newbie question: 'import site' failed; use -v for traceback

[Tony Gill]

Hi,
 
I've just downloaded and installed Python 2.4.2 for Windows and am having
troubling getting started.
 
My system is: MS Windows XP Pro SP2
 
When I run 'python (command line)' from the start menu the first line in the
CMD window is:
'import site' failed; use -v for traceback
 
This seems to be causing other problems; for example: when I type 'import
os' at the prompt I get the error:
 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
ImportError: No module named os
 
Also I cannot run the IDLE (Python GUI) from the start menu either. Nothing
loads. I presume my problems all come back to the fact that import site
fails when python starts.
 
Any help getting me started greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks
 
Tony
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