Anaconda install on Windows is stuck on executing install.py

Question

Update: Two months after posting this question, I switched to a fresh install of Windows 10 and was able to install the correct version of Anaconda Python. Unfortunately the answers came too late for me to test them.

I want to switch from the 32-bit version of Anaconda Python 3.5 to the 64-bit version. First I uninstalled Anaconda through the 'Programs and Features' window, then I downloaded the Anaconda3-4.2.0-Windows-x86_64.exe installer and attempted to run it. For reference, I am using the 64-bit version of Windows 7. After some initial processing the installer is stuck on Execute: "C:\Users\user.name\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\pythonw.exe" -E -s "C:\Users\user.name\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\pkgs\.install.py" --root-prefix "C:\Users\user.name\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3" --post root

It does not throw any errors, it just hangs. I let it run throughout the night to see if it would progress any further, but unfortunately it was still stuck in the same place in the morning. Afterwards I tried looking for hidden Continuum files from the previous installation and removed those - also removed Anaconda from my PATH variable. I even tried installing miniconda instead of anaconda, but both installers get stuck in the exact same place. Am I missing a hidden file somewhere which is causing the Anaconda installer to hang?

Below is part of the installation log up until the execution command where it gets stuck.

Installing: dill-0.2.5-py35_0 (into root)
untgz::extract -d 'C:\Users\user.name\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3' -zbz2 'C:\Users\use.name\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\pkgs\dill-0.2.5-py35_0.tar.bz2' 
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill-0.2.5-py3.5.egg-info
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__diff.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__init__.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/__diff.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/_objects.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/detect.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/dill.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/info.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/objtypes.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/pointers.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/settings.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/source.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/__pycache__/temp.cpython-35.pyc
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/_objects.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/detect.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/dill.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/info.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/objtypes.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/pointers.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/settings.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/source.py
Writing Lib/site-packages/dill/temp.py
Writing Scripts/get_objgraph.py
Writing Scripts/unpickle.py
Writing info/LICENSE.txt
Writing info/files
Writing info/has_prefix
Writing info/index.json
Writing info/platform
Writing info/recipe/bld.bat
Writing info/recipe/build.sh
Writing info/recipe/meta.yaml
extraction complete.
Execute: "C:\Users\user.name\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\pythonw.exe" -E -s "C:\Users\user.name\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\pkgs\.install.py" --root-prefix "C:\Users\user.name\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3" --post root

Answer 1

I simply ended all python processes (any stale anaconda install/uninstall process running) and deleted all directories created during previous installation attempt. Then I could install without trouble.

If above effort does not work, check the environment path variables. It should not include any python path.

Answer 2

I have ended pythow process from taskmanager and removed unnecessary/irrelevant from environment path. It resolves my issues.

Answer 3

Try this, it worked for me:

conda install python=3.5
conda install tensorflow