Unable to launch Spyder, Python has stopped working

Issue Report Checklist

• Searched the issues page for similar reports
• Read the relevant sections of the Spyder Troubleshooting Guide and followed its advice
• Reproduced the issue after updating with conda update spyder (or pip, if not using Anaconda)
• Could not reproduce inside jupyter qtconsole (if console-related)
• Tried basic troubleshooting (if a bug/error)
  • Restarted Spyder
  • Reset preferences with spyder --reset
  • Reinstalled the latest version of Anaconda
  • Tried the other applicable steps from the Troubleshooting Guide
• Completed the Problem Description, Steps to Reproduce and Version sections below

Problem Description

I’m getting the ‘Python has stopped working’ error on Windows 7 when trying to start Spyder from Anaconda prompt, I don’t see the Spyder splash screen, only the windows popup. If I try to open spyder from the start menu, or Anaconda navigator, ‘nothing’ happens. By nothing, I mean no pop up, no Spyder splash screen, no error messages. I had 4 environments in Anaconda that worked fine previously, but Spyder would not run on any of them.

When running spyder through Anaconda prompt, there are no traceback error messages in the prompt, once I hit the ‘close’ button on the windows popup, a new line appears.

Jupyter (also installed with Anaconda3) runs fine. Previously Spyder has worked for me. I don’t recall having done any software installation between the time when Spyder worked and when it stopped working. I have tried creating a new environment in Anaconda and installing Spyder, again, same problem. I tried Spyder 3.3.6 and 4.0.1 and both gave me the same problems. Previously (just a week ago) I have ran both versions of Spyder on the same computer (different environments) with no problems.

What steps reproduce the problem?

1. Tried conda update python, conda update spyder, conda update anaconda, conda update qt pyqt. The update either gets completed with no issues, or reports back that the requested packages are already installed, but Spyder is still unable to start up. I checked all the packages listed in the Spyder requirements and they were present and above the minimum required version.
2. I tried to cd to the start.py directory and run the start.py and mainwindow.py scripts, got the same problem.
3. I have tried uninstalling Anaconda3 and reinstalling with a fresh Anaconda download, both ‘Just for me’ and ‘For all users’. (Computer was restarted after each uninstall.) Ran anaconda-clean --yes for good measure, and also tried to hunt down any residue Anaconda/Spyder files and deleted them between installs. The same problem persists.
4. Tried to run spyder --reset and I get the same ‘Python has stopped working’ error.

What is the expected output? What do you see instead?

I expect Spyder to run, instead I saw either nothing happening, or a windows error message saying ‘Python has stopped working’

Paste Traceback/Error Below (if applicable)

Unfortunately there are no error dialogs or messages to help with the troubleshooting.

Versions

• Spyder version: 4.0.1 (also tried with 3.3.6)
• Python version: 3.7.6
• Qt version: 5.9.7
• PyQt version: 5.9.2
• Operating System name/version: Windows 7 enterprise, service pack 1 Windows firewall has been disabled.

[seowwy]

Please update to the latest Spyder version (4.1.1) and run there

spyder --report-segfault

After it crashes, please run again

spyder --report-segfault

Then a dialog will be shown that will allow you to upload the crash report here to Github.

If no dialog appears, please look for a file called faulthandler.log in Spyder’s configuration directory (C:\Users\<your user>\.spyder-py3 on Windows; /Users/<your user>/.spyder-py3 on macOS; or /home/<your user>/.config/spyder-py3 on Linux) and upload it here.

Hi, sorry for the late reply, work has been busy.

I tried updating anaconda navigator, and with it Spyder for updated to 4.1.1, and voilà. It now works…

I swear I’ve tried this at least 3 times before but it didn’t work. Was there some minor spyder/anaconda update that solved this issue, or was there some update my company did on their side… I guess I would never know.

Yeah, been a few days now and I’ve not encountered any problems again. Thanks loads!

[ccordoba12]

We know the video is about Spyder and your problem is about Navigator, but it comes down to same cause: an installation issue with Anaconda that you need to solve by reinstalling Anaconda.