I was trying to run a pip install ( pip install scikit-learn) and I encountered this error:

C:\Users\adaba>pip install -U scikit-learn
Collecting scikit-learn
  Using cached scikit_learn-0.18.1-cp27-cp27m-win_amd64.whl
Installing collected packages: scikit-learn
  Found existing installation: scikit-learn 0.17.1
    DEPRECATION: Uninstalling a distutils installed project (scikit-learn) has been deprecated and will be removed in a future version. This is due to the fact that uninstalling a distutils project will only partially uninstall the project.
    Uninstalling scikit-learn-0.17.1:
Exception:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Program Files\Anaconda2\lib\site-packages\pip\basecommand.py", line 215, in main
    status = self.run(options, args)
  File "C:\Program Files\Anaconda2\lib\site-packages\pip\commands\install.py", line 317, in run
    prefix=options.prefix_path,
  File "C:\Program Files\Anaconda2\lib\site-packages\pip\req\req_set.py", line 736, in install
    requirement.uninstall(auto_confirm=True)
  File "C:\Program Files\Anaconda2\lib\site-packages\pip\req\req_install.py", line 742, in uninstall
    paths_to_remove.remove(auto_confirm)
  File "C:\Program Files\Anaconda2\lib\site-packages\pip\req\req_uninstall.py", line 115, in remove
    renames(path, new_path)
  File "C:\Program Files\Anaconda2\lib\site-packages\pip\utils\__init__.py", line 267, in renames
    shutil.move(old, new)
  File "C:\Program Files\Anaconda2\lib\shutil.py", line 303, in move
    os.unlink(src)
WindowsError: [Error 5] Access is denied: 'c:\\program files\\anaconda2\\lib\\site-packages\\scikit_learn-0.17.1-py2.7.egg-info'

This is the bit we are interested in ”

WindowsError: [Error 5] Access is denied: 'c:\\program files\\anaconda2\\lib\\site-packages\\scikit_learn-0.17.1-py2.7.egg-info'

”

if you look at the error it states “WindowsError”

Hence the Access Denied error is due to not having the right level of privileges to carry out the installs or upgrade.

SOLUTION

Open Command Prompt as Administrator (with Administrator rights)

1. 
2. Now run your pip installs and the windowsError should disappear and installation go through

3. Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.14393]
   (c) 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
   
   C:\WINDOWS\system32>cd\
   
   C:\>Python
   Python 2.7.12 |Anaconda 4.2.0 (64-bit)| (default, Jun 29 2016, 11:07:13) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
   Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
   Anaconda is brought to you by Continuum Analytics.
   Please check out: http://continuum.io/thanks and https://anaconda.org
   Could not open PYTHONSTARTUP
   IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\adaba\\Anaconda3\\envs\\gl-env\\Lib\\site-packages\\spyderlib\\scientific_startup.py'
   >>>
   
   C:\>pip install -U scikit-learn
   Collecting scikit-learn
     Using cached scikit_learn-0.18.1-cp27-cp27m-win_amd64.whl
   Installing collected packages: scikit-learn
     Found existing installation: scikit-learn 0.17.1
       DEPRECATION: Uninstalling a distutils installed project (scikit-learn) has been deprecated and will be removed in a future version. This is due to the fact that uninstalling a distutils project will only partially uninstall the project.
       Uninstalling scikit-learn-0.17.1:
         Successfully uninstalled scikit-learn-0.17.1
   Successfully installed scikit-learn-0.18.1

   Hope this helps you 🙂

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