How to Fix and Install Ganache Ethereum Blockchain on Windows 10

Ganache is a personal blockchain built on top of the Ethereum network, basically for development purposes. With Ganache,

“you can run tests, execute commands, and inspect state while controlling how the chain operates”.

By default, and depending on your OS, you could simply download and install the software from it’s official site: https://www.trufflesuite.com/ganache

For window users, there’s a downloadable dot appx (.appx) version, which as I have come to discover, is a little tricky to install for some users. One possible fix and solution for this is to clone and install it from it’s official repo.

Although this approach may look like an easy route to take, but sometimes, there’s a bottle neck some users may tend to experience — the issue of un-installable packages.

If you’ve found yourself in such a place, then this list of steps may help fix this issue for you.

Step 1. Install Windows Build tools if you are yet to install it.

npm install --global --production windows-build-tools

Step 2. Clone the repo

git clone https://github.com/trufflesuite/ganache.git

Depending on your internet strength, this may take some time to run.

Step 3. Navigate into the cloned directory

cd ganache

Step 4. Install project dependencies

npm install

Step 5. Uninstall the default node-sass package that comes with the cloned repo. You can do this by running

npm uninstall node-sass --save

and when that finishes, re-install by running

npm install node-sass --save

This would enable you get a more recent version of the package.

Step 6. Uninstall the electron package by running

npm uninstall electron --save

and re-install by running

npm install electron --save

Step 7. Run Ganache

npm start

For subsequent usage, like in cases where you need to deploy a migration or a contract to the blockchain, always ensure Ganache is running. To do that, cd into the Ganache directory and run

npm start

In some cases, users have been known to fix the error by rebuilding the node-sass package.

npm rebuild node-sass

The approach to take may differ from user to user, depending on the cause of your error. Always track your log file for a more detailed report on the cause of the error if the solutions here did not work for you.