[Tutor] A few Python Mysteries

[Walter Prins]

Hi Wayne,

On 21 December 2011 15:15, Wayne Watson <sierra_mtnview at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Python is long gone from my system.
I presume you mean Python **2.5** is long gone from your system (not
Python in general), but in any case, this much has been well
understood since several emails ago.

>I only have Python 27.
OK, that's also been clear since several emails ago and is not an
issue (except that I have the impression that's not working properly
either?)

> Somewhere along the line, the uninstall of Python5 probably did not remove the Python5
> from the PATH. I have no explanation as to why Python7 was not in the PATH.

To clarify: Python on Windows does **not** put itself on the System
PATH when installed.  Consequently the reason Python 2.7 is not on the
PATH is in fact because no-one put it there (yet), since as I say,
Python itself would not have done it.  This also explains why
C:\Python25 was not removed from the PATH when you uninstalled Python
2.5 -- Since Python's installation never put it there, it obviously
wasn't going to remove it when it was uninstalled.  Instead, the
implication is that something or somebody else put it there -- most
likely the application that *did* put it there is the **same**
application that is now complaining about the fact that it can't find
the Python 2.5 DLL when you boot up...

>  I have no idea why some remnant of why Python6 is hanging around. I
> uninstalled it long ago too.

I presume by Python6 you mean Python 2.6.  Why do you think a remnant
of this is hanging around?

Anyway, re the bootup messages, I've already suggested what your
options are, but in short:
a) Find and remove the application that's trying to use Python 2.5
b) Install Python 2.5 again, and hope that's enough to get the app
that wants to use it running again.

Re your other Python problems, I'd suggest doing the following:
1) Go into your Control Panel->"Programs and Features", and remove all
copies of Python (if any.)
2) Go into your C:\ Drive, and delete any existing Python folders that
may still exist:
C:\Python25
C:\Python26
C:\Python27
3) Redownload your Python installer (MSI file) of the version of your
choice (2.7?)  from the Python dowload site and re-install that with
default options.
4) IDLE should then be present in your Start->All Programs menu under
"Python 2.7", and should be easily locatable also with the Start menu
quick search feature.

Note, at this point (after the initial installation), Python via the
command prompt won't be runnable from anywhere, since C:\Python27 will
not have been put on the system PATH yet.  A previous post in this
thread explains how to add it (and you should be familiar enough with
the system PATH by now to do this yourself anyway ;)  )

Please try these suggestions and post back with specificity if you
have further problems.

HTH,

Walter