Conda hangs when installing new Python version

Some of the output of conda search python is:

# Name Version Build Channel python 3.9.0 h2a148a8_4_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.0 h852b56e_1_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.0 h852b56e_2_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.0 h852b56e_3_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.0 hcff3b4d_1 pkgs/main python 3.9.0 hdb3f193_2 pkgs/main python 3.9.0 hffdb5ce_5_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.1 hdb3f193_2 pkgs/main python 3.9.1 hffdb5ce_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.1 hffdb5ce_1_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.1 hffdb5ce_2_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.1 hffdb5ce_3_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.1 hffdb5ce_4_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.1 hffdb5ce_5_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.2 hdb3f193_0 pkgs/main python 3.9.2 hffdb5ce_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.4 hdb3f193_0 pkgs/main python 3.9.4 hffdb5ce_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.5 h12debd9_4 pkgs/main python 3.9.5 h49503c6_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.5 hdb3f193_3 pkgs/main python 3.9.6 h12debd9_0 pkgs/main python 3.9.6 h12debd9_1 pkgs/main python 3.9.6 h49503c6_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.6 h49503c6_1_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.7 h12debd9_1 pkgs/main python 3.9.7 h49503c6_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.7 hb7a2778_1_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.7 hb7a2778_2_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.7 hb7a2778_3_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.7 hf930737_3_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.9 h543edf9_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.9 h62f1059_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.10 h85951f9_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.10 h85951f9_1_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.10 h85951f9_2_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.10 hc74c709_0_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.10 hc74c709_1_cpython conda-forge python 3.9.10 hc74c709_2_cpython conda-forge 

When I do conda install python=3.9 --channel conda-forge I get:

Collecting package metadata (current_repodata.json): done Solving environment: failed with initial frozen solve. Retrying with flexible solve. Solving environment: / failed with repodata from current_repodata.json, will retry with next repodata source. Collecting package metadata (repodata.json): done Solving environment: failed with initial frozen solve. Retrying with flexible solve. Solving environment: \ 

It just hangs there. What to do?

1 Answer

A work around is to create and activate a new virtual environment for conda:

conda create --name workaround conda activate workaround 

In the above example I used the name workaround for the new environment, but you can use any name you wish.