tensorflow 1.8 gpu installing only on anaconda environment

Question

installing tensorflow-gpu version on windows through conda environment (steps followed as in https://www.tensorflow.org/install/install_windows )is successful , but after exiting the environment the package is not available.

pip install gives:

Exception: Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\shutil.py", line 544, in move os.rename(src, real_dst) PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'c:\\program files (x86)\\microsoft visual studio\\shared\\anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\html5lib-1.0.1-py3.6.egg-info' -> 'C:\\Users\\karthik\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\pip-2__1plp7-uninstall\\program files (x86)\\microsoft visual studio\\shared\\anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\html5lib-1.0.1-py3.6.egg-info'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\pip\\basecommand.py", line 215, in main status = self.run(options, args) File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\pip\\commands\\install.py", line 342, in run prefix=options.prefix_path, File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\pip\\req\\req_set.py", line 778, in install requirement.uninstall(auto_confirm=True) File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\pip\\req\\req_install.py", line 754, in uninstall paths_to_remove.remove(auto_confirm) File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\pip\\req\\req_uninstall.py", line 115, in remove renames(path, new_path) File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\pip\\utils__init__.py", line 267, in r enames shutil.move(old, new) File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\shutil.py", line 556, in move rmtree(src) File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\shutil.py", line 494, in rmtree return _rmtree_unsafe(path, onerror) File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\shutil.py", line 389, in _rmtree_unsafe onerror(os.unlink, fullname, sys.exc_info()) File "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\lib\\shutil.py", line 387, in _rmtree_unsafe os.unlink(fullname) PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'c:\\program files (x86)\\microsoft visual studio\\shared\\anaconda3_64\\lib\\site-packages\\html5lib-1.0.1-py3.6.egg-info\\dependency_links.txt'

Answer 1

Anaconda is a Python distribution, and Conda is the package manager for Anaconda.

The issue is when you are installing tensorflow, you are installing it inside a Conda environment. This means it will only work in that environment. In order to use it outside the environment, you either need to install it via pip into a different environment, or need to move your program into the Conda environment to use Tensorflow.

It's generally considered bad practice to install packages into the system copy of Python. Packages can install conflicting dependencies, and different programs have different packages. This is why environment managers were made. The Conda environment manager is a great tool, and it's worth the time it takes to learn how to use environment managers.