Spyder won't launch (except once) using Anaconda on Windows 10

Question

Spyder 5.1.5 does not launch from Anaconda 4.1.2 using Windows 10 — except once, directly after install — throwing these errors from the Anaconda Prompt:

link image0 hasn't been detected!
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\Scripts\spyder-script.py", line 10, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\start.py", line 237, in main
    mainwindow.main(options, args)
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\mainwindow.py", line 1992, in main
    mainwindow = create_window(MainWindow, app, splash, options, args)
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\utils.py", line 281, in create_window
    main.setup()
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\mainwindow.py", line 884, in setup
    plugin_instance = PLUGIN_REGISTRY.register_plugin(
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\api\plugin_registration\registry.py", line 278, in register_plugin
    instance = self._instantiate_spyder4_plugin(
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\api\plugin_registration\registry.py", line 191, in _instantiate_spyder4_plugin
    plugin_instance.register_plugin()
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\plugins\ipythonconsole\plugin.py", line 754, in register_plugin
    self._remove_old_stderr_files()
  File "C:\Users\admin\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\plugins\ipythonconsole\plugin.py", line 1956, in _remove_old_stderr_files
    for fname in os.listdir(tmpdir):
PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'C:\\Users\\admin\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\spyder'
[14044:5688:0318/111357.900:ERROR:broker_win.cc(59)] Error reading broker pipe: The pipe has been ended. (0x6D)

Here's what happens after freshly installing Anaconda 4.1.2:

• Open Anaconda Navigator for the first time
• Launch Spyder for the first time
• Splash screen for Spyder shows initialization and loading, then closes
• Spyder opens

After closing Spyder and Navigator, I do the steps again:

• Open Navigator
• Launch Spyder
• Command window opens with Active code page: 1252
• Splash screen for Spyder shows initialization and loading, then closes along with command window
• Application launch error window opens, showing the errors I posted above
• Spyder does not open

I've tried running Navigator as administrator and Spyder does open, but the Active code page: 1252 command window persists. I fear this simply kicks the issue down the road and doesn't resolve my problem. Also, it's my understanding that Anaconda shouldn't need to be run as administrator to work.

I've tried the following to resolve the problem:

• Reinstalling Anaconda multiple times:
  • Normally and as adminstrator
  • Add Anaconda to my path unchecked and checked
• Updating via conda update conda and conda update spyder
• Reinstalling Spyder via https://stackoverflow.com/a/69713849/18502309
• Changing Spyder to an earlier version (e.g., 4.2.5)
• Restarting my computer throughout

Does anyone know how I can get Spyder running? Thanks!

Answer 1

Using an installation run as administrator and with the option Anaconda added to path checked, I solved this by double-clicking on the folder AppData\Local\Spyder (which had the administrator logo) and allowing access as administrator.

Answer 2

You have installed it as an administrator, but when you're running it the second time and thereafter, the "Anaconda prompt" available from the Start menu is not running as administrator. Right click on it and choose "Run as Administrator" before trying to run Spyder.