1688849860788744,
  size: 0,
  blocks: 0,
  atimeMs: 1759189261345.5803,
  mtimeMs: 1711956883494.5923,
  ctimeMs: 1759185634129.2036,
  birthtimeMs: 1759185634049.553
}
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm",{ recursive: true})
'\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm'
> await lstat("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm")
Uncaught:
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, lstat 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm'
    at async lstat (node:internal/fs/promises:1031:18)
    at async REPL44:1:33 {
  errno: -4058,
  code: 'ENOENT',
  syscall: 'lstat',
  path: 'C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm'
}
>
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm",{ recursive: true})
Uncaught:
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, mkdir 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm'
    at async mkdir (node:internal/fs/promises:861:10)
    at async REPL47:1:33 {
  errno: -4058,
  code: 'ENOENT',
  syscall: 'mkdir',
  path: 'C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm'
}
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm")
Uncaught:
Error: EEXIST: file already exists, mkdir 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm'
    at async mkdir (node:internal/fs/promises:861:10)
    at async REPL48:1:33 {
  errno: -4075,
  code: 'EEXIST',
  syscall: 'mkdir',
  path: 'C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm'
}
>

Expected Behavior

command npm install successfully.

Steps To Reproduce

1. Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code @musistudio/claude-code-router --verbose

Environment

• npm: v11.6.0
• Node.js: v24.9.0
• OS Name: Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.26200.6584]
• System Model Name:
• npm config:

C:\Users\Liu.D.H>npm config ls
; "builtin" config from C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\npmrc

prefix = "C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm"

; node bin location = C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
; node version = v24.9.0
; npm local prefix = C:\Users\Liu.D.H
; npm version = 11.6.0
; cwd = C:\Users\Liu.D.H
; HOME = C:\Users\Liu.D.H
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

C:\Users\Liu.D.H>

[liudonghua123]

I find some interesting points.

In another computer which behaviors normal. duplicate invocation of mkdir with { recursive: true} option result ok.

Liu.D.H  system32   186ms  14:49 > node
Welcome to Node.js v24.2.0.
Type ".help" for more information.
> const {
|   lstat,
|   mkdir,
|   rm,
|   symlink,
| } = require('node:fs/promises')
undefined
> await lstat("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming")
Stats {
  dev: 3934260128,
  mode: 16822,
  nlink: 1,
  uid: 0,
  gid: 0,
  rdev: 0,
  blksize: 4096,
  ino: 1125899906910913,
  size: 0,
  blocks: 56,
  atimeMs: 1759218743685.1914,
  mtimeMs: 1758784033149.349,
  ctimeMs: 1758784033149.349,
  birthtimeMs: 1721267725810.263
}
> await lstat("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm")
Stats {
  dev: 3934260128,
  mode: 16822,
  nlink: 1,
  uid: 0,
  gid: 0,
  rdev: 0,
  blksize: 4096,
  ino: 7881299347948062,
  size: 0,
  blocks: 56,
  atimeMs: 1759218591950.192,
  mtimeMs: 1759203900373.2158,
  ctimeMs: 1759203900373.2158,
  birthtimeMs: 1724026974963.7693
}
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm",{ recursive: true})
undefined
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm",{ recursive: true})
undefined
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm/123",{ recursive: true})
'\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\123'
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm/123",{ recursive: true})
undefined
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm/123")
Uncaught:
Error: EEXIST: file already exists, mkdir 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm\123'
    at async mkdir (node:internal/fs/promises:859:10)
    at async REPL13:1:33 {
  errno: -4075,
  code: 'EEXIST',
  syscall: 'mkdir',
  path: 'C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\123'
}
> const { realpath } = require("node:fs/promises");
undefined
> await realpath("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming")
'C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming'
>

But in this computer, duplicate invocation of mkdir with { recursive: true} option result failed.

> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm",{recursive:true})
'\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm'
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm",{recursive:true})
Uncaught:
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, mkdir 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm'
    at async mkdir (node:internal/fs/promises:861:10)
    at async REPL55:1:33 {
  errno: -4058,
  code: 'ENOENT',
  syscall: 'mkdir',
  path: 'C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm'
}
> await mkdir("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming/npm")
Uncaught:
Error: EEXIST: file already exists, mkdir 'C:\Users\Liu.D.H\AppData\Roaming\npm'
    at async mkdir (node:internal/fs/promises:861:10)
    at async REPL56:1:33 {
  errno: -4075,
  code: 'EEXIST',
  syscall: 'mkdir',
  path: 'C:\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm'
}
>
> const { realpath } = require("node:fs/promises");
undefined
> await realpath("C:/Users/Liu.D.H/AppData/Roaming")
'E:\\sangforupm\\$DRIVE_C$\\Users\\Liu.D.H\\AppData\\Roaming'
> await realpath("C:/")
'C:\\'
> await realpath("C:/Users")
'C:\\Users'
> await realpath("C:/Users/Liu.D.H")
'E:\\sangforupm\\$DRIVE_C$\\Users\\Liu.D.H'
>

And also the realpath of %UserProfile% directory is different. Maybe that's the case of the strange problem.