conda returns 'Solving environment: failed'

Question

I can not use the conda utility anymore. I use it regularly since years but lately, since I installed the python module scp (with the command conda instal

Answer 1

This problem is still out in the field - started happening to me on a fresh Windows 10 install with latest stable Anaconda (2018.12). Getting 'Solving environment: failed' on 'conda install -c conda-forge xgboost' command. I could install something from the base channel eg. 'conda install numpy'

(base) C:\Windows\system32>conda info

     active environment : base
    active env location : C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3
            shell level : 1
       user config file : C:\Users\maglk\.condarc
 populated config files : C:\Users\maglk\.condarc
          conda version : 4.5.12
    conda-build version : 3.17.6
         python version : 3.7.1.final.0
       base environment : C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3  (writable)
           channel URLs : https://conda.anaconda.org/conda-forge/win-64
                          https://conda.anaconda.org/conda-forge/noarch
                          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/pro/win-64
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/pro/noarch
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2/win-64
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2/noarch
          package cache : C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\pkgs
                          C:\Users\maglk\AppData\Local\conda\conda\pkgs
       envs directories : C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\envs
                          C:\Users\maglk\AppData\Local\conda\conda\envs
                          C:\Users\maglk\.conda\envs
               platform : win-64
             user-agent : conda/4.5.12 requests/2.21.0 CPython/3.7.1 Windows/10 Windows/10.0.17134
          administrator : True
             netrc file : None
           offline mode : False