Conda update conda taking hours (default install without extra packages installed)

Yesterday I got surprised by time anaconda solver was taking (default anaconda windows installation i did some months ago, no packages installed on base environment, and just 2 very small test environments) it was taking hours, and just needed update a version:

    ==> WARNING: A newer version of conda exists. <==
      current version: 23.7.4
      latest version: 24.1.2
  
    Please update conda by running
        $ conda update -n base -c defaults conda

    Or to minimize the number of packages updated during conda update use
         conda install conda=24.9.1

Both commands suggested and all online forums suggested:

$ conda update -n base conda

$ conda update -n base -c defaults conda
$ conda install conda=24.9.1
$ conda install -n base -c defaults 'conda>=24.9.1'

So clear something very wrong, and this is out of the box anaconda installation that i just fired what i thought would be simple/fas operation:
$ conda update -n base conda

Soon discovered massive number of posts online broadcasting this problem.

Seems latests suggestions is using mamba (instead of anaconda or miniconda).

Can anyone give a simple best way to setup python environment, so that after 6 months it doesnt takes hours to simple update of version again ?
(i havent even installed packages on my 2 test environments, only python version).

Many thanks in advance, and sorry if this not the best place to try share this strange problem.

update: my use case as data engineer its to just try some ml PoCs, and because i mainly work with Snowflake that have Anaconda server side, I thought it would make sense install Anaconda client side as well… but now im bit stressed wondering whats best option?

Thanks