title: How do I get Anaconda3 to see Python 2.7 after installing it?
body: <p>So, I set up Anaconda(3) on my Windows 8 computer, it worked without problems. Now, I also need an installation of Python 2, so I created an appropriate additional environment. Sadly, after activating that environment, the python interpreter it sees stays the same. What am I doing wrong?
  (Shortened) console output:</p>
  
  <pre><code>C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;conda create -n py27 python=2.7 anaconda
  Fetching package metadata: ..
  Solving package specifications: .
  Package plan for installation in environment C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\envs\py27:
  
  &lt;snip&gt;
  The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED:
  
      _license:           1.1-py27_0
      anaconda:           2.1.0-np19py27_0
  &lt;snip&gt;
      python:             2.7.8-0
  &lt;snip&gt;
  Proceed ([y]/n)? y
  
  menuinst-1.0.4 100% |###############################| Time: 0:00:00 239.25 kB/s
  Fetching packages ...
  _license-1.1-p 100% |###############################| Time: 0:00:00 432.62 kB/s
  anaconda-2.1.0 100% |###############################| Time: 0:00:00 150.62 kB/s
  &lt;snip&gt;
  Extracting packages ...
  [      COMPLETE      ] |#################################################| 100%
  Linking packages ...
  [      COMPLETE      ] |#################################################| 100%
  #
  # To activate this environment, use:
  # &gt; activate py27
  #
  
  C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;python --version
  Python 3.4.1 :: Anaconda 2.1.0 (64-bit)
  
  C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;activate py27
  Activating environment "py27"...
  
  [py27] C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;python --version
  Python 3.4.1 :: Anaconda 2.1.0 (64-bit)
  &lt;why isn't python 2.7.8 visible here??&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Doing <code>echo %PATH%</code> before and after activation gives this output</p>
  
  <pre><code>C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;echo %PATH%
  C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows
  \System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static;C:\Program Fi
  les (x86)\PDFtk\bin\;C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3;C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\Scripts
  
  C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;python --version
  Python 3.4.1 :: Anaconda 2.1.0 (64-bit)
  
  C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;activate py27
  Activating environment "py27"...
  
  [py27] C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;echo %PATH%
  C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\envs\py27;C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\envs\py27\Scripts;C:
  \ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\S
  ystem32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static;C:\Program File
  s (x86)\PDFtk\bin\;C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3;C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3\Scripts
  
  [py27] C:\Users\me\AppData\Local\Continuum\Anaconda3&gt;python --version
  Python 3.4.1 :: Anaconda 2.1.0 (64-bit)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This looks correct. Additionally, the <code>python.exe</code> in <code>\envs\py27\python.exe</code> <em>is</em> a 2.7.8 Python!</p>