How to fix "Could not install packages due to an EnvironmentError: [WinError 123]"?

Question

I'm trying to download a few packages using python 3.8 but every time i try to install packages like sklearn or scipy I get this error:

Could not install packages due to an EnvironmentError: [WinError 123] The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect: '"C:'

I reinstalled Visual studios thinking it had to do something with the build tools but i still get the error. I've also tried running pycharm as administrator and using --user but to no avail. I've also tried downloading the same packages on my home PC but I get the same error.

This is the full error i'm getting

  Using cached https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/1e/7a/dbb3be0ce9bd5c8b7e3d87328e79063f8b263b2b1bfa4774cb1147bfcd3f/sklearn-0.0.tar.gz
Collecting scikit-learn (from sklearn)
  Using cached https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/18/28/5a48b00599b476875415b97bdfdb3849bafb31183c1d785501dbc8a77aa2/scikit-learn-0.22.1.tar.gz
Requirement already satisfied: numpy>=1.11.0 in c:\users\hp omen\pycharmprojects\evaltrade\venv\lib\site-packages (from scikit-learn->sklearn) (1.18.1)
Collecting scipy>=0.17.0 (from scikit-learn->sklearn)
  Using cached https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/04/ab/e2eb3e3f90b9363040a3d885ccc5c79fe20c5b8a3caa8fe3bf47ff653260/scipy-1.4.1.tar.gz
  Installing build dependencies: started
  Installing build dependencies: still running...
  Installing build dependencies: finished with status 'error'
  Complete output from command "C:\Users\HP Omen\PycharmProjects\evalTrade\venv\Scripts\python.exe" "C:\Users\HP Omen\PycharmProjects\evalTrade\venv\lib\site-packages\pip-19.0.3-py3.8.egg\pip" install --ignore-installed --no-user --prefix "C:\Users\HP Omen\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-build-env-4p9slqe7\overlay" --no-warn-script-location --no-binary :none: --only-binary :none: -i https://pypi.org/simple -- wheel setuptools Cython>=0.29.13 "numpy==1.13.3; python_version=='3.5' and platform_system!='AIX'" "numpy==1.13.3; python_version=='3.6' and platform_system!='AIX'" "numpy==1.14.5; python_version=='3.7' and platform_system!='AIX'" "numpy==1.17.3; python_version>='3.8' and platform_system!='AIX'" "numpy==1.16.0; python_version=='3.5' and platform_system=='AIX'" "numpy==1.16.0; python_version=='3.6' and platform_system=='AIX'" "numpy==1.16.0; python_version=='3.7' and platform_system=='AIX'" "numpy==1.17.3; python_version>='3.8' and platform_system=='AIX'" pybind11>=2.4.0:
  Ignoring numpy: markers 'python_version == "3.5" and platform_system != "AIX"' don't match your environment
  Ignoring numpy: markers 'python_version == "3.6" and platform_system != "AIX"' don't match your environment
  Ignoring numpy: markers 'python_version == "3.7" and platform_system != "AIX"' don't match your environment
  Ignoring numpy: markers 'python_version == "3.5" and platform_system == "AIX"' don't match your environment
  Ignoring numpy: markers 'python_version == "3.6" and platform_system == "AIX"' don't match your environment
  Ignoring numpy: markers 'python_version == "3.7" and platform_system == "AIX"' don't match your environment
  Ignoring numpy: markers 'python_version >= "3.8" and platform_system == "AIX"' don't match your environment
  Collecting wheel
    Using cached https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/81/44/db78754a73d9a88c5bd1bb692b40004410970e88aa0c5dff20b57f231505/wheel-0.34.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl
  Collecting setuptools
    Using cached https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/a7/c5/6c1acea1b4ea88b86b03280f3fde1efa04fefecd4e7d2af13e602661cde4/setuptools-45.1.0-py3-none-any.whl
  Collecting Cython>=0.29.13
    Using cached https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/9c/9b/706dac7338c2860cd063a28cdbf5e9670995eaea408abbf2e88ba070d90d/Cython-0.29.14.tar.gz
  Collecting numpy==1.17.3
    Using cached https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/b6/d6/be8f975f5322336f62371c9abeb936d592c98c047ad63035f1b38ae08efe/numpy-1.17.3.zip
  Collecting pybind11>=2.4.0
    Using cached https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/4b/4d/ae1c4d8e8b139afa9682054dd42df3b0e3b5c1731287933021b9fd7e9cc4/pybind11-2.4.3-py2.py3-none-any.whl
  Installing collected packages: wheel, setuptools, Cython, numpy, pybind11
    Running setup.py install for Cython: started
      Running setup.py install for Cython: finished with status 'done'
    Running setup.py install for numpy: started
      Running setup.py install for numpy: still running...
      Running setup.py install for numpy: finished with status 'done'
  Could not install packages due to an EnvironmentError: [WinError 123] The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect: '"C:'


  ----------------------------------------

Command ""C:\Users\HP Omen\PycharmProjects\evalTrade\venv\Scripts\python.exe" "C:\Users\HP Omen\PycharmProjects\evalTrade\venv\lib\site-packages\pip-19.0.3-py3.8.egg\pip" install --ignore-installed --no-user --prefix "C:\Users\HP Omen\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-build-env-4p9slqe7\overlay" --no-warn-script-location --no-binary :none: --only-binary :none: -i https://pypi.org/simple -- wheel setuptools Cython>=0.29.13 "numpy==1.13.3; python_version=='3.5' and platform_system!='AIX'" "numpy==1.13.3; python_version=='3.6' and platform_system!='AIX'" "numpy==1.14.5; python_version=='3.7' and platform_system!='AIX'" "numpy==1.17.3; python_version>='3.8' and platform_system!='AIX'" "numpy==1.16.0; python_version=='3.5' and platform_system=='AIX'" "numpy==1.16.0; python_version=='3.6' and platform_system=='AIX'" "numpy==1.16.0; python_version=='3.7' and platform_system=='AIX'" "numpy==1.17.3; python_version>='3.8' and platform_system=='AIX'" pybind11>=2.4.0" failed with error code 1 in None

Answer 1

The real answer is: you shouldn't fix it, Python / package devs should. You should determine the exact package which fails to install and report a bug back to its devs.
In your case NumPy is the cause and there's already a bug report for this, as @eorochena says.

---

As for your problem, it can still happen if you will use an outdated or very recent Python version, for which there's no wheel available for the package.
In such case there are two options you could try:

• Force-install an older package version from the official wheel using the following command:
  ^{(outdated Python only)}

  pip install --only-binary :all: <failing_package>
  

• Download unofficial package wheel from here and install it using the following command:

  pip install <path\to\failing_package.whl>
  

Edit: Hmm, that's strange... According to PyPI there was actually an official Python 3.8 wheel available for numpy==1.17.3 at the time you asked...
Your log says it was using cached NumPy sources. Maybe you should've tried running it with --no-cache-dir option?

Answer 2

I got the same error as you today and even checked this post for assistance!

See, there is a space between your username HP Omen. I removed the space between my username in my Windows and scipy was successfully installed. You can set up a new account as an administrator and modify the name (including the folder name in C:\Users) in the current account. Check the following link for futher assistance on how to modify the current username.