Windows installer doesn't include IDLE by default

[Orava2]

Bug report

Bug description:

Lastest installer 3.12.5 does not install IDLE by default settings. Documentation states that the default value for Include_tcltk is 1 (https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html).

python-3.12.5-amd64.exe /quiet InstallAllUsers=1 PrependPath=1 Include_test=0

Version 3.12.3 installs IDLE by default but the version 3.12.5 requires Include_tcltk=1

CPython versions tested on:

3.12

Operating systems tested on:

Windows

[zooba]

I'm not sure what to tell you:

cpython/Tools/msi/bundle/bundle.wxs

Line 76 in 8edfa0b

<Variable Name="Include_tcltk" Value="1" bal:Overridable="yes" />

Do you have any logs from your install that didn't include IDLE (they'll be in your %TEMP%)? It possibly picked up the setting from a previous install, but the log should hell us.

[Orava2]

IDLE was installed but no shortcuts were created.

[zooba]

Logs would still be very helpful. The vast majority of installs get the shortcuts, and the best way to find out what's unique about your situation is to look at your logs.

[Orava2]

I uninstalled Python python-3.12.7-amd64.exe by using PowerShell script.

$products = Get-WmiObject Win32_Product

foreach ($pkg in (
        "Python 3*",
        "Python Launcher*"
    )) {
    $products | Where-Object {
        ($_.Name -like $pkg)
    } | Select-Object -ExpandProperty LocalPackage | Foreach-Object {
        write-host Uninstall command: msiexec.exe /x $_ /quiet
        Start-Process -Wait -FilePath 'C:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe' -ArgumentList "/x $_ /quiet"
    }
}

Then I installed python-3.12.9-amd64.exe by command
python-3.12.9-amd64.exe /quiet InstallAllUsers=1 PrependPath=1 Include_test=0 Include_tcltk=1 Shortcuts=1

All shortcuts are missing. The folder 'C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Python 3.12' does not exist.

I had to run the uninstaller again and after that the shortcuts were created.

I attached the installation log file which is after I uninstalled the version 3.12.7.

Python 3.12.9 (64-bit)_20250314143205.log

[zooba]

This part of the log shows that the (unsupported) uninstall wasn't complete:

[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i102: Detected related bundle: {e9b7c837-5066-4f10-851a-69179f987b18}, type: Upgrade, scope: PerUser, version: 3.12.7150.0, operation: MajorUpgrade
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Detected previous version - planning upgrade
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Loading state of optional features
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_debug' to value 0
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_symbols' to value 0
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_dev' to value 1
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_doc' to value 1
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_exe' to value 1
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_lib' to value 1
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'PrependPath' to value 1
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'AppendPath' to value 0
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_pip' to value 1
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_tcltk' to value 1
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_test' to value 0
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Include_tools' to value 0
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'Shortcuts' to value 0 *** <-- from last install
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'InstallAllUsers' to value 1
[5594:56A4][2025-03-14T14:32:05]i000: Setting numeric variable 'CompileAll' to value 1

There are additional stored state that needs to be removed if you're going to bypass the actual uninstaller.

So either the first install deselected the shortcuts option in the installer, or the registration was otherwise changed. "Uninstalling" without the uninstaller doesn't clean these up, so you don't get the defaults back next time. If you've been regularly using those commands to remove part of the install, then this is expected behaviour and there's nothing we can fix.

However, if you'd never used those commands before this first occurred, there may be something else going on. We probably can't diagnose it at this point though, so I expect either way we'll be closing this issue, at least until someone encounters it in a clean install.

[Orava2]

How do you uninstall Python officially?

I have tried to download about ten different versions of installers python-3.xx.x-amd64.exe and run python-3.xx.x-amd64.exe /uninstall /quiet . This is complicated.

Install process stores the installer in current user's profile directory and the intaller cannot be found if the user does not exist anymore.
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Package Cache\{95f11c27-5079-4ec7-b5b0-fda34467b15e}\python-3.12.9-amd64.exe

[zooba]

Running the same installer again (which is what the Installed Apps list will do, if the cached copy is still there, of course). Later versions (of the same 3.x) will update by default, and earlier ones will block, but the same version should offer to modify/repair/remove. Going straight to a quiet uninstall when you aren't sure whether you've got the right installer is only making it more complicated - I suggest running the installer normally to see if it's the right one before you commit to the scripted interface.

I agree that deleting the user who installed it is going to create a bigger problem, though in that case it ought to have lost those stored settings - you'll notice the first line I quoted from the log specifies "peruser", which means the current user installed it previously.

And it's an unfortunate limitation of our installer technology that doesn't ensure the per-machine settings align properly, which is why I'm planning to deprecate the installer entirely and replace it. If you're in an environment that regularly creates and deletes users and you want the Python install to persist, then I suspect you'll be unhappy with the proposed replacement, as it very much prioritises per-user installs. Now would be a great time to join the discussion and describe your scenario, so we can see whether the proposed install manager has a way to handle what you need.

[Orava2]

I created a Microsoft Intune installation packace for Python python-3.12.9-amd64.exe. Windows run the installation in system context.

I cannot find the python-3.12.9-amd64.exe. Registry key HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{95f11c27-5079-4ec7-b5b0-fda34467b15e} poits to C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Package Cache\{95f11c27-5079-4ec7-b5b0-fda34467b15e}\python-3.12.9-amd64.exe but theres no folder C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Package Cache\. Python 3.12.9 (64-bit) is missing from the "Apps & features" list. Only Python Laucher is found. All shortcuts are created and found in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Python 3.12 .

Log file is found from c:\windows\temp
Python 3.12.9 (64-bit)_20250314192910.log

Edit:
I think I got it working. I run the PowerShell script to uninstall previous versions by removing invdividual MSI packets. Then I install the python-3.12.9-amd64.exe. Aftet that I run the unstallation by python-3.12.9-amd64.exe and then reinstall Pyhon. All this is in Intune installation packet.

Python 3.12.9 (64-bit) is not listed in Apps and Features. Maybe I need to copy the python-3.12.9-amd64.exe to C:\Program Files\Python312\python-amd64.exe and modify the registry to point that file.

I would be very happy if there was an uninstallation file C:\Program Files\Python312\Uninstall.exe. Fixed location and fixed filename.

Edit 2:
I'm not a big fan of per-user installations. I just checked a PC in the computer lab and there's 58 user profiles. 58 per-user installations is too much and when a new user logs in he/she would have to wait untill the Python is automatically installed.

[zooba]

This might just be one of the known limitations of running as SYSTEM.

I suspect the best way to use an InTune package with the proposed install manager would be for you (the package creator) to use a py install 3.12 --target <Input dir> command to put the runtime files directly into your package, and include your own PowerShell script to either copy or delete them and update the registry (see PEP 514) if you want/need it.

There's not much else special that our installer is doing - it's mainly managing state so that in-place updates will work, but if you're as in control of the systems as it sounds, then that doesn't matter anyway.

Alternatively, when deploying the install manager itself you'll be able to bundle packaged runtimes directly downloaded from python.org, and then when users install them they'll only have to extract and not download anything. If your users are potentially using multiple or a variation of versions, this may be helpful, but it's probably overkill if they're all happily using exactly one version that you provide.