[Issue]: nvm4w can't install npm,because file path is not correct

[arika163]

What happened?

if i use nvm to install a node version，i get the output like below:

$ nvm install 13
Downloading node.js version 13.14.0 (64-bit)... 
Complete
Downloading npm...
Creating C:\Users\39638\AppData\Local\Temp\nvm-install-2940513581\temp

Downloading npm version 6.14.4... Complete
Installing npm v6.14.4...
error installing 13.14.0: open C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp\nvm-npm-3142577732\npm-v6.14.4.zip: The system cannot find the file specified.

What did you expect to happen?

In nvm.go,starts from line745，nvm create a new temp dir,then nvm try to unzip an unexist zip file under this temp dir.Because the dir is empty,nvm throw an error

				// new temp directory under the nvm root
				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "nvm-npm-*")
				if err != nil {
					status <- Status{Err: err}
				}
				defer os.RemoveAll(tempDir)
				// tempDir := filepath.Join(root, "temp")

				// Extract npm to the temp directory
				err = file.Unzip(filepath.Join(tempDir, "npm-v"+npmv+".zip"), filepath.Join(tempDir, "nvm-npm"))

Version

1.2.0 or newer (Default)

Which version of Windows?

Windows 11+ (Default)

Which locale?

None

Which shell are you running NVM4W in?

Other

User Permissions?

Administrative Privileges, Elevated

Is Developer Mode enabled?

None

Relevant log/console output

Downloading node.js version 13.14.0 (64-bit)... 
Complete
Downloading npm...
Creating C:\Users\39638\AppData\Local\Temp\nvm-install-2940513581\temp

Downloading npm version 6.14.4... Complete
Installing npm v6.14.4...
error installing 13.14.0: open C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp\nvm-npm-3142577732\npm-v6.14.4.zip: The system cannot find the file specified.

Debug Output

none

Anything else?

already fix it by add code below:

				// new temp directory under the nvm root
				// tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "nvm-npm-*")
				// if err != nil {
				// 	status <- Status{Err: err}
				// }
				// defer os.RemoveAll(tempDir)
				tempDir := filepath.Join(root, "temp")  // i add this line

[arika163]

if you think it is a good resoulation,i can create an pr

[kay-adhikari]

Having the same issue documented here. This failed for version 10.24.1

Note: It worked correctly for the latest version and more recent version (as on 27th November, 2025):
nvm install latest --> correctly installed v24.11.1
nvm install 10.24.1 --> failed with the above-mentioned issue
nvm install 22.19.0 --> correctly installed v22.19.0

[broomfn]

+1 same issue 😭

[kay-adhikari]

+1 same issue 😭

There are 2 solutions to this (I got this working afterwards):
Solution1: #1294 (comment)
Solution2: This is a tedious solution - Modify code for nvm.exe to fix the issue (#1294 (comment))

I tried both of them and both have worked for me.

[broomfn]

Thanks @kay-adhikari, those workaround are useful, it would be good to get a production fix for this however, as at the moment, it seems like it's a version manager that doesn't properly manage versions 👀