[python-win32] Fwd: Importing tempfile (or random) results in disaster...

[Kevin Horn]

On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 11:09 AM, Tim Golden <mail at timgolden.me.uk> wrote:

> On 31/05/2012 14:40, Kevin Horn wrote:
> > I'm setting up a new machine (Win7) and one of the first things I
> > thought I'd do is install Python, distribute, pip, virtualenv, etc.
> >
> > However, I can't seem to get that far.
> >
> > When trying to install distribute (using distribute_setup.py), I get the
> > following traceback:
> >
> > Traceback (most recent call last):
> >   File "distribute_setup.py", line 20, in <module>
> >     import tempfile
> >   File "C:\Python27\lib\tempfile.py", line 34, in <module>
> >     from random import Random as _Random
> >   File "C:\Python27\lib\random.py", line 881, in <module>
> >     _inst = Random()
> >   File "C:\Python27\lib\random.py", line 97, in __init__
> >     self.seed(x)
> >   File "C:\Python27\lib\random.py", line 111, in seed
> >     a = long(_hexlify(_urandom(16)), 16)
> > WindowsError: [Error -2146893818] Invalid Signature
> >
> > "Huh," I thought.  "That's weird".
> >
> > A little googling turned up this bug:
> >
> > http://bugs.python.org/issue13524
> >
> > Which has the same traceback, but purports to have something to do with
> > not passing the right environment to the subprocess module (and is
> > marked as "Wontfix").
> >
> > But this doesn't seem to me to be the problem, as I'm not using the
> > subprocess module.  In fact, here is the minimal reproducible example on
> > my machine:
> >
> > tfile.py:
> > import tempfile
> >
> >
> >
> > That's it.  Just "import tempfile" and Python comes to a screeching
> > halt.  In fact, "import random" does this as well, and either one will
> > also cause the traceback from within the interactive interpreter.
> >
> > What's going on here?  Is this a Win7 thing?  I have 2.7.3 working on XP
> > and Vista without a problem.
>
> Are you inside a virtualenv? There was a venv bug recently
> which manifested itself in a similar way. Hang on...
>
> Have a look around here (not sure exactly which part of the
> thread to pull at) and see if anything rings bells.
>
>  http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2012-March/118233.html
>
> TJG
>
>
OK, so I have no idea what caused this, but apparently rebooting my machine
fixed it.

I guess that should have been my first instinct (thanks, Windows!).  I have
no idea why a reboot would fix this though.

Thanks for the reply though, Tim.

Kevin Horn
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