What I do and do not know about installing Python on Win 7 with regard to IDLE.

[W. eWatson]

My criterion for success is that it puts IDLE as a choice for editor on 
the menu produced with a right-click on a py file. So far no response on 
this has solved the problem.

I know it sets up that way on a 2.5 and 2.4 on other PCs I have.

I know at one time it worked on my 64-bit Win 7 PC,  which likely had a 
32-bit version installed on it.  After something like six months of 
modest use it stopped working as above. No IDLE choice.

I know by installing a 64-bit version, 3.2.2 failed the IDLE criterions 
as described. No IDLE.

I do know that IDLE appears on the Win 7 Start menu, but, when used, 
nothing happens.  Well, OK, for about 3 seconds the Win 7 "working" icon 
spins around then zip, nothing.  Further, right-clicking on Properties 
of IDLE (GUI) produces a tabbed dialog.  It shows Start in: 
c:\Python32\, and None for shortcut.  There is a compatibility tab, 
which I've set to Win7.  I think there's a troubleshooter there too, but 
I haven't used it. Under the Details tab, it shows Name: IDLE(Python 
Gui).lnk. Folder Path as: c:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start... 
Nothing after the "...".  Attributes: A

Going directly to ...\Lib\idlelib\idle.pyw produces the spinning icon. 
At least, that's what happens in 3.2.2, but in the 32-bit versions I 
tried, I would get "invalid Win 32 app".

When I rebooted my system a few hours after installing 3.2.2, because 
the PC was running really slowly--not because of Python, I was greeted 
by a couple of interesting messages as the desktop was populated.

I can execute Python from the command line.

1. Specified module could not be found: Load Lib, python.dll.

2. \ProgramFiles(x86)\uniblueDrivers\Scanner (x86) Python26.dll. I'm 
sure this is related to Winamp, which I had installed a month ago.  It 
had some "crazy" choice to scan for new drivers.   Of course, if it 
found one-connected with Python, and if you wanted it, $$$.  I think 
this message is a red herring. I may re-install Winamp to get rid of 
that uniblue tool that seems like nothing more than an ad.

Some have suggested a registry problem, but I don't have a clue how to 
play with that, or somehow clean it up, if there is a problem.  My PC 
behaves normally

I'm using Win 7 Premium.

So unless some brilliant idea appears, that leaves me with the choice of 
not using Python or this suggestion... (Let's not get off into other 
variations of other "Pythons" like Active..."):

Someone suggested using the mail list at 
<http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>. What's different 
about that list than this NG? Does the "org" suggest that the 
inhabitants of that list are more likely associated with the people who 
are responsible for constructing Python?

Comments?