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I installed Anaconda a while ago but recently decided to uninstall it and just install basic python 2.7.

I removed Anaconda and deleted all the directories and installed python 2.7.

But when I go to install PyGTK for Windows it says it will install it to the c:/users/.../Anaconda directory - this doesn't even exist. I want to install it to the c:/python-2.7 directory. Why does it think Anaconda is still installed? And how can I change this?

Meraj al Maksud
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sci-guy
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    There's probably an old registry key. Did you install Python just for you or for all users? Did you install 32-bit or 64-bit Python? Does the PyGTK package you're attempting to install match the latter? – Eryk Sun Mar 30 '15 at 04:19
  • Did you restart your console after the uninstall..? – Ramesh-X Jun 27 '18 at 15:23

14 Answers14

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In the folder where you installed Anaconda (Example: C:\Users\username\Anaconda3) there should be an executable called Uninstall-Anaconda.exe. Double click on this file to start uninstall Anaconda.

That should do the trick as well.

Jerry Chong
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Aerylia
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    For me, the uninstaller was in the path `C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda2` . Not sure why and how `Continuum` got appended. (Commenting as it may he helpful for someone in future) – Hunterr Jun 09 '18 at 10:15
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    In W11 I found the uninstaller in C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3 (ProgramData is a hidden folder btw) – aldo_tapia Mar 24 '23 at 15:42
  • Nope! Keep getting error saying that pre_uninstall fails. – Zack Plauché Mar 26 '23 at 15:41
61

I think this is the official solution: https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/uninstall/

[Unfortunately I did the simple remove (Uninstall-Anaconda.exe in C:\Users\username\Anaconda3 following the answers in stack overflow) before I found the official article, so I have to get rid of everything manually.]

But for the rest of you the official full removal could be interesting, so I copied it here:

To uninstall Anaconda, you can do a simple remove of the program. This will leave a few files behind, which for most users is just fine. See Option A.

If you also want to remove all traces of the configuration files and directories from Anaconda and its programs, you can download and use the Anaconda-Clean program first, then do a simple remove. See Option B.

  1. Option A. Use simple remove to uninstall Anaconda:

    • Windows–In the Control Panel, choose Add or Remove Programs or Uninstall a program, and then select Python 3.6 (Anaconda) or your version of Python.
    • [... also solutions for Mac and Linux are provided here: https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/uninstall/ ]
  2. Option B: Full uninstall using Anaconda-Clean and simple remove.

    NOTE: Anaconda-Clean must be run before simple remove.

    • Install the Anaconda-Clean package from Anaconda Prompt (Terminal on Linux or macOS):

      conda install anaconda-clean
      
    • In the same window, run one of these commands:

      • Remove all Anaconda-related files and directories with a confirmation prompt before deleting each one:

        anaconda-clean
        
      • Or, remove all Anaconda-related files and directories without being prompted to delete each one:

        anaconda-clean --yes
        

      Anaconda-Clean creates a backup of all files and directories that might be removed in a folder named .anaconda_backup in your home directory. Also note that Anaconda-Clean leaves your data files in the AnacondaProjects directory untouched.

    • After using Anaconda-Clean, follow the instructions above in Option A to uninstall Anaconda.

Jakob
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  • The officiall command results in the message that anaconda-clound couldn't be found as part of Cmdlet, a function, script or a program.(...) – Ben Sep 19 '19 at 05:15
  • I don't think Option B works for Windows 7. `> anaconda-clean The term 'anaconda-clean' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.` – ximiki Oct 10 '19 at 15:11
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    It works you just have to run in the anaconda prompt rather than the command prompt – fen Mar 17 '20 at 12:52
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In my computer there wasn't a uninstaller in the Start Menu as well. But it worked it the Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a Program, and selecting Python(Anaconda64bits) in the menu. (Note that I'm using Win10)

Rafael Pacheco
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If a clean re-install/uninstall did not work, this is because the Anaconda install is still listed in the registry.

  1. Start -> Run -> Regedit
  2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Software -> Python
  3. You may see 2 subfolders, Anaconda and PythonCore. Expand both and check the "Install Location" in the Install folder, it will be listed on the right.
  4. Delete either or both Anaconda and PythonCore folders, or the entire Python folder and the Registry path to install your Python Package to Anaconda will be gone.
AnthonyT
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    is there anything that could go wrong by deleting those folders from the registry? What if my plan is to reinstall Anaconda again? Will tampering with the registry mess that up? – Cale Sweeney Mar 07 '19 at 17:49
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Since I didn't have the uninstaller listed - the solution turned out to be to reinstall Anaconda and then uninstall it.

sci-guy
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  • In addition to uninstall, I had to to do a **clean-build** for my component (which had certain dependencies, whose path were changed to Anaconda-install-path when down-the-line configure was being called). [Ref to uninstall problem with anaconda](https://groups.google.com/a/continuum.io/forum/#!topic/anaconda/z2VXkeqYNCk) – parasrish Jul 11 '17 at 03:27
8

Anaconda comes with an uninstaller, which should have been installed in the Start menu.

asmeurer
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7

To use Uninstall-Anaconda.exe in C:\Users\username\Anaconda3 is a good way.

acdcjunior
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bruce
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Method1: To uninstall Anaconda3 go to the Anaconda3 folder, there u will be able to find an executable called Uninstall-Anaconda3.exe, double click on it. This should uninstall ur application. There are times when the shortcut of anaconda command prompt,jupyter notebook, spyder, etc exists, so delete those files too.

Method2 (Windows8): Go to control panel->Programs->Uninstall a Program and then select Anaconda3(Python3.1. 64-bit)in the menu.

Shivangi
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there is a start item folder in C:\ drive. Remove ur anaconda3 folder there, simple and you are good to go. In my case I found here "C:\Users\pravu\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs"

Pravu Chaudhary
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On my machine (Win10), the uninstaller was located at C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\Uninstall-Anaconda3.exe.

thinktwice
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For windows-

  1. In the Control Panel, choose Add or Remove Programs or Uninstall a program, and then select Python 3.6 (Anaconda) or your version of Python.
  2. Use Windows Explorer to delete the envs and pkgs folders prior to Running the uninstall in the root of your installation.
Nikola Lukic
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Hit2Mo
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Go to C:\Users\username\Anaconda3 and search for Uninstall-Anaconda3.exe which will remove all the components of Anaconda.

dfafa
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It looks that some files are still left and some registry keys are left. So you can run revocleaner tool to remove those entries as well. Do a reboot and install again it should be doing it now. I also faced issue and by complete cleaning I got Rid of it.

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    This looks like advertisement for one of those freeware-malware things. I'd be extremely careful about applying the advice in this answer. – Cedar Jun 12 '19 at 12:50
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  1. Uninstall Anaconda from control Panel
  2. Delete related folders, cache data and configurations from Users/user
  3. Delete from AppData folder from hidden list
  4. To remove start menu entry -> Go to C:/ProgramsData/Microsoft/Windows/ and delete Anaconda folder or search for anaconda in start menu and right click on anaconda prompt -> Show in Folder option. This will do almost cleaning of every anaconda file on your system.