Command 'conda update anaconda' fails

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1

I have an issue that has been reported previously but, as it was reported in the context of updating Spyder, it didn’t get answered directly

I installed Anaconda, using the graphical tool, on a MacBook Pro M2 running MacOS 13.2.1 with the terminal using z shell. (I would have switched to more familiar bash shell, but I forgot). I had to run the z-init commands suggested for the command line install to get the install to work:
source /bin/activate
conda init zsh

I was able to “verify” the install. Conda lists the packages. Python starts. I can start Navigator from the command line. Jupyter works…

The first time I opened Spyder it was recommended that I upgrade with the following commands
conda update ananconda
conda update spyder(version argument)

The second command worked fine, but the first command ‘conda update anaconda’ fails with this message:

" PackageNotInstalledError: Package is not installed in prefix.
prefix: /Users/thomasbarson/anaconda3
package name: anaconda"

This command works on my other computer (a 2018 vintage MacBook Air) which uses the bash shell, but where anaconda has the prefix: /Users/thomasbarson/anaconda.

The obvious step is to try ‘conda update anaconda3’ - but I thought I would ask first.

2

Hi @tbarson49,

I would try

conda install anaconda
3

Yeah… something is wrong with the latest Anaconda and Spyder not able to launch (I have win 11, error message is sht about module not found ctypes even though I can see it in the folder so I don’t think that’s really the real cause). I spent entire afternoon reinstalling and updating things and couldn’t manage it to work. I had to revert back to the previous version of Anaconda dated back in October 2022 (Google anaconda version…). Hope someone can take a look at this!

4

Hi @Dave_Clements: Thank you for the suggestion! The implication seems to be that the Mac install can’t be ‘updated’, only superimposed via ‘install’?

I had been playing around until Jupyter and Spyder were not working at all. So I erased the installed, switched to bash shell, and reinstalled. I working on something now, so I have to park your suggestion for the moment - but I’ll report as soon as I try it. TB

5

Yes, I got quickly to the point where everything was broken and had to reinstall. I switched to bash shell this time. And I’ve deferred ‘updates’ until I finish some things. I will report once I try updating in the new install.