<p>@PrestonM indicated that:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Whenever I see an "unexpected at this time" error it's in my batch
  scripts, and it's either because I didn't use the correct escape
  character, or an absolute path is incorrect. I don't see Anaconda
  anywhere in your PATH, but I do see Xtralien. Is it possible that you
  need to add Anaconda?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>OP feedback was:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Not changing the default directory and adding it my path variable
  during the installation seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch
  for the advice!</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-04-27T15:28:25.403Z
2018-10-25T07:43:34.263Z
2018-10-25T07:43:34.263Z
030
<p>We recommend not adding Anaconda to the PATH environment variable, since this can interfere with other software <a href="https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/windows" rel="nofollow noreferrer">read more ...</a></p>

<p>Anaconda 4.4 added a feature to the Windows installer so that the “verbose” install information is printed out to a special debug streame <a href="https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/user-guide/troubleshooting#i-m-having-trouble-with-the-anaconda-installer-on-windows-how-can-i-debug-my-issue" rel="nofollow noreferrer">read more ...</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-25T22:01:33.813Z
2018-08-26T05:42:25.247Z
2018-08-26T05:42:25.247Z
hakkican
<p>This is what comes up any time I start up Anaconda Prompt - </p>

<pre><code>\Xtralien was unexpected at this time.
C:\Users\User Name&gt;            @SET "PATH=C:\Program Files (x86)\QuantumWise\VNL-ATK-2016.3\bin;C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelSGXPSW\bin\x64\Release\;C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelSGXPSW\bin\win32\Release\;C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\;C:\Program Files (x86)\LyX 2.1\Perl\bin;C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\runtime\win64;C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Calibre2\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuantumWise\VNL-ATK-2016.3\bin;C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelSGXPSW\bin\x64\Release\;C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelSGXPSW\bin\win32\Release\;C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\;C:\Program Files (x86)\LyX 2.1\Perl\bin;C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\runtime\win64;C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Calibre2\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\;"C:\Program Files (x86)\Xtralien Python Distribution\Scripts";"C:\Program Files (x86)\Xtralien Python Distribution";c:\FullProf_Suite"
C:\Users\User Name&gt;
</code></pre>

<p>I am guessing it's because of a conflict with an <a href="https://www.ossila.com/pages/xtralien-scientific-python" rel="nofollow noreferrer">old Xtralien python installation</a> that I had and forgot about. I uninstalled that and reinstalled Anaconda but it hasn't resolved the problem.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-09T17:43:55.833Z
How are you installing Anaconda?
Preston Martin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-09T18:01:11.163Z
I am installing it with the Anaconda 5.0.1 Windows Installer from here - https://www.anaconda.com/download/
 with all the default options besides the directory which I switched to a folder in E drive. So - Installing it for 'just me' and registering anaconda as the default for Python
Pyrphoros
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-09T18:19:44.037Z
Have you tried switching to the drive Anaconda is installed on?
Preston Martin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-09T20:12:24.247Z
That and installing it in C drive itself too
Pyrphoros
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-09T20:18:45.427Z
Whenever I see an "unexpected at this time" error it's in my batch scripts, and it's either because I didn't use the correct escape character, or an absolute path is incorrect. I don't see Anaconda anywhere in your PATH, but I do see Xtralien. Is it possible that you need to add Anaconda?
Preston Martin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-09T21:03:13.013Z
Not changing the default directory and adding it my path variable during the installation seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch for the advice!
Pyrphoros
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-09T21:07:32.903Z
Cool I'll add an answer explain what's happening. Feel free to accept :)
Preston Martin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-01T18:49:54.953Z
Please add this comment as an answer so this Q&A will not appear anymore in the unanswered section.
030
<windows><python><installation>
Problem with Anaconda installation
Pyrphoros
# Problem with Anaconda installation

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-02-09)

This is what comes up any time I start up Anaconda Prompt - 
\Xtralien was unexpected at this time.
C:\Users\User Name>            @SET "PATH=C:\Program Files (x86)\QuantumWise\VNL-ATK-2016.3\bin;C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelSGXPSW\bin\x64\Release\;C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelSGXPSW\bin\win32\Release\;C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\;C:\Program Files (x86)\LyX 2.1\Perl\bin;C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\runtime\win64;C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Calibre2\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuantumWise\VNL-ATK-2016.3\bin;C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelSGXPSW\bin\x64\Release\;C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelSGXPSW\bin\win32\Release\;C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\;C:\Program Files (x86)\LyX 2.1\Perl\bin;C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\runtime\win64;C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Calibre2\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\;"C:\Program Files (x86)\Xtralien Python Distribution\Scripts";"C:\Program Files (x86)\Xtralien Python Distribution";c:\FullProf_Suite"
C:\Users\User Name>

I am guessing it's because of a conflict with an old Xtralien python installation that I had and forgot about. I uninstalled that and reinstalled Anaconda but it hasn't resolved the problem.

**Tags:** windows, python, installation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: How are you installing Anaconda?  
> **username_0**: I am installing it with the Anaconda 5.0.1 Windows Installer from here - https://www.anaconda.com/download/  with all the default options besides the directory which I switched to a folder in E drive. So - Installing it for 'just me' and registering anaconda as the default for Python  
> **username_1**: Have you tried switching to the drive Anaconda is installed on?  
> **username_0**: That and installing it in C drive itself too  
> **username_1**: Whenever I see an "unexpected at this time" error it's in my batch scripts, and it's either because I didn't use the correct escape character, or an absolute path is incorrect. I don't see Anaconda anywhere in your PATH, but I do see Xtralien. Is it possible that you need to add Anaconda?  
> **username_0**: Not changing the default directory and adding it my path variable during the installation seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch for the advice!  
> **username_1**: Cool I'll add an answer explain what's happening. Feel free to accept :)  
> **username_2**: Please add this comment as an answer so this Q&A will not appear anymore in the unanswered section.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-04-27. Score: 2

@PrestonM indicated that:

> Whenever I see an "unexpected at this time" error it's in my batch
> scripts, and it's either because I didn't use the correct escape
> character, or an absolute path is incorrect. I don't see Anaconda
> anywhere in your PATH, but I do see Xtralien. Is it possible that you
> need to add Anaconda?

OP feedback was:

> Not changing the default directory and adding it my path variable
> during the installation seems to have done the trick. Thanks a bunch
> for the advice!


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-08-25. Score: 2

We recommend not adding Anaconda to the PATH environment variable, since this can interfere with other software [read more ...](https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/windows)

Anaconda 4.4 added a feature to the Windows installer so that the “verbose” install information is printed out to a special debug streame [read more ...](https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/user-guide/troubleshooting#i-m-having-trouble-with-the-anaconda-installer-on-windows-how-can-i-debug-my-issue)


---

