Weird behavior when installing/updating python packages from pyzo console

Question

I just installed pyzo and miniconda on a new computer. When I try to install (or update) packages using conda from the pyzo console it doesn't actually install anything. I get something like this:

>Python 3.5.2 |Continuum Analytics, Inc.| (default, Jul  5 2016, 11:41:13) on Windows (64 bits).
This is the Pyzo interpreter with integrated event loop for TK.
Type 'help' for help, type '?' for a list of *magic* commands.

>>> conda update --all
Fetching package metadata .........
Solving package specifications: ..........

Package plan for installation in environment c:\program files\miniconda3:

The following packages will be downloaded:

package                    |            build
---------------------------|-----------------
requests-2.12.4            |           py35_0         791 KB
pip-9.0.1                  |           py35_1         1.7 MB
conda-4.2.13               |           py35_0         449 KB
------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Total:         2.9 MB

The following packages will be UPDATED:

conda:    4.2.12-py35_0 --> 4.2.13-py35_0 (copy)
pip:      8.1.2-py35_0  --> 9.0.1-py35_1  (copy)
requests: 2.11.1-py35_0 --> 2.12.4-py35_0 (copy)

But the packages are not actually updated. I can get it to work when I run "python -m conda update --all" from the dos prompt (with administrator privileges). In that case I get "Proceed ([y]/n)? y" and can continue. Am I wrong in thinking this should be able to run properly from the pyzo console?

Answer 1

Okay, I figured out what I was doing wrong so I will go ahead and answer it.

When I installed miniconda, I selected "install for all users of this computer" which requires admin access. It also means that all package installations also require admin access. The solution is to either uninstall and then reinstall selecting "install for me only" or to run Pyzo as administrator.

Simple problem and simple solution. Hopefully this can be helpful to others as well.