Gordon.
Please try the following steps, hopefully this will provide a solution.
Type “sysdm.cpl” (without the quotes) in the Windows desktop search box and select sysdm.cpl, Control Panel Item from the “Best match” menu.
In the System Properties window click the “Advanced” tab and then click the “Environment Variables” button.
In the Environment Variables window double click “Path” under the lower “System variables” heading and delete your previous entry for the path to Python.
Assuming that you installed Anaconda with the option for your use only, and not all system users, and that the default location for the Anaconda installation was used then navigate to the upper panel “User variables for <user name>” double click on “Path” and add the following paths on separate lines:
C:UsersgordoAnaconda3
C:UsersgordoAnaconda3Librarymingw-w64bin
C:UsersgordoAnaconda3Libraryusrbin
C:UsersgordoAnaconda3Librarybin
C:UsersgordoAnaconda3Scripts
After adding the paths move all to the top of the tabulated listing by selecting each entry in turn and click the “Move Up” button, the paths listed must be above all other pre-existing environmental paths and in the sequence as described above.
If you used a different location for the Anaconda installation files then modify the above paths accordingly.
Click “OK” to apply the new variables and close out the System Properties window.
Next, re-boot the computer.
After booting the computer go to the programs listing and select from the Anaconda folder “Anaconda Navigator”, Launch the Navigator and allow it to fully load, this takes a few minutes the first time it is launched and various blank screens will open and close, finally after the Navigator desktop is fully up wait a few minutes then close it again.
Next, go to the programs listing and select from the Anaconda folder “Anaconda Prompt (Anaconda)” then in the Anaconda Prompt (Anaconda) window at the cursor type “Python” (without quotes) followed by the enter key.
This should return “Python 3.8.5 ~”.
If ok type “exit()” (with brackets, without quotes) to exit the Python editor then type “exit” (without brackets, without quotes) to close the Anaconda Prompt (anaconda) window.
If, when querying the Python version as described an error message is displayed “Warning: This Python Interpreter is in a coda environment, but the environment has not been activated~” then while still in the Anaconda Prompt (Anaconda) window type at the cursor (without quotes) “cd c:” so that the prompt now operates at the root of the c drive, next type (without quotes): “CUsersgordoAnaconda3Scriptsactivate base”, press enter to run the script, there should be no error message and nothing will appear on screen but the script should execute and activate the Anaconda – Python environment.
Lastly, delete the extracted HOPS folder from wherever you unzipped it and unzip a fresh copy, or download it again if you deleted it, unzip a fresh copy and modify the HOPS windows-installer file as you did previously by editing in Notepad, adding an extra two blank lines then typing CMD /K in the last line of the installer document and saving the changes so that you can monitor the HOPS installation.
Beyond the above there is not much else I can suggest. I built and installed a virgin Windows 10 Pro build 20H2 VM today, replicated the above steps and installed HOPS successfully after installing Anaconda with the options you used with your computer. If still having issues you will need to find help from someone with a deeper knowledge of Windows 10 system variables, my experience with earlier versions of Windows is not always directly transferable to the current Windows 10 platform.
William