If your GST Offline Tool shows a white screen after the "Starting App…" message, and nothing loads, you’re not alone. This guide walks you through a guaranteed solution that works as of July 2025 — tested and verified.

❓ Why This Happens

The GST Offline Tool is a Node.js-based application that uses an internal server (http://localhost:3010). It also relies on Java and an embedded Node.js runtime to start the backend.

The white screen appears when:

• The Node.js backend fails to start

• The tool uses modern JavaScript features (like ?.) not supported by its outdated Node version (v6.10.1)

• The internal path C:\GST Offline Tool\node-v6.10.1-x86 is broken or replaced with an installer instead of the expected folder.

✅ Working Installation Path (Default)

The tool installs to:

makefile
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C:\GST Offline Tool

No changes to this default path are required.

? Solution: Fix GST Offline Tool White Screen

✅ Step 1: Check Java Installation

Open Command Prompt and run:

bash
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java -version

You must see output like:

scss
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java version "1.8.0_451"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment...

If not installed, download 64-bit Java from:
? https://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp

✅ Step 2: Fix Node.js Runtime

1. Download Node.js v14.21.3 (Win x64 ZIP)
   ? https://nodejs.org/dist/v14.21.3/node-v14.21.3-win-x64.zip

2. Extract it to this folder:

   makefile
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   C:\GST Offline Tool\node-v14\
   

3. Ensure node.exe exists at:

   makefile
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   C:\GST Offline Tool\node-v14\node.exe
   

✅ Step 3: Manually Start the Tool Backend

1. Open Command Prompt

2. Run the following:

bash
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cd "C:\GST Offline Tool"
.\node-v14\node.exe app.js

3. You should see:

yaml
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info: Started NodeJS server For Offline Utility, listening on port :: 3010

✅ Step 4: Open the GST Tool in Browser

Open any browser and go to:

arduino
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http://localhost:3010/

The GST Offline Tool UI will load and work properly now.

? Optional: Create One-Click Shortcut

Create a file named start_gst_tool.bat with this content:

bat
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@echo off
cd "C:\GST Offline Tool"
start "" "http://localhost:3010/"
.\node-v14\node.exe app.js
pause

Save it on your desktop — just double-click to launch the tool anytime.

? Backup Tip

After it’s working:

• Backup the full folder: C:\GST Offline Tool\

• Zip it and save it in a safe location to avoid repeat setup

✅ Issue Fixed!

You’ve now bypassed the white screen issue by running the backend server manually using a supported version of Node.js.