Installing global packages causes an error using NPM

install.sh

# Installing Node/NPM
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_5.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

npm.sh

# Installing a package globally
root@localhost:/# npm install -g gulp
Error: could not get uid/gid
net.js:135
    this._handle.open(options.fd);
                 ^

Error: EINVAL: invalid argument, uv_pipe_open
    at Error (native)
    at new Socket (net.js:135:18)
    at createWritableStdioStream (internal/process/stdio.js:142:16)
    at process.stdout (internal/process/stdio.js:10:14)
    at console.js:99:37
    at NativeModule.compile (node.js:395:5)
    at Function.NativeModule.require (node.js:340:18)
    at node.js:223:27
    at Object.<anonymous> (/usr/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/uid-number/get-uid-gid.js:16:1)
    at Module._compile (module.js:413:34)

    at /usr/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/uid-number/uid-number.js:37:16
    at ChildProcess.exithandler (child_process.js:209:5)
    at emitTwo (events.js:100:13)
    at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:185:7)
    at maybeClose (internal/child_process.js:850:16)
    at Socket.<anonymous> (internal/child_process.js:323:11)
    at emitOne (events.js:90:13)
    at Socket.emit (events.js:182:7)
    at Pipe._onclose (net.js:475:12)

This is the only thing that worked for me. I had to basically stop everything that is using the node-modules folder.

• turned off VSC
• stopped local server

After that the install worked.