Upgrade node.js via npm

sudo npm cache clean -f

sudo npm install -g n

sudo n stable

This will install the latest stable version.

If you want to install a specific version.

sudo npm n 0.10.34

This will install 0.10.34 version.

Just to cross check, use below command. This will print the installed version.

node -v

How to remove specific npm package from windows system

> npm rm -g  <packagename>

Try even this.
>npm uninstall <packagename>

Removing node.js and npm from mac os x

1. Go to /usr/local/lib and delete any node and node_modules
2. Go to /usr/local/include and delete any node and node_modules directory
3. check your Home directory for any local or lib or include folders, and delete any node or node_modules from there
4. Go to /usr/local/bin and delete any node and npm executable.
5. If you have installed in any other custom directory, please remove that as well.

Use below command to remove recursively.

>sudo rm -rf node

>sudo rm -rf node_modules

rm -rf /usr/local/{lib/node{,/.npm,_modules},bin,share/man}/{npm*,node*,man1/node*}

Installing npm node_modules into custom location

> npm install --prefix <custom directory path>

Example:
> npm install  --prefix C:\MyInstallations

With this, node_modules will be created in C:\MyInstallations folder.

For reference, nice content from stack overflow.

TL;DR

You can do this by using the --prefix flag and the --global* flag.

pje@friendbear:~/foo $ npm install bower -g --prefix ./vendor/node_modules
bower@0.7.0 /Users/pje/foo/vendor/node_modules/bower

*Even though this is a "global" installation, installed bins won't be accessible through the command line unless ~/foo/vendor/node_modules exists in PATH.

TL;R

Every configurable attribute of npm can be set in any of six different places. In order of priority:

• Command-Line Flags: --prefix ./vendor/node_modules
• Environment Variables: NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX=./vendor/node_modules
• User Config File: $HOME/.npmrc or userconfig param
• Global Config File: $PREFIX/etc/npmrc or userconfig param
• Built-In Config File: path/to/npm/itself/npmrc
• Default Config: node_modules/npmconf/config-defs.js

By default, locally-installed packages go into ./node_modules. global ones go into the prefix config variable (/usr/local by default).

You can run npm config list to see your current config and npm config edit to change it.

Resources:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14742553/npm-local-install-package-to-custom-location