This guide provides a detailed walkthrough for installing Anaconda on Windows, including configuration steps and managing multiple Python installations.

Installation Process

After downloading the Anaconda installer, double-click the executable to begin. Follow the installation wizard, paying attention to the following key steps:

• Accept the license agreement
• Choose installation location (default is recommended)
• Select "Add Anaconda to my PATH environment variable" (important for command line access)
• Complete the installation

Verifying Installation

Open Command Prompt and run:

conda --version

A successful installation will display the Conda vertion number.

Configuring Mirror Sources

To speed up package downloads in China, configure Conda to use Tsinghua University mirrors:

Method 1: Command Line Configuration

Run these commands sequentially:

conda config --add channels https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/anaconda/pkgs/main/
conda config --set show_channel_urls yes

Method 2: Manual File Editing

Navigate to your user directory (e.g., C:\Users\YourUsername) and edit the .condarc file with this content:

ssl_verify: true
channels:
  - https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/anaconda/pkgs/free/
  - defaults
show_channel_urls: true

Package Updates

Update Conda and all packages (recommended for stability):

conda update conda
conda upgrade --all

Managing Multiple Python Installations

Method 1: Renaming Executables

If you have an existing Python installation, rename the executables to avoid conflicts:

• Rename original Python: python.exe → python_orig.exe
• Rename Anaconda Python: python.exe → python_ana.exe

Usage example for package installation:

python_orig -m pip install package_name
python_ana -m pip install package_name

Method 2: Virtual Environments (Recommended)

View existing environments:

conda info -e

Create a new environment with specific Python version:

conda create -n custom_env python=3.7

Activate the environment:

conda activate custom_env

To use your original Python installation within Conda:

1. Create a folder in Anaconda3\envs\ (e.g., python_original)
2. Copy your original Python installation to this folder
3. Activate using: conda activate python_original