# JupyterLab not running

**URL:** <https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650>\
**Category:** JupyterLab\
**Created:** [May 12, 2024, 3:01am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650 "2024-05-12T03:01:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ram1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ram1](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/ram1)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 3:01am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/1 "2024-05-12T03:01:01Z")

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I installed Anaconda Navigator. Then attempted to install latest version of JupyterLab  
A window opened asking which program should be used to open JupyterLab  
I chose Anaconda  
It tried to reinstall Anaconda and gave the following error message  
“the path you are trying to install is not empty. choose a different folder”  
I uninstalled Anaconda, restarted the computer, and reinstalled Anaconda  
then wrote on the CMD of anaconda: pip uninstall jupyterlab  
and then: pip install jupyterlab  
every time I get the same result  
it tries to install Anaconda  
with the path error I mentioned above  
Seems unable to run jupyterlab or open it

Thank you so much for helping if possible

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**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/2 "2024-05-12T16:06:08Z")

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> [@ram1](#):
>
> the CMD of anaconda: pip uninstall jupyterlab

Please read the ‘Getting Started’ that the Anaconda Distribution shares online. That quoted line from your post and your first line in your post suggest you aren’t doing due diligence.  
Anaconda Distribution comes with a current version of JupyterLab that they want you to have. You can add a newer version if you are an advanced user and look into how it should be done.  
You should be using Anaconda/conda to install anything that has a conda-recipe because you chose Anaconda/conda as your package manager when you installed it and so therefore you wouldn’t be using `pip` to install JupyterLab unless you like causing yourself headaches by messing up your system.  
This forum is about Jupyter in general.  
It sounds like you have now gotten some bad cycle going on your machine by messing things up (see below). You’ll need to look into cleaning this better (old settings, old files), but carefully, before just reinstalling Anaconda Distribution again.

> [@ram1](#):
>
> A window opened asking which program should be used to open JupyterLab

I don’t recall seeing such a window on my system but I suspect it was asking you about which web browser to open it in as JupyterLab works in your browser?  
You should have already been using Anaconda Navigator to start JupyterLab before you got to that point.

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**Author:** ![ram1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ram1](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/ram1)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/3 "2024-05-13T02:43:54Z")

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True, sir. The window was asking which web browser is needed to open up jupyterlab.  
now indeed there is a bad corrupt cycle  
jupyterlab exists but every time I try to open it a setup window pops up trying to reinstall anaconda.  
Any ideas as to what to do?  
your help is extremely kind.  
I am unable to finish my project the way thing are

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**Author:** ![ram1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ram1](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/ram1)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 2:55am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/4 "2024-05-13T02:55:56Z")

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seems your analysis is right. I lack diligence and I am unfortunately ignorant. Cannot find the ‘getting started’ section to read the necessary info. you referred to

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**Author:** ![ram1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ram1](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/ram1)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:01am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/5 "2024-05-13T03:01:12Z")

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actually I intalled only navigator. should I install distribution as well? and how should I “clean” the pc? format it? many grateful thanks

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**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:48am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/6 "2024-05-13T03:48:01Z")

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> [@ram1](#):
>
> Cannot find the ‘getting started’ section

[https://docs.anaconda.com/free/navigator/getting-started/](https://docs.anaconda.com/free/navigator/getting-started/)

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**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 4:02am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/7 "2024-05-13T04:02:41Z")

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> [@ram1](#):
>
> and how should I “clean” the pc? format it?

You’ll have to look around to find the best way to clean or reset things before you reinstall the Anaconda Distribution. (Or maybe you actually just need to install that the first time, in your case?  
I wasn’t aware you could just install the navigator and so when you said Anaconda, I assumed the full distribution which is the typical installation new users want:  
[The Anaconda Distribution](https://docs.anaconda.com/free/anaconda/index.html).  
If you only installed the Anaconda Navigator before, I suspect it wasn’t what you wanted.

### Maybe a better way at this point?

However, another option you should consider if the Anaconda Distribution is not helping , **or you want to try something different before continuing with Anaconda products** , would be [JupyterLab Desktop](https://blog.jupyter.org/introducing-the-new-jupyterlab-desktop-bca1982bdb23). I would encourage you to read [that entire blog post about JupyterLab Desktop](https://blog.jupyter.org/introducing-the-new-jupyterlab-desktop-bca1982bdb23) so that you are aware how you are expected to use it to keeping this separate using Projects, different than Anaconda/conda environment but similar in the way it is meant to keep versions separate and your projects organized.  
Also see recent posts about JupyterLab Desktop:

- [JupyterLab Desktop UI Modes](https://blog.jupyter.org/jupyterlab-desktop-ui-modes-cec528d5e460)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ram1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ram1](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/ram1)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/8 "2024-05-13T20:21:14Z")

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you were correct as usual. I installed distribution. not navigator. pardon the ignorance

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**Author:** ![ram1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ram1](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/ram1)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/9 "2024-05-13T20:33:48Z")

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OK. uninstalled and reinstalled distribution. giving myself headaches as noted.  
same ill cycle. I try to launch jupyterlab  
and a setup window pops up.  
no idea how to stop this or clean

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fomightez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/fomightez/32/495_2.png) [@fomightez](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/fomightez)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 8:39pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/10 "2024-05-13T20:39:58Z")

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There’s stuff [here](https://stackoverflow.com/a/58889740/8508004) that may help. Just be very careful. Right now, the only thing not working for you is Jupyter. You don’t want to make matters worse.  
Did you try JupyterLab Desktop? Or not ready to give up on the Anaconda Distribution yet?

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**Author:** ![ram1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ram1](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/ram1)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 8:42pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/11 "2024-05-13T20:42:53Z")

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Will try all options. As soon as necesary I’ll update

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ram1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/67e7ee/32.png) [@ram1](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/ram1)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 11:23pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/jupyterlab-not-running/25650/12 "2024-05-13T23:23:04Z")

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everything running smoothly with desktop  
your help extremely appreciated  
most kind