MCP Server Cheat Sheet for Windows

Installation Options

Method	Command	When to Use	Pros	Cons
Global NPM	`npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem`	Regular usage, performance needs	Works offline, faster startup, consistent version	Requires manual updates
NPX	`npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem`	Occasional use, exploration	Always latest version, no maintenance	Requires internet for each start, slower startup
Docker	`docker run [repository]/mcp-server`	Consistent environments, isolation	Isolated environment, consistent across systems	Higher resource usage, more complex setup
Local Development	Point to local files	Custom development	Full control, immediate testing	More setup, not portable
Python-based	`pip install mcp-server-fetch`	Specific Python servers	Access to Python ecosystem	Requires Python installation

Docker Installation (When Available)

# Pull the Docker image
docker pull [repository]/mcp-server:latest

# Run the container with access to your files
docker run -d \
  --name mcp-filesystem \
  -v C:/Users/YourUsername/Documents:/data/documents \
  -v C:/Users/YourUsername/Downloads:/data/downloads \
  -p 3000:3000 \
  [repository]/mcp-server:latest

# Configure in claude_desktop_config.json:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-v", "C:/Users/YourUsername/Documents:/data/documents",
        "-v", "C:/Users/YourUsername/Downloads:/data/downloads",
        "[repository]/mcp-server:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Config Reference Guide

Global Installation Config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-filesystem\\dist\\index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DEBUG": "*"
      }
    }
  }
}

NPX Config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
        "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Downloads",
        "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Documents"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Keeping Servers Updated

Installation Type	Update Method	Notes
Global NPM	`npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem@latest`	Run periodically, requires manual action
NPX	No action needed	Updates automatically on each run
Docker	`docker pull [repository]/mcp-server:latest`	Stop container, pull image, restart container
Local Development	`git pull` and rebuild	For custom development only

Command Type Reference

When switching from NPX to global installation, you must change:

Change "command": "npx" to "command": "node"
Replace args with path to the installed module's dist/index.js file

Choosing Between NPX and Global

Use Global Install When:

You use the MCP server frequently
You need offline functionality
Performance/startup time matters
You want consistent behaviour across projects
You run multiple MCP servers simultaneously
You have limited/metered internet

Use NPX When:

You only use the server occasionally
You always want the latest version
You don't want to manage updates
You're trying different MCP servers
You want minimal setup effort
You always have internet access

Installation Paths

Global NPM modules location: npm root -g
- Typically: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules
Node.js location: where node
- Typically: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe

Working Directory

The MCP server uses the current directory as its working directory for relative paths. For consistency:

Create a specific directory for MCP file operations
Always start the server from that directory
Configure allowed paths in your config file

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
"Could not attach to MCP server"	Verify paths, ensure packages are installed, run as administrator
PowerShell security errors	Use CMD instead or run `Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser`
Server not showing in Claude	Ensure Pro subscription, latest version, check config JSON syntax
File access issues	Check working directory and configured paths

Claude Desktop Config Location

%AppData%\Claude Desktop\claude_desktop_config.json

Default Configuration Template

{
  "globalShortcut": "Ctrl+Space",
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-filesystem\\dist\\index.js",
        "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Downloads",
        "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Documents"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DEBUG": "*"
      }
    },
    "memory": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-memory\\dist\\index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DEBUG": "*"
      }
    }
  }
}

Remember to replace "YourUsername" with your actual Windows username and adjust paths according to your system configuration.

Beginner's Guide to MCP Maintenance

First-Time Setup Checklist

✅ Install Node.js from nodejs.org (v18.x or later recommended)
✅ Verify with node --version and npm --version
✅ Find your npm global directory with npm root -g (write it down!)
✅ Install desired MCP servers using one of the methods above
✅ Create/edit the Claude Desktop config file
✅ Restart Claude Desktop and verify server connection

Common Beginner Mistakes

Wrong paths in config file: Double-check all paths match your system
Missing backslashes: Windows paths need double backslashes (\\) in JSON
Running without admin rights: Some actions require administrator privileges
Not restarting Claude: Changes don't apply until Claude Desktop is restarted
Forgetting to update: Global installations don't auto-update
Path resolution errors: Errors like C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\AnthropicClaude\app-0.9.0\${APPDATA} indicate environment variable issues

Keeping Node.js and NPM Up to Date

Updating Node.js

Check current version: node --version
Download latest version from nodejs.org
Run the installer (it will update your existing installation)
Verify update: node --version

Updating NPM

# Update npm itself
npm install -g npm@latest

# Verify the update
npm --version

Fixing Path and Environment Variable Issues

If you see errors like C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\AnthropicClaude\app-0.9.0\${APPDATA}:

Use absolute paths in your config file instead of environment variables
Ensure environment variables are properly set in your system

Try adding environment variables directly in the config:

"env": {
  "APPDATA": "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\AppData\\Roaming",
  "DEBUG": "*"
}

Check for stale Node.js installations that might be conflicting

MCP Server Health Check (Monthly)

Check for Node.js updates: node --version (compare with nodejs.org)
Update npm: npm install -g npm@latest
Check for MCP server updates: npm outdated -g
Update global packages: npm update -g
Clear npm cache if needed: npm cache clean --force
Review Claude Desktop logs for errors
Test each configured server's functionality

Backup Your Configuration

Keep a backup copy of your claude_desktop_config.json file to quickly restore your setup if needed.

Resource Usage Notes

Running many servers simultaneously increases resource usage
Docker containers use more resources than global npm installations
Consider your computer's specifications when choosing installation methods
Close unused servers to free up resources

Further Resources

Claude Desktop documentation: https://docs.anthropic.com/claude/docs/claude-desktop
NPM documentation: https://docs.npmjs.com/
MCP Framework documentation: https://modelcontextprotocol.github.io/
MCP GitHub Repository: https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers

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