# Neo4j Desktop will not connect to anything even with reinstall

**URL:** <https://community.neo4j.com/t/neo4j-desktop-will-not-connect-to-anything-even-with-reinstall/72992>\
**Category:** Desktop\
**Tags:** windows, bug\
**Created:** [March 13, 2025, 1:19pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/neo4j-desktop-will-not-connect-to-anything-even-with-reinstall/72992 "2025-03-13T13:19:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![0riginalGandalf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/0/c5a1d2/32.png) [@0riginalGandalf](https://community.neo4j.com/u/0riginalGandalf)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 1:19pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/neo4j-desktop-will-not-connect-to-anything-even-with-reinstall/72992/1 "2025-03-13T13:19:10Z")

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I cannot for the life of me get Neo4j Desktop to work at all. Fresh install of the latest desktop will cannot connect to anything. I have done a full teardown and fresh install as laid out in the troubleshooting guide. The program starts, but no connections can be established. Here is the error log I get immediately after installation:

[2025-03-13 09:04:40.176] [info] Retrieving status for DBMS[database-cbae1e41-e388-4446-bee2-8a152e38f963]  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.180] [info] Retrieved status for DBMS[database-cbae1e41-e388-4446-bee2-8a152e38f963]: false  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.183] [info] Checking ports  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.209] [info] Starting Neo4j  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.209] [info] Starting DBMS [database-cbae1e41-e388-4446-bee2-8a152e38f963] 'v5.24.0'  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.225] [info] Retrieved status for DBMS[database-cbae1e41-e388-4446-bee2-8a152e38f963]: true  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.226] [info] Check if neo4j is available on { host: '127.0.0.1', path: '/', port: 7687 }  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.227] [info] Check if neo4j is available on { host: '127.0.0.1', path: '/', port: 7474 }  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.228] [info] Neo4j @ 7687 is down. connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:7687  
[2025-03-13 09:04:40.228] [info] Neo4j @ 7474 is down. connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:7474  
[2025-03-13 09:04:41.237] [info] Retrieved status for DBMS[database-cbae1e41-e388-4446-bee2-8a152e38f963]: true  
[2025-03-13 09:04:41.238] [info] Check if neo4j is available on { host: '127.0.0.1', path: '/', port: 7687 }  
[2025-03-13 09:04:41.239] [info] Check if neo4j is available on { host: '127.0.0.1', path: '/', port: 7474 }  
[2025-03-13 09:04:41.240] [info] Neo4j @ 7687 is down. connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:7687  
[2025-03-13 09:04:41.240] [info] Neo4j @ 7474 is down. connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:7474  
[2025-03-13 09:04:42.248] [info] Retrieved status for DBMS[database-cbae1e41-e388-4446-bee2-8a152e38f963]: true  
[2025-03-13 09:04:42.249] [info] Check if neo4j is available on { host: '127.0.0.1', path: '/', port: 7687 }  
[2025-03-13 09:04:42.249] [info] Check if neo4j is available on { host: '127.0.0.1', path: '/', port: 7474 }  
[2025-03-13 09:04:42.250] [info] Neo4j @ 7687 is down. connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:7687  
[2025-03-13 09:04:42.250] [info] Neo4j @ 7474 is down. connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:7474  
[2025-03-13 09:04:43.260] [info] Retrieved status for DBMS[database-cbae1e41-e388-4446-bee2-8a152e38f963]: true  
[2025-03-13 09:04:43.261] [info] Check if neo4j is available on { host: '127.0.0.1', path: '/', port: 7687 }  
[2025-03-13 09:04:43.261] [info] Check if neo4j is available on { host: '127.0.0.1', path: '/', port: 7474 }  
[2025-03-13 09:04:43.262] [info] Neo4j @ 7687 is down. connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:7687  
[2025-03-13 09:04:43.262] [info] Neo4j @ 7474 is down. connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:7474  
[2025-03-13 09:04:44.275] [info] Retrieved status for DBMS[database-cbae1e41-e388-4446-bee2-8a152e38f963]: false

This is a pretty new laptop:  
System:

- Microsoft Windows 11 Pro

- Version|10.0.26100 Build 26100

- Processor|Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900HX, 2200 Mhz, 24 Core(s), 32 Logical Processor(s)|

- Neo4j Desktop version 1.6.1

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**Author:** ![0riginalGandalf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/0/c5a1d2/32.png) [@0riginalGandalf](https://community.neo4j.com/u/0riginalGandalf)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 2:00pm UTC](https://community.neo4j.com/t/neo4j-desktop-will-not-connect-to-anything-even-with-reinstall/72992/2 "2025-03-13T14:00:02Z")

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I figured it out. For some reason I had an environment variable for NEO4J\_HOME that was set to the wrong directory. I deleted the variable, rebooted the computer, and now everything is working. Leaving this here in case anyone else runs into this issue.