Error when installing Tensorflow with Conda on Windows - tensorflow

Question

Operating on Windows 10.
I am trying to install Tensorflow within a conda environment. The Anaconda 3 version I am using is the one that can be installed from within Visual Studio, conda version number is 4.6.14.
I created a new environment with conda create -n test python=3.6 and afterwards tried to install Tensorflow:
> conda activate test
> (test) conda install tensorflow-gpu
after which I'm getting the following error:
Downloading and Extracting Packages
tensorflow-base-1.13 | 217.6 MB | ############################################################################ | 100%
[Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Anaconda3_64\\pkgs\\tensorflow-base-1.13.1-gpu_py36h871c8ca_0\\Lib\\site-packages\\tensorflow\\include\\tensorflow\\include\\external\\eigen_archive\\unsupported\\Eigen\\src\\SpecialFunctions\\SpecialFunctionsPacketMath.h'
Any idea on what could be the error here?
Edit: conda info returned:
active environment : base
active env location : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Anaconda3_64
shell level : 1
user config file : C:\Users\Me\.condarc
populated config files :
conda version : 4.6.14
conda-build version : 3.10.5
python version : 3.6.5.final.0
base environment : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Anaconda3_64 (writable)
channel URLs : https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main/win-64
https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main/noarch
https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/free/win-64
https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/free/noarch
https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r/win-64
https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r/noarch
https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2/win-64
https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2/noarch
package cache : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Anaconda3_64\pkgs
C:\Users\Me\.conda\pkgs
C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\conda\conda\pkgs
envs directories : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Anaconda3_64\envs
C:\Users\Me\.conda\envs
C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\conda\conda\envs platform : win-64
user-agent : conda/4.6.14 requests/2.18.4 CPython/3.6.5 Windows/10 Windows/10.0.17134
administrator : True netrc file : None
offline mode : False

Answer 1

I have the same issue. Like you, I also did the convenient "mistake" of installing Anaconda with the Visual Studio installer. As James pointed out, the problem is indeed that the file path is too long (> 260). Anyway, it would seem we have to swallow the bitter pill, uninstall Anaconda and reinstall it at root level (I'll go for Mini-Conda this time).
Before I do that, I'll try to find a way of moving the Anaconda3_64\pkgs\ to a different location. Should that work, I'll post it here.
Edit: Got the solution, no reinstall necessary!
The problem comes from windows itself, which by default does not support long file paths. But this can be changed using a registry flag:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/The-Windows-10-default-path-length-limitation-MAX-PATH-is-256-characters.html
Open Regedit as Admin
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
Change LongPathsEnabled to 1 (DWORD 32 bit)
Warning: it could break compatibility of older programs. So far, for me everything is still working fine. If you should run into problems, simply revert the setting (and remember you have changed this setting!)