Problems and doubts with Anaconda and Spyder

[snippsat]

I even used Cmder and typed "cd miniconda3" (without the quotes) and a message appeared saying something like "The system cannot find the specified path."

You most of course use your path to your Anaconda installation,the example i give was with Miniconda(as i mention the command is the same in Anaconda).

Here for start with Anaconda that have on other Pc.

C:\
λ cd Anaconda3\
C:\Anaconda3
λ cd Scripts\
C:\Anaconda3\Scripts
λ activate.bat
(base) C:\Anaconda3\Scripts
λ cd ..

# See that (base) s now active.
(base) C:\Anaconda3
λ conda list Spyder
# packages in environment at C:\Anaconda3:
#
# Name                    Version                   Build  Channel
spyder                    4.1.4                    py38_0
spyder-kernels            1.9.2                    py38_0

So you see that Anaconda come with Spyder and this version use Python 3.8.
Will not use that so a new version Python and Spyder,with this command.
Most add -c conda-forge to avoid confilcts when use Anaconda.

(my_env) C:\Anaconda3
λ conda create --name my_env -c conda-forge spyder jupyterlab pandas pygame python=3.10.8
Collecting package metadata (current_repodata.json): done
.....

When install is finish change to my_env,and test versions not in Anaconda folder.

(base) C:\Anaconda3\Script
λ activate my_env

(my_env) C:\Anaconda3                                                               
λ cd ..                                                                             
                                                                                    

# Test versions
(my_env) C:\                                                                        
λ conda list spyder                                                                 
# packages in environment at C:\Anaconda3\envs\my_env:                              
#                                                                                   
# Name                    Version                   Build  Channel                  
pyls-spyder               0.4.0              pyhd8ed1ab_0    conda-forge            
spyder                    5.4.2           py310h5588dad_0    conda-forge            
spyder-kernels            2.4.2           win_pyhd8ed1ab_0    conda-forge 
                                                                                    
(my_env) C:\                                                                        
λ python -V                                                                         
Python 3.10.8                                                                       
                                                                                    
(my_env) C:\                                                                        
λ pip -V                                                                            
pip 23.0 from C:\Anaconda3\envs\my_env\lib\site-packages\pip (python 3.10)          
                                                                                    
(my_env) C:\                                                                        
λ conda -V                                                                          
conda 4.9.2                                                 

See that now have Python 3.10.8 and new the newest Spyder version 5.4.2.