# I am quite stuck - Chosen path already exists - previously had Anaconda downloaded **URL:** \ **Category:** How do I...?\ **Created:** [September 11, 2024, 1:21pm UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911 "2024-09-11T13:21:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rohanbarodia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db6015/32.png) [@rohanbarodia](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/rohanbarodia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 1:21pm UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/1 "2024-09-11T13:21:41Z")
![Screenshot 2024-09-11 at 13.19.56](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/anaconda/original/2X/8/867209f60cf129b04a2acd3f5a9f5f6d68378861.png) I know there is a thread already for this topic but I tried all of the solutions and it does not remedy this. I also contacted Apple supported but they couldn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![CrystalS](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/anaconda/user_avatar/forum.anaconda.com/crystals/32/569_2.png) [@CrystalS](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/CrystalS)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 3:59pm UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/2 "2024-09-11T15:59:54Z")
Have you tried removing the /opt/anaconda3 directory before you try and reinstall Anaconda? I can’t imagine the directory would already exist unless there was a previous Anaconda installation on the machine. In the installer, there is usually the option to pick a different installation directory as well - were you unable to do that either? ---
**Author:** ![rohanbarodia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db6015/32.png) [@rohanbarodia](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/rohanbarodia)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 7:43am UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/3 "2024-09-12T07:43:41Z")
Hi CrystalS, Thank you for your reply. There is a previous Anaconda installation. If by removing the /opt/anaconda3 directory you mean typing rm -rf ~/anaconda3 into my terminal application then yes I have tried that. Also with the installer, I tried all the locations and it did not work. Thanks for your time. ---
**Author:** ![rohanbarodia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db6015/32.png) [@rohanbarodia](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/rohanbarodia)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 7:44am UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/4 "2024-09-12T07:44:25Z")
Hi CrystalS, Thank you for your reply. There is a previous Anaconda installation. If by removing the /opt/anaconda3 directory you mean typing rm -rf ~/anaconda3 into my terminal application then yes I have tried that. Also with the installer, I tried all the locations and it did not work. Thanks for your time. ---
**Author:** ![CrystalS](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/anaconda/user_avatar/forum.anaconda.com/crystals/32/569_2.png) [@CrystalS](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/CrystalS)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/5 "2024-09-12T15:01:34Z")
~/anaconda3 does not mean /opt/anaconda3 On Mac, “~” generally points to your home directory. What if in the terminal you ```auto cd cd opt ls ``` or ```auto cd /opt ls ``` Do you see the anaconda3 directory in either of those locations? Can you remove it? ---
**Author:** ![rohanbarodia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db6015/32.png) [@rohanbarodia](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/rohanbarodia)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/6 "2024-09-12T15:37:44Z")
Dear Crystal, Thank you your reply. I think you are onto the solution. I have attached what comes up after putting in the things you suggested and anaconda 3 does come up. On the second part: ![Screenshot 2024-09-12 at 16.35.03](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/anaconda/original/2X/7/7470f8d7df340f545c2c32f41e02c840301d1cb1.png) My question is how to remove it? Thank you again. ---
**Author:** ![rohanbarodia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db6015/32.png) [@rohanbarodia](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/rohanbarodia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2024, 8:23am UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/7 "2024-09-13T08:23:10Z")
The first part is this: ![Screenshot 2024-09-12 at 16.34.33](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/anaconda/original/2X/6/6c6f6a4d8723e626fe4bf7f1878d0b10128efe71.png) ---
**Author:** ![CrystalS](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/anaconda/user_avatar/forum.anaconda.com/crystals/32/569_2.png) [@CrystalS](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/CrystalS)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/8 "2024-09-13T14:24:46Z")
in the second screenshot you have a typo - cs opt instead of cd opt. However, it looks like you found your installation of anaconda3 in /opt Because of where it is installed, you’ll need higher permissions to delete it than a regular user. Assuming you have the root password, you can try the following in the terminal - I would expect it to request your root password to execute the command. `sudo rm -rf /opt/anaconda3` ---
**Author:** ![Jeisser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/80bc00/32.png) [@Jeisser](https://forum.anaconda.com/u/Jeisser)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://forum.anaconda.com/t/i-am-quite-stuck-chosen-path-already-exists-previously-had-anaconda-downloaded/82911/9 "2026-01-11T23:54:34Z")
Hello there I am also expiriencing something similar I tried the sudo but when I’m trying to install the miniconda3 its saying there is already a path can someone help please