[BUG] npm fails install of any packages - TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE

[gsario]

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

npm fails to install any packages, downloading any dependency related to eslint causes TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE error.

Here's what I tried:

• clean npm caches - doesn't help!
• npm audit verify , npm audit fix, npm audit fix --force
• delete & reinstall npm (various attempts with various protocols for deletion and installation)
• tried to disable eslint, but react app creation scripts contain it by default
• tried to upgrade eslint version, but I get the same TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE when eslint is being installed

Here are the failed downloads from the logs after running npm install, npm init @eslint/config@latest or any other package install that has dependencies on eslint:

7097 http fetch GET 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/fast-deep-equal/-/fast-deep-equal-3.1.3.tgz 864ms (cache skip)
7098 warn tar TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE: Unrecognized archive format
7099 silly tar Error: TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE: Unrecognized archive format
7099 silly tar     at Unpack.warn (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/warn-mixin.js:21:40)
7099 silly tar     at Unpack.warn (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/unpack.js:236:18)
7099 silly tar     at Unpack.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:83:14)
7099 silly tar     at Unpack.emit (node:events:530:35)
7099 silly tar     at [emit] (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:313:12)
7099 silly tar     at [maybeEnd] (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:468:17)
7099 silly tar     at [consumeChunk] (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:476:21)
7099 silly tar     at Unpack.write (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:427:25)
7099 silly tar     at Unpack.end (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:548:14)
7099 silly tar     at Pipe.end (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/minipass/dist/commonjs/index.js:116:23) {
7099 silly tar   recoverable: false,
7099 silly tar   cwd: '/Users/gevorg.sargsyan/Projects/dev/js/fireship-memento/node_modules/fast-deep-equal',
7099 silly tar   code: 'TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE',
7099 silly tar   tarCode: 'TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE'
7099 silly tar }

7146 silly packumentCache corgi:https://registry.npmjs.org/@svgr%2fwebpack cache-miss
7147 http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/@svgr%2fwebpack 68ms (cache hit)
7148 silly packumentCache corgi:https://registry.npmjs.org/@svgr%2fwebpack set size:85201 disposed:false
7149 warn deprecated workbox-core@6.6.1: this package has been deprecated
7150 warn deprecated workbox-core@6.6.1: this package has been deprecated
7151 warn deprecated workbox-core@6.6.1: this package has been deprecated
7152 warn deprecated eslint@8.57.1: This version is no longer supported. Please see https://eslint.org/version-support for other options.
7153 verbose stack Error: TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE: Unrecognized archive format
7153 verbose stack     at Unpack.warn (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/warn-mixin.js:21:40)
7153 verbose stack     at Unpack.warn (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/unpack.js:236:18)
7153 verbose stack     at Unpack.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:83:14)
7153 verbose stack     at Unpack.emit (node:events:530:35)
7153 verbose stack     at [emit] (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:313:12)
7153 verbose stack     at [maybeEnd] (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:468:17)
7153 verbose stack     at [consumeChunk] (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:476:21)
7153 verbose stack     at Unpack.write (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:427:25)
7153 verbose stack     at Unpack.end (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/tar/lib/parse.js:548:14)
7153 verbose stack     at Pipe.end (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/minipass/dist/commonjs/index.js:116:23)
7154 error code TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE
7155 error TAR_BAD_ARCHIVE: Unrecognized archive format
7156 silly unfinished npm timer reify 1730736384828
7157 silly unfinished npm timer reify:unpack 1730736388377
7158 silly unfinished npm timer reifyNode:node_modules/fast-deep-equal 1730736388382

Expected Behavior

The packages should be installed, and .tgz archives normally downloaded.

Steps To Reproduce

No response

Environment

• npm: 10.9.0
• Node.js: v22.11.0
• OS Name: MacOS Sonoma 14.5

[Arxtage]

I had a similar issue getting 304 with fast-deep-equal on public wifi, which was fixed after I switched to different wifi.
Not sure if this will help, but worth giving a try:)

[gsario]

Fixed using Claude.

1. Cleared npm cache completely:

rm -rf ~/.npm
mkdir ~/.npm

2. Installed the latest eslint globally:

npm install -g eslint@latest

[skuill]

Thank you @Arxtage!
Changing Wi-Fi really helped right away. I don’t know what kind of magic is hidden behind this..

[Verbinmay]

I don’t understand what kind of magic it is, but I’ve been looking for an answer to this problem for two days, but it was solved by changing Wi-Fi

[Grach90]

I had a similar issue getting 304 with fast-deep-equal on public wifi, which was fixed after I switched to different wifi. Not sure if this will help, but worth giving a try:)

Thank you very much @Arxtage for solution!!

[ardmn]

How it can be related to Wifi/network if problem only with specific packages like fast-deep-equal - looks like npm infra problem

[Verbinmay]

eslint/eslint#19106 (comment)
here u can find same info

[MohammedAslam106]

I had a similar issue getting 304 with fast-deep-equal on public wifi, which was fixed after I switched to different wifi. Not sure if this will help, but worth giving a try:)

What kind of weird issue is this?
Fixed when changing the network.

[novjean]

I was trying to install expo-cli, the network change didn't work for me in npm with the same error but it worked when I installed using yarn which was also failing before. Thank you @Arxtage !

[harsh-nichat]

It worked after I used VPN. Haha! 😅

[Kp4103]

TRY USING VPN, IT SHOULD SOLVE THE ISSUE!!!!

[prashantgupta123]

This issue is occurring globally in AWS servers.