MSBUILD : error MSB3428: Could not load the Visual C++ component "VCBuild.exe"

alternatively try npm install --global --production windows-build-tools

You can tell npm to use Visual studio 2010 by doing this...

npm install socket.io --msvs_version=2010

Replace socket.io with the package that is giving the issue.

It is also possible to set the global settings for npm:

npm config set msvs_version 2010 --global