"node" Error message after installing Catalina

This solved my problem. Thanks!

Thank you! That did the trick for me, too! 1/4/20

Starr.C

Your post does not respond the the problem. I am also using a 2018 MacBook Pro. I just upgraded my operating system to Catalina and I am getting the same error message. It suggests that "node" is an app. It is not an application. It is not found using either a Spotlight Search or a search in Finder.

The person who posted previously speculated that this problem might have been due to the presence of a file download to a previously used earlier model MacBook, as the the error message says Safari downloaded this "node" file in 2013. Curiously, the error message I get also say the file was downloaded by Safari on May 28, 2013.

The error dialog box that I get offers two options. "Cancel" does nothing expect to make the error message disappear, but it reappears instantly. The "Move to Trash" option just produces another error message that states that "'node' could not be moved to Trash." This error message appears even though there was no file with the name "node" found, nor any attempt to move any file to the Trash.

I am able to empty the Trash, but am unable to find the problem file to manually delete it or move it to Trash.

Is this something that will require a software patch for MacBook Pros?

I spent more than an hour and a half on a chat with Apple Support. I was give the same advice and used Malwarebytes for Mac to search for malware or adware. The scan was negative.

The technical support agent escalated the chat to a more senior person, but she was not able to resolve the issue. She shared, "engineering is investigating this issue," so I presume it it being looked at as a possible software flaw, not a user specific failure mode.

At this point, no resolution.

I wrote a little diagnostic program to help show what might be causing these problems. Download EtreCheck from https://www.etrecheck.com and run it. Create a new reply and use the "Notes" tool below to add your EtreCheck report. Using the link above, you can download EtreCheck from the Mac App Store or download EtreCheckPro directly.

Disclaimer: EtreCheck is my own app. EtreCheck is free to use but has in-app purchases available. Downloading EtreCheck or using it could give me some form of compensation, financial or otherwise.

You have some app installed that is basically a web-site that runs locally. Its “web server” is the “node” process running on your machine. It is quite common to do this. I think one popular package that does this is “electron”. EtreCheck itself is mostly web-based, although I was able to get rid of the embedded server recently. But when you post your EtreCheck report, the node-based app should stick out like a sore thumb.

Often when Spotlight can't find small utilities like the NODE thing it's because it's buried in the Library folder and Spotlight doesn't index the Library folder. Something like the NODE thing is caused by some 3rd party or illegal software install or a phishing file that got installed by clicking on something bad and it self installed. Unless you know how to search through the Library (not an easy task if you don't know what you're doing) you won't find it. It's best to erase, reformat and re-install Catalina.

I've installed Catalina and had a flawless install and never seen or heard of anything like this NODE error message.

Node here probably refers to "node.js", a common Javascript interpreter, both used by itself, and as part of various other software.

https://nodejs.org/en/

Despite the name "node.js", the filename will be simply "node". It is referred to by "node.js" to clarify that it is the "node" javascript interpreter.

However, it will not be named "Nodes". If that wasn't a typo, you may be experiencing a different problem from the OP. It also will not be named "NODE" in caps, but simply "node", all lowercase.

By deleting it, you of course, "broke" what was already broken. Where it was located would be a clue as to what software it was installed with. Whatever functionality node.js was providing, broke once catalina was installed. You should contact the developer of that software for an update.

Deleting the non-functioning "node" file would at least stop the particular dialog from appearing.

Wasting a good part of day on update and nodes I went to System Preferences / Security & Privacy / General and allowed all nodes (listed at bottom of page one at a time, I had three) to open. You'll have a new window popup for opening them. I figured since I had them on a mac this long with no problems it would be okay for them to stay.

Surgeon_user wrote:

There was no indication that the problem was related to malware.

How would you know? It is not like malware advertises itself.

At the suggestion of Apple Support, I downloaded and ran MalwareBytes. This did not identify any malware, nor did it find the file "node".

MalwareBytes, like any AV tool, is only going to identify what it knows about. AV tools are usually not going to identify any files specifically. Usually, they will just give cryptic code names.

I used EtreCheck. The free download did not identify malware, but it did recommend I purchase EtreCheck to address other issues. EtreCheck did not help with the resolution to the problem I encountered after upgrading to Catalina.

EtreCheck does not “recommend” you make any purchases to addrss other issues. That is categorically false.

EtreCheck will give you a one page text report that you can post here on Apple Support Communities. That report will list all software running hidden in the background. People will be able to look at that report and tell you within seconds what software is running and where it is. Unlike an AV tool, EtreCheck lists everything. It will attempt to identiy known or suspected malware, but everything gets listed. EtreCheck does all of this for free.

spotlight. the magnifying glass in the menubar. click on it.

type node. press return.

If it finds node.app, drag it to the Trash.

I have the same problem. None of the suggested solutions above fix it. Will Apple send out some fixes?

I found it in lower case but I deleted the exec file too and no problems. Mine was October 23, 2013...strange stuff

I had same problem.

So this post was helpful. I simply deleted the folder named ‘local’ and problem solved. In this folder the ‘node’ executable file was contained.