Fixing Python install on the Mac after running 'CleanMyMac'

[Cem Karan]

On May 28, 2015, at 11:47 PM, Laura Creighton <lac at openend.se> wrote:

> webmaster at python.org just got some mail from some poor embarrased
> soul who ran this program and broke their Python install.
> 
> They are running Mac OSX 10.7.5
> 
> They are getting:
> 
>     Utility has encountered a fatal error, and will now terminate.  A
>     Python runtime could not be located. You may need to install a
>     framework build of Python or edit the PyRuntimeLocations array in this
>     applications info.plist file.  Then there are two oblong circles. One
>     says Open Console. The other says Terminate.
> 
> So https://docs.python.org/2/using/mac.html says:
> 
>   The Apple-provided build of Python is installed in
>   /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework and /usr/bin/python,
>   respectively. You should never modify or delete these, as they are
>   Apple-controlled and are used by Apple- or third-party software.
> 
> So, I assume this poor soul has done precisely that.
> 
> What do I tell her to do now?

Does she have a recent Time Machine backup that she can restore from?  Otherwise the solutions are all fairly painful:

1) Install Python 2.7 from scratch (easy).  Then figure out where to put symlinks that point back to the install (mildly annoying/hard).  Note that Python 3 won't work; none of the built-in scripts expect it.

2) OS X recovery - http://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac/how-reinstall-mac-os-x-using-internet-recovery-3593641/ I've never had to do that, so I have no idea how easy/reliable it is.  I **think** its supposed to save all the data on the drive, but again, I've not done this, so I can't make any guarantees.

3) Wipe it clean and reinstall from scratch.

Honestly, I hope she has a time machine backup.  I've had to do recoveries a couple of times, and it can really save you.

Good luck,
Cem Karan