Fatal error after RE-installing Python 2.3.4

[John Machin]

Cappy2112 wrote:
> I've just started a job which has a massive python2.3.4-centric tools
> installation and configuration.
>
> I know what you're going to say, but I can't upgrade and be the only
> one with a newer version. There are close to 30 engineers using this
> same tools configuration, and it has been working fine for a long time.
> For now, we all have to live with the limitations and or bugs in 2.3.4.
>
> I'm running Windows XP, SP2, on a AMD 1.79Ghz MP 2200+.
>
> After editing/testing one of the python test scripts, I was about to
> check a small script change into cvs, when my mentor suggested running
> pychecker. When I did this, I saw a several pages full of warnings.
>
> For me not knowing the code base well enough to know what to expect, He
> thought this was odd, took the file, ran pychecker on his system, with
> the file I've edited, and only sees 4-5 warnings.
>
> We have the same version of Python, that being 2.3.4, the same version
> of pychecker which is 0.8.14.
>
> I had deleted and re-installed pychecker, and still saw the same
> warnings.
> I have compared this to another machine, and again, I am the odd man
> out.
>
> I've deleted all the Python packages, pythonwin, and The core 2.3.4
> distribution, and re-installed everything from scratch.

"deleted" the core 2.3.4 distribution [from where? how?] or
"uninstalled"?
Was c:\windows\system32\python23.dll blown away?

Are you installing it for "all users" or for a single user?
Do a search for python23.dll -- you may find two. This can happen if
you have switched from one way to the other way. DLL in
c:\windows\system32 => all users. DLL somewhere else e.g. c:\python23
=> specific user. Check how this is set up on other working boxes.
Check date and size while you are doing that. Also check what they have
on their system path compared to yours.

>
> Now, When I launch Python from a cmd console, the following is reported
>
> C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe- python
> The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
> Chose close to terminate the application.

Have you tried running it with the -v commandline arg to see how far it
gets before crashing?

>
>
> Oddly enough, when I run Python.exe from the Program Files menu, it
> launches just fine.

Yeah, different path.

>
>
> The virus scanner doesn't find any known viruses, and I've also
> disabled the virus checker after un-installing-reinstalling Python the
> last time.
> I've also tried downloading another copy of the installer.
>
> Does anyone have any ideas what is causing this and how to fix it? My
> job depends on me getting Python2.3.4 back to working order.
>

Some thoughts and questions:
1. Telling us what the allegedly spurious pychecker warnings were would
be a good idea.
2. I don't understand the "my job depends" part. Are you responsible
for providing your own computer and installing your own tool-chain on
it?? Is this an initiative test? Can't you get the admin(s) to install
a clean tested kit for you?
3. What is this PC's history? Has it been used successfully in this
environment before you turned up? Was the previous holder of the
position allowed near it after he was told he was getting the chop? Are
all the other engineers using the same configuration?
4. Is Python 2.3.5 a possibility?

HTH,
John