[issue23120] installation order of 32bit and 64bit python seems to matter

[Peter Santoro]

New submission from Peter Santoro:

It appears that installation order matters when installing both 32bit and 64bit versions of Python.  If you install the 32bit version first, the 64bit version will uninstall the 32bit version.  Here are the steps I used:

1. Starting point (Windows 7 64bit with latest MS patches):
   Python 3.3.5 32bit (c:\bin32\python33, required for support of older systems that will be upgraded to 3.4.3 when it's available)
   Python 3.4.1 32bit (c:\bin32\python34)
   Python 3.4.1 64bit (c:\bin\python34, included in PATH)
2. Uninstalled
   Python 3.4.1 32bit - ran as expected
   Python 3.4.1 64bit - ran as expected
3. Attempted Install (32bit install before 64bit install)
   Python 3.4.2 32bit (c:\bin32\python34) - ran as expected
   Python 3.4.2 64bit (c:\bin\python34) - install dialog had red warning message at top stating that previous version will be uninstalled; if you continue, the 64bit install deletes the Python 3.4.2 32bit install
4. Work around installation order (64bit install before 32bit install):
   Python 3.4.2 64bit (c:\bin\python34) - ran as expected
   Python 3.4.2 32bit (c:\bin32\python34) - ran as expected

Notes:

I've reported other strange issues with multiple versions of python installed, but they were deemed different than the original reported bug and were not further discussed.  It's quite possible that the combination of python versions installed/uninstalled over time on this system has caused some bad/unexpected/untested state (e.g. Windows registry entries).

----------
components: Installation
messages: 233131
nosy: peter at psantoro.net
priority: normal
severity: normal
status: open
title: installation order of 32bit and 64bit python seems to matter
type: behavior
versions: Python 3.4

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Python tracker <report at bugs.python.org>
<http://bugs.python.org/issue23120>
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